Public invited to Likha 4 featuring Filipino artisans, designers

By Ruth Abbey Gita-Carlos, Philippine News Agency

ARTISANAL EXHIBIT. Likha 4, an artisanal exhibit celebrating Filipino traditional crafts, will take place at the Foro de Intramuros along Anda Street in Intramuros from June 6 to 8, 2025. A highlight of this year’s Independence Day celebration, Likha 4 will bring together the country’s finest artisans, local designers, and heritage advocates. (PCO Photo)

MANILA – About 30 new artisans are expected to join the fourth edition of Likha, an initiative of First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos that showcases Filipino creativity, craftsmanship, and culture, featuring new and seasoned artisans and designers.

The three-day event at the Foro de Intramuros along Anda Street in Intramuros, Manila starting June 6, will be held in time for the Independence Day celebration on June 12, and will be open to the public for free, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., according to Likha’s official Facebook page.

During the exhibit, the public is enjoined to engage with the creative process, witness live demonstrations, and purchase locally made and heritage-rich products.

“Likha is more than just a showcase. It’s a movement to empower local artisans and preserve Filipino heritage. This initiative hopes to inspire appreciation for the ingenuity and resilience of Filipino creativity,” the Presidential Communications Office said in a news release on Friday night.

“As a platform, Likha remains a hub where stories, techniques, and traditions are passed down to future generations. Likha 4 invites Filipinos to proudly support homegrown talent and help protect the legacy of Filipino craftsmanship for years to come by celebrating Independence Day through creativity, collaboration, and culture.”

The event will feature the coconut midrib and baskets handwoven by Negros handicraft-makers; the woodworks of skilled carvers from Banaue, Ifugao; and hand embroidery and high-quality fabrics from trusted suppliers in Aklan, Bicol, and Laguna.

Guitars from a store in Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu; banig and nigo crafted by an expert artisan from Davao Oriental; hand-embroidered satin fabrics known as Habul Tyahian created by Sulu-based artists; and traditional Maranao tobacco container Lakub of the Maranao people will also be put on display.

Brass makers from Banaue, Ifugao will flaunt the Lingling-o, the closed C-shape pendants originally worn by kadangyans, the wealthy or noble class. Banwa pens from Iloilo; tikog sleeping mats handwoven by artisans of the Madaha indigenous people; Cadiwa nito hats; Sama tepo mats from Tawi-tawi; hammered knives made by the blacksmiths of Ilocos Norte will also be sold to the public.

Yakan weaving products, Binaludan malongs, Damili pots, Lubena lanterns, Binakul textiles, Karatay baskets, Meranaw brasswork, and Tritik textile products will also be available at the exhibit.