The Tabungaw Hat Maker of San Quintin

Teofilo Garcia

• Born 27th March 1941 to Francisco Garcia and Concepcion Callos from San Quintin, Abra.
• He attended Villa Mercedes Elementary School (formerly known as Barbarit Elementary School) until 4th grade
• At the age of 15 he learned the art of Kattukong or Tabungaw hat making from his grandfather Hipolito.
• He married Dolores Cabael from Narvacan, Ilocos Sur
• They have five children Ferdinand, Redentor, George, Jocelyn and Carol

National Living Treasure Awardee, 2012 (Gawad sa Manlilikha ng Bayan)

Keep your eyes open while walking around Bangued and you may be lucky enough to spot Teofilo Garcia on one of his weekly shopping trips to town. He will be very easy to recognise as he will be wearing his Unique Tabungaw hat, which he wears each time he leaves home.
Teofilo Garcia is a simple man, still a farmer at heart and since he was bestowed the title of “Gawad sa Manlilikha ng Bayan” ( National Living Treasure) he has been invited to give talks and demonstrations in the Philippines and abroad, teach local school children the art of Tabungaw making, and open up his home/workshop to drop in visitors who wish to meet him and buy one of his unique products.

Teofilo learnt the necessary skills from his Grandfather at the age of 15 after they moved from their isolated home up in the hills to the present location. The family was forced to move due to rebel insurgency which was rife at the time.

Nearly everyone wore a Tabungaw in those days. When one broke or was damaged it would be instantly replaced. Most families knew how to make them. But slowly over the years as imported goods became cheaper, people started to wear baseball caps and other kind of hats causing the Tabungaw industry to decline. Now, Teofilo Garcia is the last of the Tabungaw hat makers.

The Gawad sa Manlilikha ng Bayan or the National Living Treasures Award gives recognition to Filipino traditional craftsmen or artisans whose skills have reached a high level of technical and artistic excellence and who are tasked to pass on to the present generation knowledge threatened with extinction. 
To fulfil his pledge, Teofilo has extended his knowledge to local school children who attend his workshops. Since 2014 the students of San Quintin National High School have been making their own Tabungaw Graduation Hats.
Unfortunately, after graduation none of the students are interested in continuing their studies with Teofilo, and becoming an apprentice which leaves the skills of Tabungaw making in danger of becoming extinct.

Photo Credit  – San Quintin National High School – photo credit Jerome Punzal