Sarah Cornejo
Photographs by MJ Suayan
Masda Aw (“Come from Curiosity”) and De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde (Benilde) present Threads of Heritage, a three-section exhibition staged by Creative Industries Management students of the DLS-CSB School of Arts, Performance and Culture, marking the second year of their ongoing partnership. The exhibition, which opens August 7, is made possible through a continuing endowment from patron Mercedes Zobel.
Masda Aw is a cultural exchange initiative bridging Manila-based urban creatives with indigenous Kalinga weavers through the Kalinga Indigenous Weavers Association (KINWA).
Masda Aw curator Gerome Soriano, art educator Pulo Mondok, and photographer MJ Suayan oversee hands-on curatorial mentorship throughout the process.
Lance Rubio
The first section showcases creations by seven Fashion Design and Merchandising alumni, now recognized as the inaugural batch of the Philippine Fiber Industry Development Authority (PhilFIDA) Ambassadors. Each designer was challenged to create ensembles using polyester fabric blended with natural local fibers, including piña, abaca, silk, and Philippine cotton.
The collection made its debut in August 2025 at the National Museum, presented during a reception for ASEAN agriculture ministers hosted by the Department of Agriculture under Undersecretary Ali Atienza, who also serves as executive director of PhilFIDA, a major partner and patron of Masda Aw.
Hannah Barrera
For its Benilde presentation, the display is expanded with full biographies and creation descriptions not featured at the original National Museum showing. The section also includes a short documentary on the seven ambassadors, produced by students of the Introduction to Creative Industries Management class.
Kristina Marie
The second section presents a photo essay documenting Masda Aw’s August 2025 Community Day at the Tabuk District Jail in Kalinga. Photographers MJ Suayan and Arnold Amores captured the natural dye watercolor session, facilitated by Masda Aw art educator Pulo Mondok for persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) at the facility.
Joshua Chiong
The section also features a video installation showing sound artist Tad Ermitaño in a live jamming session with cultural group Mingor Chi Kultura led by Councilor Arnel Banasan.
The exhibition’s centerpiece is dedicated to the Weavinnovation initiative, developed in partnership with KINWA, headed by Florence Ao-wat. On display are yardages of handwoven fabric, dyed cotton skeins grown and processed in Ilocos, and framed photographic documentation of the process by MJ Suayan, Arnold Amores, and Pulo Mondok.
Gabriel Buenabajo
This section also features Masda Aw natural dye specialist Diana Katigbak’s creations using fabric produced through the first Weavinnovation last year.
Beyond the exhibition itself, Threads of Heritage served as a learning laboratory for Benilde students across Masda Aw’s creative mentorship classes. Masda Aw creative strategist Raffy Tesoro led workshops on brand-building for students in Creative Entrepreneurship and Management in Creative Industries Organizations, together with Masda Aw models Vanessa Tedesco and Rachel Miranda, while Masda Aw’s creative editor Yvette Tan guided a separate workshop on social media campaign strategy, now reflected in the exhibition’s ongoing student-run online coverage.
Dom Aquio
Masda Aw extends its gratitude to Benilde’s Center for Campus Exhibitions for providing the exhibition space, and to the Fashion Design and Merchandising program for inviting Masda Aw to feature its alumni as PhilFIDA Ambassadors.
“Things fall into place at the right time,” said Masda Aw project lead Nina Tesoro-Poblador. “We program as much as we can, and we propose to our patrons to see if this is something they can help us with. Our students are able to contribute to building this cultural phenomenon, which we hope can be a model for how local brands are developed through cultural authenticity and immersion in indigenous communities.”
The ‘Threads of Heritage’ 2026 exhibition opens on August 7, 2026, at the 8th Floor of the Design + Arts Campus, De La Salle–College of Saint Benilde. It runs until December 11, 2026,
