People
Mm. Narda Capuyan
Ms. Leonarda O. Capuyan is a native of Besao, Mt. Province and was born on December 22, 1942. She is a Registered Nurse by profession but a very successful Businesswoman in her chosen career, founding the famous Narda's Handwoven Arts and Crafts. She is married to Mr. Wilson G. Capuyan and was blessed with two children, Bernard and Lucia.
Work Experience
Ms. Leonarda Capuyan worked as a staff nurse at St Theodore's Hospital in Sagada, Mountain Province for one year and moved to St Luke's Hospital as a special nurse for two years. She also worked as a family planning nurse in 1970 in La Trinidad, Benguet Province where she started her weaving business to keep the mothers busy from making more babies.
In 1972 she set up Narda's weaving industry, weaving blankets from recycled acrylic yarns, moving to hotel furnishings and later to fashion. She succeeded in modernizing Ikat – the tie and dye process of creating designs on threads before actual weaving. A decade of ikat ventures had produced a body of work now seen in a number of five star hotels, homes and offices both here and abroad.
Organizational Memberships
With Narda's success, she became a Board Member of various organizations which includes the Cordillera Bamboo Development Council (2008), La Trinidad Water District (1982 to present), Delphic Council of the Philippines (2002 to present), Baguio – Mt. Province Museum (1986 to present), Baguio Flower Festival Foundation (1995 to present), Camp John Hay Poro Point Dev't Corp. (1993 to 1998), and organizer of the Grand Cordillera Festival (1991) and the Baguio Products Fair (1990).
Major Awards
Ms. Leonarda Capuyan also received major awards in recognition of her achievements. This includes the Go Negosyo Award by the Department of Education Phil. Center for Entrepreneurship (2008), Centennial Alumni Award St. Luke's Hospital School of Nursing as Most Outstanding In Nursing Entrepreneurship (2007), KALSA AWARD Distinguished Alumni Award for Entrepreneurship by the Benguet Sate University (2006), Golden Award for the Narda's Eco-Fiber Fashion Collection - Delphic Games, Sarawak, Malaysia (2005), The 100 Women of the Philippines who have excelled in their work and contributed to national development (1999), Women's Federation for World Peace – Philippines, Cordillera Administrative Region (1994), AGORA Award Outstanding Achievement in Export by the Philippine Marketing Association (1990), Outstanding Countryside Investor of the Year on the 15th Philippine Business Conference of PCCI Presented by: Pres. Corazon C. Aquino (1989), Golden Shell Award - the most prestigious national award symbolizing outstanding performance in exports and for reviving a dying indigenous art by the Ministry of Trade & Industry (1982), Benguet Leadership Award for her consistency in the Province of Benguet (1979), PARTUAT Award for being the most outstanding producer of the year and for her support to the development of cottage industries in the region – NACIDA (1978), and the MASIKAP Award - for being an Outstanding Entrepreneur of Ilocos Region (1975).
Community Outreach Programs
Ms. Leonarda Capuyan had also been invited as a Guest Speaker for an inspirational talk to encourage Entrepreneurship and Livelihood at various occasions all over the Philippines and Asia. She has also conducted Training Programs on loom weaving in the Cordilleras, Ilocos, Antique, Iloilo and Pangasinan. She had also taught weaving on television through the Department of Trade & Industry. She also continues to conduct livelihood trainings to poor communities through the WINACA Foundation – a foundation for livelihood and cultural heritage preservation.
Visit the website of Narda's Handwoven Arts and Crafts.
Sr. Wilson Capuyan
Mr. Wilson G. Capuyan is a native of Sagada, Mt. Province and was born on March 7, 1947. He finished a Bachelor's Degree in Commerce and became a very successful Businessman in his chosen career being the President/Owner of Capuyan Construction, Winaca Development Corporation, and Narda's Trading Corporation. He is married to Ms. Leonarda O. Capuyan and was blessed with two children, Bernard and Lucia.
Work Experiences
At the age of 22, after finishing college, he operated the La Trinidad Shell Gasoline Station and the Sagada Freight Transportation as owner, manager. Through the Sagada Freight with a number of trucks, he hauled lumber from Km. 102 mountain Province to Baguio for Benguet corporation up to 1976, then decided to concentrate on the weaving business—Narda's Handwoven Arts and Crafts which is more profitable. Since then, he had been the General Manager of Narda's and at the same time was in charge of factory buildings and residences' construction.
In 1981, he put up the Capuyan Construction, as owner and manager which worked on major contracts foe civil works of the Baguio Hyatt Terraces Hotel and Baguio Mansion House. He moved on to Road Building Contracts and shifted to real estate developer and at present is the President of the WINACA Development Corporation.
Mr. Wilson Capuyan is also a farmer by heart, so despite of his very busy schedule, he had been operating a farm for the last two decades. He introduced oranges of the Washington navel and Hamlin varieties in the locality in 1988 then added cut flowers. With his concern on the ill-effects of chemicals in the environment and health of people so shifted to organic farming few years ago. He manages production of composts out of different bio-degradable inputs up to the present as he continues to manage the Narda's Group of Companies, Capuyan Construction, and the WINACA Development Corporation.
Organizational Membership
With his good management contributing to the success of Narda's, he also became a member of the Board of Trustees at the Brent School International (1986-1994), Member of the Pugad Lawin, Monatañosa (1985-1989), Chairman of the Building Committee – Church of the Epiphany in La Trinidad, Benguet (1986-1989), and Senior Warden of the Vestry – Church of the Epiphany (1982-1986).
Atty. Damaso Bangaoet
Biography Pending.
Dr. Fatima Tangan
Biography Pending.
Dr. David Baradas
Biography Pending.
Ms. Nellie Capuyan Ballola
Ms. Nellie C. Ballola earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology and completed all academic requirements towards a Master’s Degree in Education at Silliman University. She also earned her Masters in Management (Industrial Relations) at the University of the Philippines – Baguio as a college scholar.
Work Experiences
For the past few years, Ms. Nellie Ballola had been working as a trainer, consultant, facilitator and resource person. She had been a part time Psychology Instructor and Resident Counselor of the Student Nurses Home at the Silliman University (1970-1973), Part time Instructor at the Northern Luzon Teachers College in Bontoc and Sagada Extensions (1973-1978), Teacher Counselor of St. Mary’s School in Sagada, Mt. Province (1973-1978), Guidance counselor and Psychology Instructor of the Visayas State College of Agriculture (1976-1979), Guidance Coordinator of the Visayas State College of Agriculture (1979-1983), Personnel and Production Manager of the Narda’s Handwoven Arts and Crafts (1983-1986), Assistant Manager for Marketing of the Narda’s Handwoven Arts and Crafts (1986-1989), Assistant Manager of the Capuyan Construction (1989-1992), Technical Staff of the Sustainable Economic Development by the PLAN International Baguio (1992-1994), Operations Assistant and then Consultant on Micro Enterprise Development and Credit Management by the PLAN International Baguio (1994-1996), and then she became a freelance Trainer-Consultant of different organizations and government agencies (1995-Present).
Major Awards
2001 Most Outstanding Assisting Professional, Forestry Sector (39 projects all over the country). Awarded August 2002.