Flagship “Bamboo Villages” program to uplift lives of poor and IPs, generate forex value from $90 billion global market

August 18, 2023

Melody Mendoza Aguiba

The Marcos Administration is embarking on a flagship multi-billion peso “Bamboo  Villages” program that will uplift the livelihood of the poor and Indigenous People in ancestral lands while generating foreign exchange from bamboo’s $90 billion global market (by 2030).

   Newly-appointed Department of Agriculture Undersecretary (DA) Deogracias Victor B. Savellano has spearheaded “Buong Bansa Magtanim (BBM) ng kawayan “ to create livelihood in the countryside. 

   The program will use bamboo as a climate change mitigation tool even as President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr (PBBM) himself cited  during the United Nations General Assembly that the climate challenge is a major policy goal of his administration.   

   Savellano has been leading consultations on the concept of Bamboo Villages which he has been pushing for as an inclusive, community-based approach to jobs creation and agricultural development.

   “With bamboo growing abundantly in the Philippines, we can tap a rich economic resource if we only have  a national program to develop it as an industry as what our neighbors have already invested in,” said Savellano.

   Among Asian bamboo programs that brought huge economic value are Indonesia’s 1,000 Bamboo Villages and Vietnam’s 100-hectare Bamboo Villages.

   Isidro I. Alcantara, a bank and mining executive, said Thailand just allocated $10 billion for the next 10 years to develop its bamboo industry.  Alcantara pioneered bamboo planting in a mining area in Marcventures in Surigao del Sur.

   China generates the biggest bamboo revenue at $35 billion yearly. 

   Savellano just led last week a consultation in Manolo Fortich, Bukidnon a proposed legislation allocating 5% of the budget of various government agencies for bamboo propagation.

   However, he asserted at a Senate hearing last August 9 that an institutionalized bamboo program will be needed to consolidate different government programs on bamboo that are now scattered across agencies.

   “We need to harmonize our programs that are now uncoordinated.  We need to obtain the cooperation of each individual and harness all economic resource to attract private sector investment in bamboo,” Savellano said.   

   Senator Mark Villar, who presided over the Senate hearing, said PBBM appears to find the concept of bamboo industrialization a bright light for the Philippine economy.

   “He is very excited about this,” Villar said.

   Bamboo bills filed in Congress, primarily Senate Bill 605 and House Bill 7941, have provided for a P100 million budget for the institutionalization of the Philippine Bamboo Industry Development Program.

   While P100 million yearly may be a heavy yearly budget for government, Senator Nancy Binay said the legislature should review the huge economic potential offered by bamboo as against costs.  This, as bamboo’s time has come given the global urgent call to reverse climate change.

   Former Agriculture Secretary Luis P. Lorenzo Jr., an investorat Flo rida-based Rizome Philippines which produces world-class engineered bamboo as alternative to hardwood lumber, said bamboo can be the biggest agriculture industry that the Marcos Administration can build.

  Bamboo can be the long term solution to insurgency.  Rizome’s bamboo plantations are now reintegrating rebels into mainstream economy by giving them livelihood.

   His company just entered into a Memorandum of Agreement for a bamboo project with the IP Manobos covering 2,500 hectares of ancestral domain land in North Cotabato.

   “Bamboo gives a very good return.  Our business is already a billion peso business  just with that.  It employs thousands of people. What’s good about it is we can create community-based first level processing (livelihood programs).  (People) can make slats, instead of we just buying a P70 peso pole. We can give them P400 per pole equivalent,” Lorenzo said.

     A single bamboo slat is now bought by Rizome’s Cagayan de Oro plant at P13 each.   As there is an average of 24 slats per pole, and seven poles per clump, a land producing 200 clumps per hectare can generate P436,800 gross income per year.

   “Given you have a P100,00 cost, you have a huge net income of (more than) P300,000 per hectare.  Our people just have to be taught.  They must be hardworking and should sharpen their blades everyday.”

   To support the development of the bamboo industry, Lorenzo said bureaucratic processes should be eliminated in plantation, harvesting permits. Plantation contracts of 25 years plus 25 years should be easy to obtain.

   “Honestly we’re getting invitations from Vietnam, Indonesia, India where it is much easier to do business than here.  We’re being offered lands for free.  No bureaucratic processes,” said Lorenzo.  “(Fortunately though), they don’t have good quality as our lumber because they cannot grow our  node to node distance which is very long.”

