CABARROGUIS, Quirino—To support the government’s expanded National Greening Program and its effort in promoting bamboo production as a component in reducing carbon emissions, watershed rehabilitation and development of a resource-based livelihood option particularly within the Addalam River Basin, a seminar-workshop focused on bamboo production was held at the OceanaGold Sustainable Agro-forestry Inc. (Ogsai) demo farm and Training Center in Tucod village this town from November 27 to 29.
The Ogsai is OceanaGold’s implementing arm tasked to execute and manage the reforestation and rehabilitation programs of the Australian mining company operating the Didipio Mine in the mineral-rich town of Kasibu in Nueva Vizcaya.
The project will be implemented for five years. Ogsai will establish bamboo plantations along critical sections of the banks of the Addalam River and other suitable locations within the river basin in partnership with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Watershed and Water Resources Research Center, local government units and other stakeholders of the Addalam River Basin.
“OceanaGold invests in sustainable bamboo production with the goal of reducing poverty by supporting local resource-based economies, rehabilitating watershed and conserving biodiversity. This is in partnership with our communities, enabling them to develop that strong sense of commitment to protect the environment,” said OGPI Senior Vice President for Communications and External Affairs Chito Gozar.
The bamboo project also aims to protect soil erosion and silting of the Addalam River and other tributaries upstream like the Didipio River.It is also expected to generate jobs and employment of locals in the area. It is seen to provide economic opportunities to enterprising residents of the place.
The training was focused not only on bamboo production, but to provide livelihood for stakeholders and environmental rehabilitation, as well.
“The training is intended to raise the awareness on the environmental and economic benefits of bamboo production and to build up the capacity of our project partners on the appropriate production technologies,” Gozar said.
The training covered identification of various bamboo species, their characteristics, uses and methods of propagation. Plantation establishment and management were likewise covered in the training.
Around 20 participants were provided hands-on guidance in the selection of bamboo-plant materials from existing grooves adjacent to the training site and in the production of bamboo propagules and plantation establishment.
The training participants, including members of the Ogsai team and local people’s organizations will be involved in the selection and propagation of bamboo-plant materials planted within the Addalam River Basin.
In a lecturing, Gozar said bamboo does not only provide sources of construction materials, pulp, paper, fiber and food products, but it is capable of sequestering as much as 400 percent of carbon per unit area, while giving off 35 percent more oxygen than trees. Bamboo is the tallest grass in the world.
Cagayan Valley, or Region 2, is a known home to mighty rivers like the Cagayan River, the longest in the Philippines. The riversides are blessed with naturally growing bamboos of different species. Historically, early settlers used them to build their huts in many forms, from bamboo stairs, floors up to the roof that demonstrated the basic uses of bamboo at that time.
Gozar said of the total 1,000 species of bamboo, 49 grow in the Philippines, giving the country the potential to become the second-largest bamboo producer in the world, next to China.
Today the country’s bamboo industry has reached the peak of high-end enterprise. World-class bamboo furniture like lamp shades, picture frames and bamboo plyboard are now exported to other countries.
Image credits: Leonardo Perante II