DOST Secretary Renato Solidum Jr. (seventh from left) and DOST Undersecretary for Regional Operations Sancho Mabborang (fifth from left), and other officials visit the Silk Innovation Center at the KSU Rizal campus on February 20, 2025.
TABUK CITY, Kalinga (PIA) – The Mulberry Farm and Silk Innovation Center at the Kalinga State University (KSU) Rizal campus was showcased as part of the KaSiyensyaCordillera Provincial Caravan from February 19 to 20, 2025.
Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Secretary Renato Solidum Jr. and DOST Undersecretary for Regional Operations Sancho Mabborang and other DOST and KSU officials visited the facility, the only silk center in the Cordillera that is equipped for silkworm rearing and raw silk production.
Launched in 2022 by the Philippine Textile Research Institute (PTRI), in partnership with the KSU, the Silk Innovation Center has produced 30.61 kilograms of raw silk and processed almost 350 kilograms of fresh cocoons from Benguet, Apayao, Kalinga, Isabela, Nueva Vizcaya, and Laguna.
The sericulture initiative was implemented as part of broader government efforts to revitalize the silk industry.
PTRI senior research specialist Cheryl G. Lopez said the center can produce up to 1.7 tons of silk a year, but a lot more mulberry fields than what is currently being locally produced is needed to run the machines eight hours a day and five days a week and achieve the facility’s maximum production capacity.
“[We need more] of these mulberry plantations, and more of the rearing houses, and more farmers,” Lopez said.
The raw material for silk is produced by silkworms that feed on mulberry plants.
The silk from the Silk Innovation Center is being marketed to weaving communities.
In a discussion forum with stakeholders, Solidum gave guidance and insights on growing the facility’s production, emphasizing the need to commercialize production to provide jobs and economic opportunities.
“Provide us the roadmap. If you want to increase the production of silk in the Philippines up to 10 percent, 20 percent, what do we need? Then ‘yung technical and financial requirements, even the land. Kasi ang mangyayari niyan, kailangan talaga nating ma-focus namaging business. We should merge science and business,” Solidum said. (IOS-PIA CAR, Kalinga)
