in photo: Bonsai Art Workshop facilitated by DTI Rizal and LGU Angono.

As part of the extensive two-month long celebration of Angono Higantes Festival and the implementation of FiestaKucha, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Rizal Provincial office in collaboration with the Local Government Unit (LGU) of Angono and the Art Capital Bonsai Club, orchestrated a one-day Bonsai Art Workshop at the Lakeside Ecopark in Barangay San Vicente, Angono, Rizal, on November 27, 2023.

The workshop commenced at 9:00 in the morning with opening preliminaries and an introduction of the resource speaker by DTI Rizal Trade-Industry Development Specialist (TIDS) Jonalyn Adaya. Mr. Nonoy Gutlay of the Art Capital Bonsai Club then delivered an engaging presentation on the history and principles of bonsai, including discussions on bonsai soil preparation and fertilization. Following this, Mr. Romy Cojas demonstrated pruning and wiring techniques which illuminated the artistic side of bonsai cultivation.

DTI-Rizal officials, including OIC Provincial Director Cleotilde Duran, Business Development Chief Trade-Industry Specialist Sharon Dioco, Competitiveness Bureau Representative Judy Anne Chan, and Ms. Christine Querubin from DTI-4A Regional Office, along with LGU Angono Tourism Officer Adonis Antolines, graced the occasion.

At the end of the workshop, some participants left with a carefully potted bonsai and a newfound passion for the art and a connection to a community of fellow enthusiasts.

The event was a testament to DTI’s FiestaKucha initiative, locally branded as “Championing CREATIVE” (Creative Related Efforts and Transforming into Viable Industries) Rizal. This collaborative effort aimed to cultivate the cultural richness of the Angono Higantes Festival with the transformative potential of creative industries.

Date of Release: 4 December 2023