SUMMARY
Aldwin Pagaoa retired as a seaman 10 years ago and started in his hometown of Candon City, Ilocos Sur, a cottage industry to build scale models of ships mainly for seafarers like him.
But recently, he has been busy building scale models of a grounded Filipino ship that has become a symbol of the country’s rights over the West Philippine Sea.
Pagaoa’s workshop, known as the AGP Sailor’s Souvenir, has been building replicas of the BRP Sierra Madre upon orders of Candon City Mayor Eric Singson to give away as tokens. One was recently given to Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Undersecretary Jesus Domingo, who recently inaugurated the new provincial satellite branch of DFA at the Candon City Arena.
Pagaoa said that assembling the BRP Sierra Madre has been arduous for the forme…