The bamboo industry in the Philippines has the potential to grow “but it needs a proper research and government support for it to prosper,” said Roy C. Alimoane, the director of the Bansalan-based Mindanao Baptist Rural Life Center (MBRLC).
“The bamboo industry can be another good source of livelihood to our local farmers in the coming years,” said the outgoing director of the non-government organization known for its upland farming technologies and sustainable agriculture methods.
According to Avila, bamboo is such a good industry in China. “Bamboo is regarded as one of the major industries in the said country,” he said. “It comprises at least 15% of the total gross domestic product there.”
In China, bamboo is one of the four noblest plants. The others are orchid, the plum tree, and of course the chrysanthemum. Bamboo plantations are so vast that they cover mountainous terrain. “It shows the development of bamboo in China is very crucial,” Alimoane pointed out.
In the Philippines, particularly in rural areas, bamboo abounds. In fact, folklores said that the supposed descendants of Filipinos – Malakas and Maganda – came out of a bamboo.
“The tragedy in our country is that we have an abundance of bamboo but we don’t know how much about it. It is so common that we ignore its potentials. Other countries have already seen not only the beauty but the potentials of bamboo.”
All parts of the bamboo are utilized to produce sub-products such as foods, bamboo fiber, charcoal, and even bamboo beer. Thailand is one of its main buyers of bamboo charcoal while Japan purchases huge volumes of bamboo shoots.
Alimoane urged farmers and businessmen with farms to plant bamboo in their farm lots. “There’s no need to worry for its market. Domestic market for bamboos alone will be enough to keep the industry going. In Davao Region, for instance, bamboo poles are very useful in many banana plantations. That alone will keep the industry alive,” he said.
Due to lack or scarcity of wood, it is most likely that the property industry in the country will turn to bamboo as timber replacement.
“The advantage of using bamboo in the real estate and construction industries lies in the creation of sustainable demand for investors or government to pour resources in the development of commercial bamboo plantation in the Philippines, which could lead to the development of ‘downstream’ products. This would also lead to creating more jobs in the rural areas,” observed Edgardo Manda, the president of the Philippine Bamboo Foundation Inc. (PBFI).
To make use of bamboo in construction and furniture industry, it must be properly dried. A primer circulated during the 2018 National Science and Technology Week in Davao City cited several advantages of using properly dried bamboo. These are: dimensional stability, improved strength properties, greater holding capacity or strength of glue and fasteners, resistance to stain and decaying fungi and to wood-boring insects, better insulation property, and improved finishing property.
There are two methods of drying bamboos. One is air drying where the bamboo poles are exposed to natural elements, either in open areas or under shed, until the moisture content is reduced to a certain level. But this process takes 21 to 120 days and drying conditions cannot be controlled.
The Forest Products Research and Development Institute (FPRDI), a line agency of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) recommends kiln drying, where bamboo poles are placed in a chamber and the conditions are regulated to desired level. It takes less time: 3-5 days or 2-3 hours.
“Defects such as warping and splitting are minimized,” the bamboo primer said. “Drying can also be done even during rainy season. However, kiln drying requires well-trained operators and a sizeable initial investment is needed.”
Bamboos used for construction and furniture must also be treated against fungi, molds and insects. They can be treated through traditional methods and with the use of chemicals. Traditional methods include soaking in water, smoking, sun drying and biological control.
Chemically, bamboos can be treated through dipping, soaking, spraying, brushing or sap replacement using water-soluble chemicals.
“The versatility of bamboo proves to be of greater potential that the demand for the product continues to increase in terms of production and utilization,” the Department of Environment and Natural Resources said in a statement. “Aside from this, the international market demands more bamboo products that could help boost the economy of our country.”
Long known as the “poor man’s timber” and often listed as a “minor” forest product, bamboo has a million uses. According to an article, which appeared inReader’s Digest, bamboo “is delicate enough to be used in phonograph needles, yet strong enough to be used in bridge construction.” As such, bamboo can replace or indirectly decrease consumption of three critically scarce resources: wood, metal, and oil.
Who doesn’t hear of renowned furniture designer Kenneth Cobonpue, the man who designed “Phoenix,” the world’s first and only car made from bamboo and rattan. The car, which looked like a bird about to take flight, was created in just 10 days with the use of bamboo, rattan, steel, and nylon.
According to Inhabitat, an environmental web blog, “Phoenix” is designed to last the average length of time a person keeps a car – about five to 20 years.
In Puerto Princesa City, Palawan, a bike with a frame made out of bamboo is now the newest attraction at Ugong Rock. Called the Bamboo Zip Bike, the adventure is a fun combination of bike and zipline that will surely give the tourists, both local and foreign, the thrill and the possibility to enjoy nature.
The Bamboo Zip Bike Adventure allows thrill-seeking visitors to explore the breathtaking scenery in Ugong Rock using a bike made out of the bamboo plant on a 250- meter long high-wire suspended at about 90 feet from the ground.
In Maasin, Iloilo, the bamboo charcoal is one of its major products. The company Iloilo Kawayan Marketing is reportedly producing the charcoal that is considered to be a natural product and is ecologically friendly.
“Used as a fuel, it is smokeless and odorless and is best for barbecues,” the press release said. “Bamboo charcoal works as a natural fertilizer and pesticide. It is also used as a deodorizer. It can filter tap water. Put pieces of bamboo charcoal in a jug of tap water, then leave it for 4-5 hours. The water in the jug will taste like mineral water.”
Bamboo is also used in the manufacture of musical instruments like horns, clarinets, saxophones, flutes, piccolos, xylophones, and drums. In Java, Indonesia, 20 different musical instruments have been fashioned of bamboo. The world-famous bamboo organ at the Roman Catholic Church of Las Piñas is a historic example of the importance of bamboo.
There are also sophisticated uses of bamboos – charcoal for electric batteries, liquid diesel fuel obtained by distillation, and enzymes and media for shoot extracts used for culturing disease-causing bacteria. The white powder produced on the outer space of young culms for the isolation of a crystalline compound its medicinally useful.
The young shoots are a good source of vitamins and minerals. Nutritionists claim that bamboo shoot is low in carbohydrates and crude fat, and it has plenty of crude fiber, making it an ideal vegetable for people who want to reduce. Eighteen amino acids are reportedly present in bamboo shoot. Just a health warning: shoots of some species contain toxins that need to be leached or boiled out before they can be eaten safely.
“With the increasing awareness on the many health attributes and recipes one can make out of bamboo shoots, it is now gaining popularity within the broader population and in the global market,” reports DOST’s Nimfa K. Torreta. “There is also a worldwide interest on bamboo shoots because of the growing population of Asian ethnic origin around the world who have particular preference and taste for Asian food.” (To be concluded)
