The Cagayan Valley Bamboo Industry Development Council (CVBIDC) in a meeting yesterday has eyed bamboos as potential lumber alternative to escalate the bamboo industry in the region.

 

Regional Executive Director Gwendolyn Bambalan of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources Region (DENR) Region 2 said the Department is now promoting bamboos as better source for lumber alternative aside from the benefits they provide as solution to climate change.

 

“We have been strengthening our efforts in incorporating in our nursery establishment the production of bamboos aside from the indigenous tree species that we are producing," said Director Bambalan who presided over the meeting.

 

In support of bamboo growing, the DENR has partnered with the DTI and Department of Labor and Employment in October 2022 to ensure the survival of the bamboos planted last September.

 

Since 2011 to date, the DENR Region 2 reported a total of 4,401.2 hectares established bamboo sites planted with 636,264 bayog, kawayang tinik and kiling under the National Greening Program to include in areas covered by the Regional Build Back Better Task Force initiative of the government.

 

According to the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Region 2, bamboos are good source of material in designing and manufacturing engineered bamboo house kits. "The whole structure of the Cubo modular now known in the provinces of Sarangani and Bulacan were all made up of bamboo," said DTI staff Mona Lisa Valle in her presentation.

 

Winston Singun, assistant regional director of DTI Region 2 stressed the importance of bamboo as viable economic and natural resource. "With the effort of the council, we can enhance our bamboo enterprise and make the livelihood of our local farmers more profitable," he said.

 

Growing bamboo is important in mitigating the effects of climate change as it can sequester more carbon than any other types of trees and can aid in riverbank stabilization.

 

The council meeting also discussed several interventions such as crafting of convergence plan among stakeholders, review of the Bamboo Bills filed in Congress, management of bamboo database, and presentation of bamboo best practices.

 

It was highlighted with the presentation of various Bamboo Project Accomplishments of the 12 council members present comprising government agencies, academe, and the provincial bamboo industry development councils of Cagayan, Isabela, Quirino and Nueva Vizcaya.#