   With bamboo’s “strong like steel, tough like concrete, beautiful as hardwood,” amboo should be included as a certified material in the Building Code. 

   Bamboo has become a raw material for a wide range of products  including lumber as alternative to hardwood (beams, engineered wood, tiles), textiles, carbon composites for windmill turbine blades, large diameter water pipes and sewage mains, and bamboo pellets to replace coal in power generation.

   Alcantara, also former chairman of Philippine Nickel Industry Association, said during the Senate hearing that the mining industry can be a catalyst to bamboo’s development as an industry.  It can generate $3.5 billion in revenue per year, equivalent to the revenue from Philippines’ mining sector. This is given vast areas in mining tenements where only 25% have mineable ore. 

   The Philippines has 3.75 million hectares of idle land waiting to be developed, Alcantara said.  Yet, even if only 400,000 hectares are developed for bamboo equivalent to 10% of China’s 4.2 million hectares, Philippines can earn $3.5 billion yearly.  It can generate one million new direct jobs.   

   For wood products alone, the Philippines exported $1.81 billion in a recent year.   However, Philippines imported $1.29 billion in wood products.

   “If we substitute the imports, can you imagine the savings in foreign  exchange reserve? It’s like exporting also,” Alcantara said. “For handicraft, we have the best handcraft makers in the world.  Our craftsmen are being offered P60,000/month by other countries.  We’re even losing our craftsmen.”

   Department of Trade and Industry Regional Director  Leah P. Ocampo said during the same Senate hearing that bamboo market value will grow to $88.43 billion in 2030.  This is from $61.69 billion in 2022.

   “Asia Pacific led the largest revenue share of 78.8% in 2021.  It is expected to grow at over 4% compound annual growth rate,” Ocampo said.

   In the 2021 revenue of $59.3 billion, the furniture segment had the largest revenue share of 25.7%,  expanding yearly at 4.4%. 

   Ocampo said the bamboo shoots segment is also a growth area as edible vegetable is significantly growing due to the rising awareness  of healthy food.  Bamboo shoots contain amino acids, proteins, Vitamin A, niacin, and thiamine, among others.

   For Philippines’ bamboo product export, destinations are United States, Japan, Europe (United Kingdom, Germany, and France). 

   As of 2022, investments generated in the bamboo industry totalled P89.2 million, and domestic sales, P143 million.  The sector generated 10,898 jobs, 5,012 micro small and medium industries, and 92 community-based enterprises.

   As a climate friendly grass, bamboo sequesters 11 to 15  times the carbon dioxide compared to a tree.  It can be nurtured and ustainably harvested,  for 100 years.

   It can fight soil erosion.  Given bamboo’s plantation in 3 million hectares of denuded land in Mindanao alone, bamboo will play a significant role in Philippines’ reforestation, more popularly under National Greening Program. 

PBBM’s Agriculture appointee a bamboo advocate pushing for economic development, poverty reduction

July 31, 2023

Melody Mendoza Aguiba

President Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos Jr. has appointed former Representative Deogracias Victor Barbers Savellano as Department of Agriculture (DA) undersecretary, recognizing his contribution to economic development  and poverty reduction – being an advocate of bamboo industrialization.

   Also a former governor of Ilocos Sur, Savellano was deputy speaker of the House of Representatives during the 18th Congress.   

   As a bamboo advocate all his life, he has authored House Bill 9576 or the Philippine Bamboo Industry Development Act.

   He has sustained his passion to push for bamboo as a tool for Philippines’ industrialization through his current work as vice chairperson at the Philippine Bamboo Industry Development Council (PBIDC) just before the DA appointment.

   In his own home province in Ilocos Sur, Savellano has inspired communities to put up a Bamboo Park in each barangay.

   This fostered collaboration, skills coaching, and product development involving every age in the community—oldest to youngest—imparting how bamboo is traditionally used for different purposes passed on from a generation to another. This also egged up creation of emerging, innovative bamboo products.

   Savellano’s vision is to see Philippines begin eating up a significant share of the global bamboo market which is expected to grow to $92.62 billion by 2027 (United Nations Comtrade).  This is from $66.22 billion in 2022 and $71.63 billion in 2023.

   Philippine Bamboo Foundation Ed Manda praised PBBM’s appointment of Savellano as DA secretary.

