The 2025 National Arts and Crafts Fair transforms SM Megamall’s Megatrade Halls into a vibrant marketplace of Filipino skill and imagination. We hear the rhythmic clack of weaving looms. We smell polished wood and freshly brewed local coffee. Everywhere we look, there are bursts of color and craft: hand-dyed fabrics, carved furnishings, beadwork, baskets, and fashion pieces rooted in centuries of design.
Organized by DTI’s Bureau of Market Development, Promotions, and OTOP (BMDPO) with the Office of Senator Loren Legarda, this year’s fair gathers more than 300 exhibitors from across the country. It feels like walking into a living museum of creativity and heritage that we, as Filipinos, directly benefit from and can help sustain.
Where Craft Meets Community
The fair draws a lively mix of families, students, collectors, and curious shoppers. They meet artisans who honor tradition while building a creative future. Kalinga weavers demonstrate backstrap weaving. The T’boli present t’nalak dyed with natural pigments. Maranaw brassware glints under warm lights. Antique’s patadyong takes center stage, woven with pride by women who sustain their communities through craft.
Every handmade item here carries a livelihood and a legacy. Each purchase is more than a transaction. It becomes a connection to the people who keep culture alive.
Honoring the Keepers of Culture
At the heart of the National Arts and Crafts Fair are the GAMABA (Gawad sa Manlilikha ng Bayan) awardees, who safeguard precious skills and stories passed down over generations. Visitors gather to watch cultural knowledge unfold before their eyes.
Schools of Living Traditions (SLTs) showcase apprentices who are proud to learn directly from their elders. We see heritage moving to the next generation, one thread, one cut, and one bead at a time. Heritage stays relevant only when it is practiced and shared.
For Modern Homes and Modern Lives
This year’s fair celebrates innovation too. Curated exhibits by the Design Center of the Philippines (DCP) show how tradition can evolve without compromise. Sleek rattan and bamboo furniture suit condo living. Minimalist lamps from Pampanga brighten urban interiors. Jewelry reimagines ancestral motifs for everyday wear.
Filipino craftsmanship feels right at home whether you live in a bungalow, apartment, or high-rise. Supporting local means surrounding ourselves with pieces that reflect who we are.
Learn, Explore, Support
Demonstrations reveal the time and skill behind every handcrafted piece. Talks and mentorship programs equip artisans with branding tools, business strategies, and product development insights. Visitors leave inspired to decorate their homes more consciously and support creative entrepreneurship.
The fair proves that creativity can sustain families and communities while building a future where craft remains valued.
Stronger Together
Behind the scenes lies purposeful collaboration. DTI-BMDPO opens markets for artisans. NCCA protects the cultural knowledge behind the work. DCP guides design innovation to keep heritage relevant in modern life.
Senator Loren Legarda continues her long-standing support for Filipino artisans, especially women’s cooperatives and weaving centers that turn creativity into opportunity. She emphasizes that every artisan brings the story of a community and that culture remains a strong foundation for progress.
A Fair for Every Filipino
The National Arts and Crafts Fair is more than a shopping destination. It is a space where artistry grows in every corner of the Philippines. It reminds us that supporting handmade strengthens identity. Visitors bring home pieces that give their spaces warmth and narrative. Students discover pride and curiosity. Entrepreneurs find meaningful partnerships.
Choosing Filipino-made means choosing to uplift Filipino stories, skills, and futures.
Visit the 2025 National Arts and Crafts Fair
October 23 to 29, 2025
Megatrade Halls 1–3, SM Megamall, Mandaluyong City
Admission is free
Experience the creativity of Filipino weavers, potters, carvers, and designers. Discover unique pieces that make your home feel more Filipino. Stay updated via DTI.BMDPO on Facebook and Instagram or email bmdpo@dti.gov.ph.
Which local craft would you love to bring into your home this year? Share your pick and support the creativity that keeps our culture alive.
