Profile

Wilfredo Tadeo Layug in real-life or “Willy” as he is popularly called in Betis was born on December 05, 1959. He was a son of a “matenacan dadaras”, a boat maker. The “matenacan dadaras” in this town were highly revered because they were believed to be the predecessors of the builders of the galleons during the Spanish Colonial Period. Thus, Layug’s inclination to woodcarving founds its roots in this, his father’s vocation.

The proximity to the river was advantageous for his family’s livelihood and for his hobby. Instead of playing with kids of his age, at 8 years old he started sculpturing from clay mud along the banks of the Betis River. This hobby became his life-long passion which led him to work as a pulsayser (a pattern-maker and a one that draws the isometric view of an icon or a furniture) of a small talyer (workshop house) in the neighborhood.

Occasional sentiments from Mr. Layug included comments that his childhood was deprived because he was already working for his family’s daily sustenance at a very young age of his life. He took pride as he narrated this stage of his life story.