   “Congressman DV’s appointment will further boost efforts of stakeholders to fast track development of the emerging bamboo industry,” Manda said.

   The development of bamboo industry will address or aid in many serious concerns  in the Philippines.  These include emission of pollutant, greenhouse gases, environmental and land degradation, soil erosion, landslides, typhoon surge, and flooding.  Bamboo is a  cost-effective, lower-budget approach—being a grass abundantly growing nationwide and needs modest maintenance.

   Bamboo can catapult to industrial status many simple industries including building and house construction, renewable energy, biomass, cooking fuelwood, furniture, fiber and textile, and lumber from a highly-durable yet beautiful material to substitute for hardwood.  It will generate millions of jobs in rural areas and ancestral lands tended by Indigenous People and bring in needed dollar reserve.

   Savellano co-founded and was president of the National Movement of Young Legislators with which he is continuing to partner for bamboo propagation all over the country.

   As a businessman, he was chairman of the Ilocos Sur Hotels, Restaurants and Related Enterprise and of the Ilocos Sur Convention and Visitors Bureau. He has been running his own fine dining restaurants in Ilocos Sur and Quezon City that have popularized to the city the unique heritage of Ilocano cooking.

   He founded Kilusang 5K (Kawayan:  Kalikasan, Kaunlaran, Kabuhayan, Kinabukasan) Foundation Inc.  Kilusang 5K, together with Rotary International, has put up a 30-hectare pilot bamboo farm (propagation, nursery)  in Karugo and Puray, Montalban, Rizal to demonstrate the economic and environmental value of growing bamboo.  Kilusang 5K will also participate in a long term 20,000 hectare bamboo propagation in the Marikina Watershed as part of fighting perennial flooding and landslides in the area.

   Savellano received in 2009 a Hall of Fame Award for the Best LGU Poverty Reduction program  program. He is also a recipient of a CROWN Award in Nutrition for being a consistent regional outstanding winner in Nutrition National Nutrition Council. 

   He is an immediate past president of the UP Manila College of Arts and Sciences Alumni Society, UP Manila Alumni Association, currently board of director, UP Alumni Association, and president, Rotary Club of Quezon City Circle

 Savellano finished AB Economics at the University of the Philippines Manila and Master in International Business Administration at the Monterey Institute of International Studies in Monterey, California USA.

PHOTO ATTACHED Deogracias Victor Barbers Savellano

ASEAN farm consortium put up by SEARCA to cut huge greenhouse gas emission, rice straw burning, and raise farmers’ income

By Melody Mendoza Aguiba

July 28, 2023

An ASEAN carbon farming consortium has been put up by the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) to generate carbon credit and cut greenhouse gas emission while raising farmers’ income.

   SEARCA Director Dr. Glenn B. Gregorio said the consortium will give incentives for Asian farmers to adopt innovative technologies that will reduce  emission of a very powerful greenhouse gas, methane, that comes from rice farming.  It will generate carbon credits in the future. 

   Aside from solving a huge environmental problem, it  will raise farmers’ income by at least 50%.  It will generate rural jobs, and produce an organic-type fertilizer.  

   “We will share the data (between Southeast Asian countries), the experience from everyone,  We will get funds together, and SEARCA will commit some funds to start it up,”  said Gregorio at the roundtable discussion on “Sustainable Food and Agriculture System in Southeast Asia. SEARCA co-organized it with the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas.

   SEARCA will start with a few pilot sites, use these as model for replication, and do actual measurements (greenhouse gas emissions, income) as scientific basis for replication.

   Farmers will be organized, formed into communities, and incentivized to use the innovations.

   “We’ll incentivize them, and use these incentive system as policy that may be adopted by legislators.  Using these technologies needs a new mindset,”  said Gregorio.

    Among climate-smart varieties to be popularized to farmers are short-maturing and high-yielding, tolerant to biotic and abiotic stresses, and high-biomass varieties,

drought-tolerant rice, submergence-tolerant rice, salt-tolerant rice.

   “We’ll make a model, make it work, and after a few years, once we see farmers benefitting, it will spread like fire,” said Gregorio.   “Once the soil is rehabilitated, it will have health benefits.  It will benefit all.  We will use digital  technology.  It’s a dream, but it’s reachable.”

