Harvest, sale of abaca leaf sheaths banned

President Arroyo has banned the harvesting, gathering, buying, selling and mutilating of matured and young leaf sheaths of abaca plants for commercial purposes.

In Executive Order 502, the President said the trading of the leaf sheaths known as bakbak or umbak has been slowly decimating their existence and threatening the source of fibers.

"These activities will and in numerous cases have aggravated further the spread of abaca viral diseases, particularly the abaca bunchy-top, abaca mosaic and the abaca bract, and other microorganisms mostly by chemical means and the transporting of these abaca umbak or bakbak," she said.

According to the EO, the abaca plant is indigenous to the Philippines and is the source of the natural fiber known worldwide as Manila hemp.

It is considered one of the high-value crops, contributing an average of P4.5 billion in revenue to the country and providing direct and indirect employment to an estimated 1.5 million Filipinos.

It is an industrial crop which provides fibers for use in industrial production of pulp and paper, fibercraft and cordage, both for local and foreign markets.

The President ordered the Department of Agriculture (DA) to supervise and monitor the implementation of EO 502.

The Fiber Industry Development Authority, an attached agency of the DA, will take the lead in coordinating with all barangay, municipal and provincial government units, regional field units of the DA, Philippine National Police, Philippine Ports Authority, Bureau of Customs, and other concerned government agencies in carrying out the order.