Exporters seek perks for bamboo industry

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine Exporters Confederation Inc. (Philexport) is pushing to incentivize efforts that will support the development of the country’s bamboo industry.

Philexport president Sergio Ortiz-Luis Jr. said the umbrella organization of exporters in the country is fully supporting the proposed legislations that aim to provide incentives for bamboo production and processing, including farmers, producers and investors in bamboo plantation development.

He said these perks in particular are the goals of Senate Bills 652, 665 and 716 or the “Act Institutionalizing a Philippine Bamboo Industry Development Program.”

“These bills are geared towards making the country’s bamboo industry competitive and sustainable in the local and global markets, while providing jobs and livelihood opportunities particularly in the countryside,” Ortiz-Luis said.

He said the group is also proposing to include incentives to related undertakings such as research and development as they call for the need to improve the use of technology in bamboo harvest, post-harvest and material preparation for increased productivity and quality assurance.

The Philexport official said simple and reduced administrative costs and procedures in both local and national government for business permitting and licensing, among others, may be also included as incentives.

Bamboo is considered as high-value for mitigating climate change given its fast biomass production and renewability.

Studies showed that bamboo has the capacity to sequester 400 percent more carbon per unit area and gives off 35 percent more oxygen than other trees.

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources has a nationwide goal of planting bamboo on a total of one million hectares by 2022 as required under the National Greening Program.