ZINUNDUNGAN VALLEY MULTI-PURPOSE COOPERATIVE, INC. Handmade Papermaking: The Sunrise Industry The potentials of handmade papermaking were seen as early as 1990 and plans were already afoot to lay down and strengthen the industry’s foundation. With the industry’s growth and development in mind, the FIDA, DTI and the Duntog Foundation, Inc. organized a multi-sectoral conference on handmade paper in Baguio in April 1991. There strange bedfellows found a common cause, that is to organize the Federation of Handmade Papermakers and Converters or FEHPA and later the Confederation of Handmade Papermakers Association of the Philippines or CHAPS. This group of conservationists have rallied with what little strength they have to make handmade papermaking a serious business. These innovators decided that they have much to teach the rest of the world on handmade papermaking. CITEM and PTTC, on the other hand took the marketing and training task as they mounted the highly successful handmade paper and paper-based resources industry exhibition called Papel: Likhang Kamay five times over – first starting in September 1991 to 1995. Designed to fuel the advancement of the Philippine handmade paper and paper-based resources sector, they served to gauge the acceptability of locally made products, both here and in the international market. In greeting cards alone, reports have it that demand for Philippine han...
