Development of bamboo industry pushed

MANILA, Philippines – The Philippine Bamboo Industry Development Council (PBIDC) has been created by Executive Order No. 879 to help strengthen the bamboo industry in the country.

The PBIDC will “promote the bamboo industry development project and direct the use of bamboo for at least 25 percent of the desk and other furniture requirements of public elementary and secondary schools.”

The agency is also mandated to promote the use of bamboo in furniture, fixtures and other construction requirements of government facilities.

The PBIDC will be composed of the secretaries of various government agencies, including the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), who will serve as the chair; and the Departments of Environment and Natural Resources, Agriculture, Education, Science and Technology, Labor and Employment, League of Municipalities of the Philippines, as well as two representatives from non-government organizations, and one representative each from two private industry associations.

The EO tasked the DepEd to procure the equivalent of at least 20 percent of the annual school desks and armchairs requirements of all public elementary and secondary schools nationwide in bamboo furniture.

The DENR, through the Forest Management Bureau, Mines and Geosciences Bureau, and Laguna Lake Development Authority, meanwhile, is mandated to use bamboo as the planting material for at least 20 percent of its annual reforestation and rehabilitation efforts.

The DOST, on the other hand, is instructed to conduct research and provide technologies which would help reduce production costs and increase the salability of bamboo products.

The DOLE will identify and enroll in the program special groups or organizations such as persons with disabilities.

The PBIDC will receive an initial funding of P20 million from the Department of Budget and Management.

The Philippines has committed to reforest at least 500, 000 hectares with bamboo as part of the one million hectares of designated areas as its contribution to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) commitment of 20 million hectares of new forest by 2020.

According to Filipino scientist Celso Latican, there are only 40,000 hectares of land planted with bamboo in the Philippines, but the country needs some 200,000 hectares bamboo plantation just to meet local demand.

According to the DOST’s Philippine Council for Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Resources Research and Development, out of the 62 bamboo species growing in the Philippines today, only 21 species are endemic or native bamboos.

Studies also found that bamboo can help mitigate the negative impacts of climate change.

Bamboo shoots are low in saturated fat and have very low cholesterol. It is also a good source of dietary fiber, protein, riboflavin and zinc, and a very good source of Vitamin B6, potassium, copper and manganese.