Davao City—The bamboo industry in Davao del Norte got a boost recently after its governor ordered the formulation of a plan that will entice investors to go into the cultivation of the forest product.
Gov. Edwin I. Jubahib has issued a directive in October prioritizing the bamboo sector and the crafting of an investment plan.
Executive Order No. 39 series of 2022 mandated the creation of the Provincial Core Planning Team that will formulate the Provincial Commodity Investment Plan for Bamboo in Davao del Norte.
The team is mandated “to spearhead the overall management of activities and set the general direction in formulating the Provincial Commodity Investment Plan for Bamboo; ensure that the PCIP for Bamboo is prepared through participatory approach and in harmony with national and regional plans; and coordinate with other concerned agencies to facilitate technical assistance to stakeholders in the province.”
The team is headed by Provincial Administrator Josie Jean Rabanoz and Sangguniang Panlalawigan Board Member Nicandro Suaybaguio Jr. of the 1st District of Davao del Norte.
The EO enforced EO No. 879 series of 2010 which created the Philippine Bamboo Industry Development Council (PBIDC). It was created to promote the bamboo industry development project and to prioritize the use of bamboo in furniture, fixtures, and other construction requirements of the government.
In his executive order, Jubahib “expressed the support of the provincial government for green products and the marketing of traditional bamboo products,” according to the provincial information office.
He cited bamboo as “cost-effective and attractive complement and or alternative to plastic, metal and wood materials, which has great potential of generating more jobs and self-employment opportunities in Davao del Norte.”
According to the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development (PCAARRD), bamboo is one of the most economically significant non-timber forest products globally.
It belongs to the family of grasses Gramineae or Poaceae, and is a high-value crop given its many uses involving food and material for buildings, bridges and furniture. With its ability to mitigate flood and soil erosion, bamboo has various economic and ecological benefits.
PCAARRD said the Philippines is 6th among the largest exporters of bamboo in the world. The total area of bamboo stands in the Philippines ranges from 39,000 to 53,000 hectares, mainly naturally growing sporadically or in patches in backyards and riverbanks in forest lands and some private lands and rarely in pure commercial stands. The potential production from these areas of bamboo stands has been estimated at an average of 36 million culms per year.
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