Philippine Ceramic Arts and Crafts Center

If there’s one thing to do when you’re in Bicol, it’s to spare some time visiting some of the best pottery and crafts done at Philippine Ceramic Arts and Crafts Center—a state-of-the-art-terra-cotta-production in Bicol.

Display center of finished products

Located in the municipality of Tiwi, which is 39 kilometers away from Legazpi City, immersing yourself in the craftsmanship of the Bicolanos is the best way to cap of your trip. The center was established to support the locals of Tiwi, Albay by providing them a sustainable livelihood through pottery.

Aromatherapy burners

Once you get to the site, you’ll get to see earthenware all over the place, lined up in interesting patterns. Visitors will also get the chance to see the actual process on how they create the pots and other ceramic items. Philceramics were the one who introduced the modern technology of pottery making, and is not the leading terra cotta ceramic industry in Bicol.

Sine some traditional potters are still not used to the modern technology, they dry the clay and mold the pots under the sun along the sides of road or in front of their houses, and also uses the conventional way of baking, burning piles of hay and chaff on their yards, with the molded items underneath.

Beautifully carved pots

It is said that the clay they are using is actually considered as world-class and in good quality for export. The facility aims to promote terra cotta industry in Bicol Region towards global competitiveness.

Finished products include vases, ash tray, pencil holders, mugs, lampshades, and more. Price ranges from P50-P500. To visit Philippine Ceramic Arts and Crafts Center, ride a van in Legazpi going to Tiwi, then ride a tricycle going to Baranhay Putsan.

 

Address: Brgy. Putsan, Tiwi, 4513, Albay

Image courtesy of Benji Layug