THE Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) is partnering with various sectors in a bid to develop new bamboo products.
DTI 3 regional director Blesila A. Lantayona, who is the national bamboo champion of the department, met with Davao region stakeholders recently to discuss about the holistic approach in developing the bamboo industry.
Lantayona said that all parts of the bamboo plant can be processed into different by-products.
“Bamboo has vast by-products. We can produce toothpicks out of bamboo trimmings and home decorations from different parts,” she said.
Lantayona added that with the signing of Executive Order 879 which created the Philippine Bamboo Industry Development Framework, stakeholders are aided and supported as they craft measures towards their goal of unleashing the utmost potential of the industry.
It is estimated that the present international market for industrial bamboo products is valued at $10 billion and projected to reach $17 billion by 2017.
DTI 11 tegional director Marizon S. Loreto said EO 879 will help the country corner some of this multi-billion world market.
“In Region 11, most of our bamboo produce are marketed or sold as poles to banana plantations. We have to make our farmers understand that there’s more in bamboo. That there are more products that can be derived from bamboo,” she said.
Democracy M. Icawalo, a maker of bamboo products such as lamps, picture frames, floor tiles, and other home decors, said that charcoal from bamboo is even superior to that of wood.
Bamboo plantation owner Rey Millan offered his farm as a benchmarking venue for bamboo production.
“I’ve been planting bamboo for 25 years. If DTI has clients who want to see how a bamboo farm operates and how productive it can be, you may bring them to my farm in Tagum City,” he said.
If the clients’ interest is in bamboo by-products, they can be brought to Icawalo’s production site in Kidapawan City. [DTI 11]