   In one technology to be adopted by the consortium, SEARCA has partnered with the UK-based Straw Innovation Ltd for the “Rice Straw Biogas Hub.”  The project also involves UK SME Koolmill, and UK academic partner Aston University.

   The project solves the huge problem of disposing rice straw which becomes a waste material from producing rice.  An estimated 750 million metric tons (MT) of rice straw is produced yearly.  To dispose of the waste, an estimated 300 million MT is burned.  The remaining 400 MT is left to decay in the fields, emitting a huge amount of methane, a greenhouse gas 80 times more dangerous to the environment than carbon dioxide when emitted over a 20 year period, according to SIL.  GHG emission is more than that of the entire global aviation industry. 

   However, SIL has developed a harvester enabling synchronous harvesting of both rice and the rice straw. That omits burning, disposal of much waste, and significantly reduces GHG emission.

   Income for farmers is increased by 50%.  The technology enables production of fertilizer that stores carbon. The innovation brings jobs in rural areas, reduces post harvest losses, and generates billions of dollars for the Philippines’ rice sector.

   Other technologies to be popularized among Southeast Asian farmers are water-saving technologies like alternate wetting and drying of rice farms, soil and nutrient management, and cropping and crop-animal system.

   GHG-reducing soil and nutrient management techniques include nutrient-fixing legumes, use of chemical versus organic fertilizer, and methane-oxidating bacteria.

   Cropping and crop animal systems that reduce GHG emission include lowland agroforestry, crop-animal integration, and crop biomass and animal manure management.

   The carbon farming system will improve traceability of farms and agricultural products or the process by which a product in the market or at any stage in the supply chain can be traced to its origin. Such provides for food safety and transparency.

PHOTO Innovative harvester that synchronously reaps rice and the rice straw– omitting much greenhouse gas emission,  much waste burning, and post harvest loss.

“Bamboo Bill” Senate 605 set for Senate public hearing July 19, passage to cement PBBM huge contribution to economic development in 5 years

July 11, 2023

Melody Mendoza Aguiba

“Bamboo Bill” Senate Bill 605 has been set on July 19 for Senate public hearing amid the Marcos Administration’s aim to speed up economic development, create livelihood, and cushion vulnerable poor population from climate disasters.  

   Authored by Senate President Juan Miguel F. Zubiri, SB 605 or an “Act Institutionalizing the Philippine Bamboo Industry Development Program,” will create among the biggest agriculture industries with up to 55,000 hectares of existing bamboo stands across the islands, Zubiri said.

   Six other bamboo development-related bills will be deliberated in the Senate on July 19.  All these bamboo bills, generally strengthening functions of the Philippine Bamboo Industry Development Council (PBIDC), are seen to be consolidated with SB 605.  

   The bills are SB 615 (Senator Cynthia Villar), SB 1044 (Sen. Joel Villanueva), SB 1145; and SB 1552 (Senator Lito Lapid), SB 1118 (Senator Loren Legarda), SB 1145 (Win Gatchalian),  and SB 2172 (Senator Jinggoy Estrada).

   Not only is bamboo a unique Filipino cultural symbol with the “bahay kubo” and the innovative industrial design works of Bobby Manosa and Kenneth Cobonpue.

   Philippines  also has the world’s fifth biggest bamboo industry.  Yet it has to keep up with far distant huge bamboo industries of China and Vietnam, said Zubiri.  Global market is estimated by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources at $17 billion.

   SB 605 fortifies PBIDC’s policy-making role in creating community-based enterprises that will have sufficient supply of quality materials and produce new products from research and development-inspired technologies. 

   Manufacturers are mandated to use bamboo on at least 25% of their raw materials inputs for furniture, lumber (wood processed into uniform sizes such as beams and planks),  and manufactured products that can use bamboo as an alternative to wood.

   Plantations will be accepted as loan collateral in government-owned-and-controlled financial institutions.  Plantation developers and bamboo processors will have priority access to credit and guarantee.  Bamboo plantations will be exempted from security cutting, harvesting, and transporting permits.

   Markets will be created through aggressive trade promotion.  Supply of trained and skilled labor will be stabilized.  There will be a comprehensive program on bamboo nursery expansion;

bamboo propagation, breeding, site-specific bamboo species development; and sustainable planting, harvesting, soil and water conservation protocols.

