RP bamboo industry marred by slow devt
By TRINA A. LAGURA, abs-cbnNEWS.com | 11/21/2008 11:33 AM
Printer-friendly version | 
Send to friend | 
Share your views
Bamboos have been part of Filipino culture and the way of life for centuries as shown in various products such as furniture and handicrafts made from them. But despite the abundance of resources, the Philippine bamboo industry is lagging behind because of slow development over the years.
Bamboo advocate Edgardo Manda, general manager of the Laguna Lake Development Authority, pointed out the dismal standing of the country in the world market brought about, among others, by the lack of support and appreciation for the bamboo industry.
In the international market, he lamented that China, for instance, has far outranked the Philippines, raking in $12 billion annually from its bamboo-made export products compared to the country’s measly $4 million a year.
Manda also noted that compared to the country’s 56,000 hectares, China has allotted 1.4 million to 5 million hectares of its land for planting bamboo species.
The Philippine bamboo industry, he said, could do so much more and could definitely compete with China since the needed technology and the resources are also available in the country.
A report by agricultural and agribusiness magazine Greenfields said that Philippine bamboo has a potential to become a billion dollar export industry.
“In other words, Filipinos will have to rediscover and appreciate na meron palang pera dito sa kawayan,” Manda said.
“Ang maganda kasi sa atin we have a niche sa world market. Ngayon, putol ng putol [tayo ng bamboo], hindi dumadami. Nagre-regenerate pero hindi nag-i-increase ng hectares. We have to propagate,” he added. 
Bamboo forum
Manda has spearheaded the three-day national bamboo development forum at the Philippine Trade Training Center in Pasay City that culminated on October 24. More than 300 participants from all over the country have drafted a resolution, which aims at jumpstarting the bamboo industry in the country.
The participants have acknowledged that the bamboo industry, especially if enhanced, could significantly contribute to the nation’s socio-economic development. For one, they said, it can generate alternative livelihood, particularly for the farmers.
They also discussed the significant role of bamboos in terms of protecting the environment.
A huge gap between high demand and low supply in the world market is a good reason to develop the industry, according to manda.
Yet, despite the benefits, the Philippine bamboo resources have been threatened by neglect, excessive extraction, inadequate management, and the lack of regeneration activities, the draft resolution said.
“[There is a need] for a more concerted and unified efforts to bring about positive changes in the Philippine bamboo sector and to put an end to divisiveness that has weighed down the competitiveness of the industry,” the draft resolution added.
The participants, mostly stakeholders, local government officials and members of non-government organizations, recommended the creation of a 17-member interim bamboo development board to oversee the growth of the industry.
Motivation
“The first aim is to do a massive nursery planting material dahil wala tayong planting material. We don’t have nursery… we have the technology kailangan lang massive information drive,” Manda said.
He also stressed the need to develop and expand the existing bamboo forests in Abra, La Union, Quirino, Bohol, Iloilo, Bukidnon and Surigao.
Manda said: “[Ang] challenges dito is the acceptability and motivation of the farmers to go really into this kasi the economic benefits are most important factors that will drive people to plant.”
Patience is also an important quality when going into this business since it takes five years to harvest bamboos.
Given all the challenges, he said the local industry is a sunrise industry and not a dying one. It’s just a matter of mustering enough support especially from the government, he added.
