Centuries of history and customs come to life in Pinili, Ilocos Norte, a Master Weaver was born named, Magdalena Gamayo.

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Magdalena Gamayo, a 1924-born Gawad sa Manlilikha ng Bayan (GAMABA) recipient, is a skilled weaver of the Inabel, an Ilocano handwoven cotton fabric mentioned in the famous Ilocano epic Biag ni Lam-ang and bartered for gold in the Galleon Trade. She began developing her skills at age fifteen by observing her relatives' work during World War II. She is self-trained to replicate patterns in the absence of a reference sample.

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Her unmatched mastery of Inabel weaving was acknowledged in 2012 when she received the GAMABA or National Living Treasures Award. She is one of just 16 recipients to date. She also received the title of First National Treasure to reach 100 years old. Magdalena's skill with the Inabel was passed to her by her ancestors, and it also helped her cope with the loss of her only child and through the time of war. Above all, despite knowing the difficulties coupled with being a mag-aabel, Magdalena prays that her apprentices never run out of thread—threads that will support her community's residents and preserve the history of her town, nation, and beyond.