Philippines

The Archipelago Doctrine on territorial limits of countries further states that the baselines from which the territorial sea of the archipelago is to be determined consist of the straight lines connection the outermost portions of the islands. Waters within the baselines are Philippine internal waters and waters outside the baselines but within the extent of the international treaty limits, comprise the country's territorial sea.

This doctrine means, therefore, that our country, with its thousands of islands and many seas, should be considered as a political unit for reasons of history, law, geography, economics, and security. Also, when questions involving territorial conflicts arise, the Philippines has this doctrine to support its claims.

The following are the names given to the Philippines before the country got it's official name: "Republic of the Philippines"

1. Felipinas
2. Las Islas Filipinas
3. Islas del Poniente
4. San Lázaro
5. República Filipina (Malolos Congress proclamation)
6. Philippine Islands (by American colonial authorities)

The Philippine Indigenous Plant Materials

Abaca- belonging to Banana family, strongest among natural fiber. The fiber has a natural high luster with colors ranging from pure white to ivory and dark brown.

The products are Slippers, ropes, twine, hammock, frame, display jar, jars, Chelsea occasional chair

Bakbak- the outermost covering or leaf sheath of the abaca stalk is now highly in demand in the furniture Industry. The thick strong brown fiber is an excellent raw materials used to export furniture Industry. The furniture products from Bakbak give a distinctive and exotic look. It is a flat thick durable sheath as twine or braided.

The products are Mat, Bangkuay Bin, boxes, bin, display, jar, Cecilia dining table, and arm chair.

Bamboo- is the versatile and highly reliable raw materials, either in strips, split or whole timber itself.

The products are Frames, fashion bag, teen bag, strip daises, wall décor.

Buntal- cylindrically shaped fibers. The supple ivory white strands are quite durable, pliable, and have good dyeing qualities.

The products are High end fashion, bags, shoes, attaché cases, desk accessories like pen holder, picture frames, file trays, cigarette cases, wallets, place mats, braide, lampshades, window blinds.

Buri- extracted from the matured leaves of the buri palm. The fiber is durable and resistant to moisture. The products are Place mats, hats, bags, baskets, and other woven products, Also for packaging and baling purposes. It was incorporated with other materials to form novelty items, magazine rack, compact disk, wall decors, food trays, jewelry box, square box, magazine rack, memorabilia boxes, perfume tray, tray, and placemats.

Coir- is the fibrous material surrounding the fruit of the coconut tree through wet or dry processes twines, indoor or outdoor fiber carpets, wall covering, doormat, trellises, and geo textiles.

The products are Coco coir Table lamp, lampshade and pillows.

Nito- this fiber plant thrive wall in both virgin and logged over forest and in bush and open areas. It is a solid material fiber that is covered with a protective bark, a tough outer layer keeping moisture, heat and humidity.

The products are Nito and rattan bread tray, lampshade and decorative jar.

Pandan- Popular for the Filipinos, because the traditional sleeping mat was hand woven from Pandan. These are widely distributed throughout the archipelago with some species with some species growing along sandy beaches and others in virgin forests.

The products are Sleeping mat, baskets, bayong, fashionable bags, floor mats, hats, different functional trays, bins, and other novelty item like frame checkered pattern, CD Cabinet, leaf shaped boxes, shoe tray, clothes hamper.

Raffia- a fiber extracted from unopened buri leaf in 3 stages 1. stripping the outer leaf sheath 2. striping the 2nd leaf sheath 3. striping into different sizes. It is loom woven into fabrics or used as wall coverings, upholstery material, folding doors and window hangings.

The products are hats, placemats, folder, shoes, slippers, boxes, portfolio and ladies bags, placemats, circular, boxes, Document boxes.

Rattan- Versatile raw materials for furniture and handicrafts.

The products are Baskets, picture frames, furniture and other novelty items, Zoya lounge chair,Valencia queen size bed, Rest divan.

Rattan wicker- Ratan poles can be split, forming a different diameter called wicker. It usually grows at low to medium elevations in virgin and second growth forests but never in the open field. Basket, picture frames, hampers and other novelty items.

The products are tote bag, rectangular basket, fancy wicker baskets, magazine holder, sphere jar and center table.

Tikiw- A wild but useful variety of seagrass family.

The products are Container baskets, hampers with lids, bags, rugs, carpets, placemats, jar, and other decorative items. Tikiw bag with leather, and coco button- twine twisted tikiw, floor rug, bags, waste bin, sea grass sofa.