   Bamboo advocate former House Deputy Speaker Deogracias Victor B. Savellano, currently vice chairman of PBIDC, said he hopes the Bamboo Bill will be ratified on or before the year ends. 

   “It is imperative that the industry that is so natural to us Filipinos can be developed sooner.  It has been waiting for a long time now to help our poorest population.  And you don’t need big budget for infrastructure to address our climate-related ills — soil erosion and environmental degradation that are causes of natural disasters,” Savellano said.

   “Bamboo will substantially support our farmers and fisherfolks.  It supplies their need for simple devices like banana tree’s support pole or the katig (outrigger) in boats,” he said.

   PBIDC Executive Director Rene Madarang said the industry hopes government will cite SB 605 a priority bill in President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s State of the Nation (SONA) address as the bamboo industry will cement in the next five years the Administration’ contribution to economic growth.

   Edgardo Manda, Philippine Bamboo Foundation president, said the strengthened PBIDC will provide a coherent direction in developing commercial, large scale bamboo plantation to support the manufacturing of bamboo products.

   Without the passage of such bamboo law, PBIDC which is under the Office of the President lacks not only the budget but the powers to harmonize all government bamboo programs that has left the industry undeveloped.

   At least 20% of planting materials needed for the National Greening Program of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) will come from bamboo.

   The industry will be supported by accurate and reliable data for decision-making aid of investors and entrepreneurs.

   Among incentives to be granted to stakeholders of bamboo-based products are those under the Board of Investments and National Internal Revenue Code.

   The Bamboo Industry Research and Development Center will be established under the bill.  Local Bamboo Industry Development Councils (BIDC) will be put up in towns and provinces to localize planning and support for budget and policies for industry development.

    The amount needed to implement the Bamboo Bill (Law) will initially come from unexpended contingency fund of the Office of the President and existing bamboo industry budget of the Department of Trade and Industry and DENR.    “Thereafter, such amount … shall be included in the annual General Appropiations Act.” 

PHOTO Florida-based Rizome Philippines produces world-class engineered bamboo that make for sophisticated and beautiful building material.

Bamboo Law passage to prop plantation expansion, capital into industrial plants, free government land use offered for commercial plantations

By Melody Mendoza Aguiba

June 26, 2022

The urgent passage of a law to develop the bamboo industry is seen to prop up capital influx into  farms and industrial plants in line with incentives including exemption from rental fee of government lands for commercial bamboo plantation.
   The exemption for five years from rental fee of government of lands and tax free importation of equipment are the principal incentives proposed under House Bill 7941.

   The bill, approved on third and final reading by the House of Representatives last May 30 was immediately transmitted to the Senate for approval.
   Bamboo advocate Deogracias Victor B. Savellano, former House deputy speaker, said the immediate approval of the Senate of House Bill 7941 augurs well for the bamboo industry that has been waiting to be developed for years now.  
   Executive Order 879 which created the Philippine Bamboo Industry Development Council (PBIDC) was signed in 2010.  

   “The Marcos Administration can be known for a bamboo-led industrial development given immediate ratification of this bamboo law.  We just have five years now, but surely we can manage the resource that we already have in abundance,” said Savellano, PBIDC current vice chairman.

   “We can even use bamboo to comply with our climate change mitigation commitments.”
   In the Senate, at least five bamboo development-related bills have been filed in the last Congress.  These are Senate Bill (SB) 605 with Senator Miguel Zubiri as principal author, SB 615 (Senator Cynthia Villar), SB 1044 (Sen. Joel Villanueva), SB 1145; and SB 1552 (Senator Lito Lapid).

   House Bill 7941 strengthens the power of PBIDC  to develop the industry through policies that encourage planting and development of bamboo product designs.
   Under the approved House version, private plantations registered with the Community Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO) of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) are exempted from securing a cutting permit for the harvesting of bamboo.   These are exempted too from securing a transport permit for the bamboo materials.
   Bamboo plantations are also exempted from the payment of forest charges and other fees for taxes that LGUs may impose.   
  PBIDC convenes producers of raw materials, processors, marketing and promotion companies, and national and local government and agencies to discuss strategies to revitalize the bamboo industry.

   By itself, PBIDC’s programs will be guided by Cabinet-level agencies including heads of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Department of Agriculture, and Department of Education, among others.
   DENR earlier placed the global market for non-timber forest products at $17 billion as of 2020.    

