The province of South Cotabato celebrated the victory of securing a geographical indication (GI) for its T’nalak Tau Sebu, a cultural cornerstone in the region’s heritage, at the 60th T’nalak Festival with the formal conferment of the Certificate of GI Registration to the cooperatives on July 13. 

The certificate was presented by the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL), through General Santos IP Satellite Office Specialist Engr. Jessel Original-Cofleros, to South Cotabato Governor Reynaldo S. Tamayo and Vice Governor Arthur Y. Pingoy, Jr., as well as members of South Cotabato’s Sangguniang Panlalawigan during the Festival’s opening program. 

The certificate was formally received by representatives of the seven cooperatives of the T’nalak Tau Sebu, Inc.   

The T’nalak Tau Sebu is a sacred, hand-woven abaca fabric created by the T’boli people in the Lake Sebu region of South Cotabato, Philippines. Revered as “dreamweavers,” these artisans translate patterns revealed to them in their dreams by the abaca goddess, Fu Dalu, into complex, entirely memory-based patterns without any sketches or physical templates 

The fabric is woven on a traditional backstrap loom using naturally dyed abaca fibers and is distinguished by its signature palette of white for the patterns, red for relief and deep brown or black for the background. 

“This addition to the nation’s trove of economic and cultural GI treasures not only tells the Tau Sebu’s story but also strengthens the protection of their communities’ woven heritage,” IPOPHL Director General Teodoro C. Pascua said.

“Safeguarding the authenticity of the T’nalak as a GI will ensure the enduring legacy of the Tau Sebu’s weaves for future generations of Filipinos to come,” Pascua added. 

The weaving tradition and its designs have long been a source of pride not only for South Cotabato but also for the entire nation. T’nalak is immortalized on the country’s 1,000-peso banknote and frequently featured in national commemorative coinage and international cultural showcases. 

The GI registration of the T’nalak Tau Sebu, granted officially on March 4, 2026, provides evidence of collective ownership of the mark by the T’nalak Tau Sebu group. It builds on the Collective Mark Certificate of Registration awarded to the group on July 18, 2017, which certifies the authenticity of genuine T’nalak products. 

GIs are signs that identify goods as originating from a specific place, where a given quality, reputation, or other characteristic is essentially attributable to that origin. Products with the GI mark gain protection from fake products and become symbols of identity and economic opportunity for the communities that produce them.  

T’nalak Tau Sebu is the latest to join Guimaras Mangoes, Aklan Piña and Alburquerque Asin Tibuok in the country’s growing roster of registered GIs, with more Philippine products in the pipeline under IPOPHL’s continuing push to strengthen GI protection. # # # (Joseph Frederic Nacino, Communications and Marketing Writer)