Being an elementary graduate, and a polio victim didn’t stop Primitivo Delos Reyes, also known as “Mang Tibong”, to raise his children, send them to college, be a successful entrepreneur, and be internationally recognized, all merely thru his craftsmanship, dedication and patience.

Mang Tibong, who started out as a gardener in the late 1940s, turned out to work for a woodcraft company, that exposed him to the basic techniques, process, production and marketing of these crafts. Time and experience was his teacher, and his charm and positive outlook in life as his foundation. “I never give up, I strive hard to go thru life to be able to give my children the education they needed.” Cited Mang Tibong, his mere inspiration to go beyond his limitations and to be able to excel in every way he can.

Soon after, Mang Tibong started his own business in 1961 in cubao and life has never been the same. Selling serving trays, salad bowls and candle holders are some of his first products. With experience and lack of capital, he developed his own dryer using merely the heat of the sun and a few natural components like adobe, salt and a thermometer, but this method have helped prolonged and strengthen the materials he used for his woodcrafts.

“The materials are dried and treated that no matter where it is shipped, the quality will remain the same” boasted Mang Tibong.

By then, several acknowledgements, awards, and recognitions are then presented to Mang Tibong. He was first introduced during the First Anniversary of NACIDA in the presence of top ranking government officials in 1963. The following year, he was honored as the outstanding exhibitor of the year where he presented one of his products, the Nativity Scene, to the then first lady Mrs. Imelda Romualdez Marcos.

This simple and quiet man now is being invited to speak in various conferences, seminars and events. In 1974, he was one of the special mention awardees during the first Panday Pira Award for his significant contribution to the development and promotion of cottage industry in the country. This same year, he was awarded as the outstanding disabled Filipino of the year during the Apolinario Mabini Award.

But in 1976, Mang Tibong diverted himself to another field. One of his American clients showed him a violin made originally from tin cans and was asked if he can produce it in wood. With the acacia tree being banned at the time, he faced the challenge with a positive perspective.

Using wood scrap, he was able to produce his first miniature violin, which initially received an order of 1,000 pieces. This was truly overwhelming for Mang Tibong. He then started to hire disabled and handicapped people to assist him in the production.

Able to deliver quality hand made products to his local and international clients, his company continues to grow that they were able to join and was invited to be part of fairs and events in Frankfurt Germany. He was even elected president of the Rotary Club and was inducted as a Paul Harris fellow.

To date, Mang Tibong was able to created several miniature musical instruments such as a grand piano, organ, trombone, trumpet, baritone, guitar, harp, saxophone, flute and drum set to name a few. He was also able to create a miniature nativity scene, angels, cars, and book-ends.