15 April 2026
Over 90 solo parents from across the municipality acquired practical home-based skills in a perfume-making workshop in Poblacion, Tuba. Conducted at the invitation of the Municipal Social Welfare and Development Office (MSWDO), the session featured faculty from the Chemistry Department as resource speakers and facilitators. The training serves as a core component of “Project CHEm: Chemistry Helps to Empower,” an extension project of the Chemistry Department dedicated to providing community members, with sustainable, income-generating tools.
The activity underscored a synchronized effort from municipal leaders to support the sector. Rebecca Apil, Committee Chair on Women, Children and Family Welfare, noted the local government’s active dedication to providing solo parents with access to practical crafts designed to directly support their household needs.
Building on this vision, Vice Mayor Maria Carantes highlighted the program as Tuba’s first approved perfumery livelihood project, praising the participants’ resilience as the “single-handed” foundation of their families’ futures.
Mayor Clarita Sal-ongan affirmed these sentiments, commending their dedication and calling up for a follow-up session with the department to help the solo parents “perfect” their products for the local market.
Timed for the Solo Parents Week, the workshop responded to community requests and the mandates of the Solo Parent Welfare Act. MSWD Officer Janet Mariano explained that such skills provide a necessary economic cushion as families navigate the 2026 energy crisis.
Mariano urged the attendees to treat the new craft as a serious business venture, noting that successful participants can qualify for further enterprise assistance through the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), and Department Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).
Following the opening ceremony, the workshop transitioned into the technical sessions. Samantha Tipayno led a vital safety orientation, focusing on these four key areas: the use of personal protective equipment (PPE), workspace management, safe materials handling, and immediate first-aid measures.
Peter Murphy Guitelen then discussed the fundamentals of perfume production. His lecture covered the science of odor perception, scent classifications, and the common chemical components used in perfumery. He also explained various extraction methods for natural scents and the technical terminology regarding perfume oil concentrations. The participants actively engaged with the content, with several inquiring about the differences between deionized and distilled water and requesting copies of the learning materials.
The morning concluded with a hands-on training where the participants were divided into groups, each facilitated by two faculty members. Using individual perfume kits provided, the solo parents followed a precise mixing sequence demonstrated by Guitelen, applying the theoretical lessons to create their own fragrances.
The afternoon session focused on the commercial aspects of the craft. Rhea Contada discussed essential packaging techniques, including container selection, bottle preparation, and the technicalities of filling and sealing. She also detailed various closure types, dispensers, and the importance of secondary packaging in preserving product quality.
To help participants market their products, Kenneth Aroco followed with a presentation on branding and labeling essentials. He explained the purpose of brand elements and the specific labeling requirements for consumer safety and appeal. He concluded with a live demonstration on logo design, helping attendees visualize a brand identity for their products.
To ensure economic viability, Saly Joye Sibuma, provided a detailed guide on product pricing. She explained the fundamentals of cost accounting and presented sample calculations based on the workshop kits, allowing participants to estimate market prices and potential profits.
Following the final production phase, where participants bottled their formulated scents, the department promoted its academic program. Elvira Bolinget introduced the BS Chemistry program, highlighting career opportunities and encouraging parents to consider the university for their children’s education. Brochures detailing the curriculum and admission requirements were distributed to provide families with a clear path toward formal scientific education.
The event concluded with the awarding of certificates amidst an atmosphere of profound gratitude. Participants expressed immense satisfaction with the thoroughness of the training. “I am very satisfied because all the information given to us was so detailed,” one participant shared, reflecting the group’s appreciation for the depth of the sessions.
As the workshop drew to a close, the sense of accomplishment was palpable. The parents left the Poblacion not only with handmade perfumes but with a sense of completion and the tools necessary to build a more resilient future for their families.//Samantha Tipayno