Lawmaker: Replacing abaca with polymer in peso notes 'anti-farmer'

MANILA, Philippines – The plan of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas to replace the abaca fiber in peso notes with polymer is anti-Filipino and counterproductive to farmers who rely on it as a source of livelihood, a Bicolano lawmaker said yesterday.

“The plan is downright anti-Filipino and anti-farmer. It’s unpatriotic and counterproductive,” said Rep. Joseph Santiago of the lone district of Catanduanes, the top producer of abaca in the country.

Santiago warns of “severe economic dislocation of abaca farmers, workers.”

The lawmaker was reacting to the BSP’s plan to shift to the use of synthetic polymer to produce currency notes.

At present, peso notes are based mainly on durable special paper made out of abaca fiber tissue and cotton.

“The BSP’s plan is totally contemptible, coming at a time when the government is pushing hard to fully exploit the commercial use of abaca here and abroad in order to boost family income and employment in the countryside,” Santiago complained.

The BSP has justified its planned shift by arguing that polymer, while more expensive, also lasts longer — even longer than paper produced from abaca, the world’s sturdiest natural fiber.

Santiago, however, said BSP officials have a lot to learn from the philosophy of the Japanese.

“The Japanese build durable cars. But they don’t build cars that last forever. If their cars were built to last forever, then they would not be able to sell new cars. And Japanese auto industry workers would be all out of jobs,” he pointed out.

“The same is true with printing money on abaca fiber. It is meant to be strong and long-lasting. But they need not last forever. Otherwise, rural households that have built their lives around abaca will suffer,” Santiago warned.

He added: “There are many economic activities built around printing money. If we print money that lasts nearly forever, then those activities, including abaca farming, fiber-processing and pulp manufacturing, are bound to wither.”

Santiago also questioned the friendliness of the BSP’s plan to the environment. He said many polymers are non-biodegradable and not easy to recycle.

Some 136,000 hectares nationwide are planted with abaca. Over 82,000 farmers directly subsist on abaca production. Annually, they produce some 70,000 metric tons of fiber, of which about 25 percent is exported, according to the Fiber Industry Development Authority.

Abaca is a species of banana native to the Philippines and cultivated in 26 provinces including Bicol, Eastern Visayas and Mindanao. After Catanduanes, the other top producers of abaca are Southern Leyte, Leyte, Davao Oriental, Northern Samar, Davao del Sur, Surigao del Sur, Samar, Sulu and Sorsogon.

The abaca plant grows 20 feet tall and is harvested mainly for its large leaves and stems that produce the natural fiber.

Used to make twines, ropes and carpets, abaca fiber also has multiple applications as raw material for various functional and decorative products. The fiber is used in clothing material and handicraft like bags and baskets. The pulp is processed into tea bags, coffee filter, vacuum cleaner bags, currency notes and other specialty paper.

Abaca-based furniture and fixtures — from settees to lounge chairs, from dividers to coffee tables, and from sofas to loveseats — are also widely recognized for their elegance in Europe and North America.

Studies have likewise identified abaca enzymes for use in high-value cosmetic and dietary products.

While polymer in popular usage suggests plastic, the term actually refers to a large class of natural and synthetic materials with a variety of properties.

Synthetic polymers include synthetic rubber, Bakelite, neoprene, nylon, PVC, polystyrene, silicone, and many more. – Delon Porcalla