Amazing Banglos: Fishermen turned Sculptors

Banglos means "Bangon at Kilos" (Rise and Act)

The fishermen-turned-Banglos sculptors of the GK Smart Amazing Village in General Nakkar, Quezon continue to wow collectors of their masterpieces at Le Souffle Rockwell, one of Manila's famous art spaces.

The sculptors who turned their tragedy into triumph by creating delightful pieces of wooden art inspired the guests who attended their exhibit titled, "The Art of Nation Building."

The residents of the tiny fishing village in General Nakkar have come a long way from their tragic past. In 2004, the residents of General Nakar were displaced by a strong typhoon that struck the province. With their homes and livelihood destroyed, the residents most of whom were fishermen, had nothing left but the drift woods that were dislodged from the mountains.

On a visit to the typhoon-ravaged area, Gawad Kalinga partner Smart Communications saw an opportunity amidst the tragedy. The residents were introduced to Rey Paz Contreras, a renowned Filipino sculptor, who helped them transform the source of their pain into works of art.

"Sculpture was like therapy for us. It made us forget our unfortunate past,” recounted the fishermen. Today, the Banglos Sculptors has made a name in the art scene as a model of a successful community-based art group.

Their artworks were so precious that they almost sold out during their launch. Many leaders from the business industry came and were inspired. Among their patrons were movers and shakers in business such as SGV & Co.'s Washington Sycip and Meralco's Oscar Lopez who bought some of the art pieces.

This photo was taken by the Philippine Star.

Alongside the Banglos sculptures, Filipino artist Manch Carpio's beautiful paintings are also on display at Le Souffle. He has kindly donated a portion of the proceeds of his paintings to Gawad Kalinga.

The launch of the exhibit was made possible through the generosity of Chef Jessie Sincioco of Le Souffle Rockwell and organized by friends and GK volunteers Marivic Pineda, Pinky Poe, Divine Duran, Rose Cabrera and Cecile Manheimer, the team behind GKonomics.

GKonomics is helping build a prosperous Philippines by promoting the beautiful products made by poor residents in GK communities. They also bridge the gap between the rich and the poor by facilitating private and public enterprise partnerships to start and mentor livelihood programs in GK communities.

One of their successful patriotic ventures is GKoncepts, a merchandising arm that develops innovative product ideas manufactured in GK communities such as Hope in a Box, rosaries and trendy bags made of recycled materials. When you buy an item from GKConcepts you are able to help a GK community rise from poverty and become sustainable. "Every product a story, every purchase a purpose," believed the GK volunteers.

The fishermen turned sculptors now live in a safe haven at the GK Smart Amazing Village in General Nakkar, Quezon province in the Philippines. With their earnings from their sculptures, they have helped build another village in Cebu for fellow GK beneficiaries.

For further information about GK products including the Banglos sculptures, please send an email to gkoncepts.info@gmail.com. The Banglos sculptures will be on display at Le Souffle at Rockwell until August 31, 2009.