Tikog- belongs to sea grasses. It is also combined with other indigenous fibers to form different products like bags, floor decorative mats, hampers, newspaper racks, and holder, table mat, waste bin, tower candle holder, wall décor.

Ugpay- a newly discovered indigenous raw materials. It is extracted for the dark brown twine of a forest vine. These hanging vines are discovered by the Aetas.

Fiber Extraction. The vines are lightly pounded to reveal the inner fibers. The fibers is the form of ribbon, are carefully peeled from the outer covering of the vines. Ugpay Fibers is a white fresh fibers of Ugpay are revealed after peeling the bark.

Direct Dependents include farmers, classifiers or sorters, manufacturers, traders, exporters and thousands of fibercraft processors particularly in the areas where raw materials abound. Dyeing imparts attractive hue in the materials to enhance the quality, increase the value, and be updated in colors, and fashion. Each kind of plant material has its own physical and chemical characteristics that tend to respond differently to processing conditions. This sensitivity to such conditions should be properly addressed through infusions of pretreatment and dyeing technologies in order to attain the product quality that can survive the competition in the global market. All plant materials can be dyed using reactive, basic acid and direct dyeing. These fourteen plant materials were chosen because of their commercial availability in the rural communities where handicraft manufacturers are located.

Philippines raw materials Source book 2: Decors, wood carvings, gifts, accessories

Ferns

Kabkab- Foliage leaves used in floral arrangements. Ornamental or hanging plants. Family Polypodiaceae

Lagolo- Venetian blinds, partitions, walling and similar items and handicraft. Family Pteridaceae

Tilob (agsam)- family gleicheniaceae, sometime used in floral arrangements. splints from rachises laced into excellent necklaces, bags, bracelets, placemats and belts.

Herbs

1. Bamban- Masantaceae family

hats, laundry and waste baskets, bags, mats, trays, flower potholders, tables, magazine racks, bookshelves, musical instrument and fish traps.

2. Guinea grass- Gramineae

floral decor

leaf stalks used purely or in combination with other materials to make mats, venetian blinds, partitions and handicraft items.

3. Gumi-gumi. Xyridaceae

flowers dried and used as floral decor. woven with other materials into mats and blinds and partitions.

4. Lubigan- Cyperaceae

whole or split stems made into mats, bags, baskets, window blinds, and other similar items.

5. Ragiw- Cyperaceae

Infloreucence used in floral decor

whole split fibers from the stems fashioned into mats, sandals, baskets, screens, novelties and similar items.

6. Vetiver- cyperaceae

leaves woven into bags, mats, mail holder

Pandan

1 Pandan- Dagat. Pandaraceae

leaves converted into stripes that are woven into small handbags and container to large floormats with light interior wall panels. Sabotan hats. Leaf fibers suitable for handmade paper making.

2. Vayasubas- Pandanaceae

Aerial or prop roots made into high quality handicrafts such as baskets, fans, hats, coin pursers.

Seeds, fruits, leaves

1. Araucaria- Araucariaceae

leaves as components in floral decor.

several species used as ornamental and christmas trees.

2. Auri-mimosaceae

Dried fruits (Rods) used in floral decors.

3. Balitbitan- caesalpiniaceae

Dried fruits used in floral decor

4. Banaba- Lythraceae

Dried fruits used for novelty items, interior decor, hanging decor, and similar items

5. Bitaog- Guttiferae

Dried fruits used in floral decors.

6. Dungon-late. Sterculiaceae

dried fruits used together with other materials for floral decor and similar items.

7. Fringon- Caesalpiniaceae- floral decors

8. Kalumpang- Sterculiaceae

fruits crafted into novelty items and seeds into necklaces and beads for handicrafts

9. Lipay- Papilionaceae (Fabaceae)

seeds hand and made into bead chains (charms and key chain) and other novelty items.

10. Narra- Papilionaceae (fabaceae)

fruits as components in floral decor

11. Palosanto- Polygonaceae

Dried flowers used in floral decors.

Species planted for ornamental purposes

12. Pili- Burseraceae

fruits not shells crafted into novelty items and decors

13. Talisai- Combretaceae

Dried fruits used with other materials in floral decor.

14. Voyavoy- Palmae (Aracaceae)

leaflets with a variety of domestic application such as production of mats, hats, baskets

15. Wades Pitogo- Cycadaceae

Seeds used as hanging decors species as an ornamental tree in gardens and parks