Weaving a legacy of Filipino ingenuity and empowerment

Are you looking for topquality silk products that rival the finest in the world?

- POPOY DE VERA

If your answer is yes, you should visit the Don Mariano Marcos Memorial State University (DMMMSU) to witness how a leading public university weaves excellence and changes lives.

And do you understand how much effort it takes to make your favorite silk products? Just imagine this:

Tucked away in the heart of Bacnotan, La Union, DMMMSU is home to one of the country's centers of innovation, the Sericulture Research and Development Institute (SRDI). Established on April 8, 1992, through Republic Act 7359, this leading institute has quietly spun threads of change, turning silk into a symbol of rural empowerment, scientific excellence and sustainable livelihood.

DMMMSU SRDI has long been the unquestioned leader in sericulture research. In 2014, it registered two improved mulberry varieties, Alfonso and S54, with the National Seed Industry Council. These varieties perform better under local conditions, thereby enhancing the genetic resources available to local sericulturists and advancing sustainable silk production in the country.

These new mulberry varieties are crucial for enhancing the growth, development and survival of silkworms. They also determine the quantity and quality of the cocoons produced, which in turn affect the productivity and commercial returns of silkworm rearing.

SDRI also pioneered and transformed silkworm breeding and genetic research in the country. It developed DMMMSU-SLB, the first sex-linked silkworm strain in the Philippines. This silkworm breed yields higher quantities of cocoons and produces silk of better quality.