Sculpting for a living
BALON DAGUPAN NEWS
A TEACHER by profession, Ma. Erikah Badicao of Pogo Grande decided to earn a living not by teaching but by carving three dimensional figures, among which are instructional materials.
Badicao, who paid Mayor Belen T. Fernandez a visit on December 4, personally thanked the mayor for sending her to the training program for free under sculptor John Paul Dalisay.
She gifted Fernandez with one of her masterpieces, a figurine carved out of a mahogany wood.
Erikah Badicao (right) shows Mayor Belen T. Fernandez one of her finished work. (CIO photo by Jojo Tamayo)
Badicao started her training with Dalisay last June 15 and she was among those who survived the tedious training under Dalisay sponsored by Archbishop Socrates B. Villegas and the Saint Michael the Archangel Parish in Barangay Tebeng.
She will be graduating this December and she is the only woman in her batch.
With no formal training in sculpture, Erikah, during her training, learned carpentry using power tools, fine furniture, wood carving, wire sculpture, cement sculpture, plaster of paris, adobe, clay and painting.
“We are thankful to Archbishop Villegas and to Mr. Dalisay for coming out with this program which became another source of livelihood for our people,” said Fernandez.
The city government supported the program by providing scholarships to those interested in wood carving especially to the drug personalities who surrendered under the city’s Sagip User Rehabilitation and Empowerment (SURE) program.
“We are happy that Erikah grabbed the opportunity when she learned about the program while walking along the downtown area and pursued her dreams with persistence. Now she is handsomely earning a living after completing her training,” said Fernandez.
To help her in her new passion, Fernandez gave Erikah P10,000 as financial assistance and encouraged her to produce more of her art works that can be displayed at the city’s display center. (Joseph C. Bacani)
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