   Isidro C. Alcantara Jr. of Philippine Nickel Industry Association said annual revenue can hit $3 billion if only the Philippines can plant at least 10% of China’s bamboo area.

   Some of the uses of bamboo include house construction, infrastructure, paper, furniture and handicrafts, charcoal and pyroligneous liquor, textile, and clothes. Other uses are for production of food products from bamboo shoots, bamboo beer and medicinal products.  Bamboo pellets can be used for power generation.
   The Philippine Bamboo Industry Program that will be implemented by PBIDC will ensure the sustainable production of quality raw materials; develop relevant technologies and new products; and produce accurate/reliable data.  It will also promote investments; put up capacity building programs that will generate skilled labor; and ensure provision of locally manufactured machines.
   Savellano said that the foreseen huge economic livelihood generated from bamboo industry will pluck out of abject poverty many Filipinos and Indigenous People in rural areas who own vast ancestral lands.  The industry will further be a significant instrument for fighting climate disasters.
   Provincial governments should come up with their own Bamboo Industry Development Program within two years from  the enactment of the bamboo law.
   The legislation also provides for the access of plantations to development loans from government financial institutions.  Crop insurance will be provided too.

   Importation of equipment for plantation development, including tree nursery, will be tax free under Republic Act No. 10863, otherwise known as the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act (CMTA).  Plantations will be accepted  as collateral for loans in government-owned-or-controlled banks.
   No volume restriction in the export of bamboo culms from plantations will be allowed.
   Industrial bamboo plantations in forest lands and priority areas will be included in the annual investment program of the National Economic and Development Authority and will have  priority access to funds  from external and internal sources.
    The Bamboo Industry Development Program will include plans of actions for the scientific propagation, development and management, processing, utilization, business development, and commercialization.

   The bill also provides for the creation of  the Bamboo Industry Research and Development Center (BIRDC) which will partner with the public and private sectors, people’s organizations and non-government organizations, and the academe for  sustained development. 
Photo: Philippines’ Giant Asper species used as engineered bamboo by Rizome for sophisticated construction. Credit: Rizome
   

Exporter Fishta enabled fishing communities in Palawan to contribute to Philippines’ export to Japan, Canada

By Melody Mendoza Aguiba

June 20, 2023

Filipino seafood exporter Fishta Seafood Inc. (FSI) has enabled fishing communities in Busuanga, Palawan to contribute to Philippines’ fishery export to Japan and Canada through its marketing effort under a USAID sustainable fishing program.

   Speaking at the Philippine Chamber of Agriculture and Food Inc.’s (PCAFI) “Usapang Pagkain,”    Carina Ong Tan, FSI general manager, said long term benefits to the livelihood of at least 50 women in Busuanga are anticipated.

   “Sustainability of the supply chain is something I champion and believe in.   We help the community by investing in the supply chain and by teaching people. We become the linkage (between fishermen and the market),” Tan said.

   FSI has partnered with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Fish Right  and Seatrace International Inc. to promote responsible fish sourcing, reversing the adverse impact of  Illegal, Unreported, Unregulated (IUU) fishing.  

   FSI, a spinoff from parent firm aquaculture feeds producer Santeh Feeds Corp., supplies seafoods to supermarkets, restaurants, and overseas markets from its owned or contracted farms.  These are in the form of live, frozen, chilled, and smoked products. 

   It has invested in the seafoods supply chain in order to achieve fish production sustainability, ensure its products’ safety, and reach bigger local and export markets. 

   It has invested in facilities– blast freezing, indirect contract freezing, and individually quick frozen technology.

   “This is an example of the idea of introducing innovation and market linkage direct to the source, from the fishing communities themselves.  We buy their products direct from them, and they no longer have to go to traders,” said Tan.

   “It’s a program that gives attention to the island itself.  Other fishing communities go to us for the replication of this program.  We can contribute these ideas to the seafood industry because we have access to technology and markets.  This way, we can make an impact directly to fisherfolks.” 

   With its ability for traceability, food safety is ensured. Consumers are able to send feedback on the quality of a seafood product as their origin may be traced. With traceability, the company can pull back products in the market that pose any adverse risk on human health.

   “We are still in the process of creating our RSS (responsibility sourced seafood standard) Policy to achieve 100% Traceability & Transparency in our supply chain,” said Tan.

   FSI parent firm SFC was founded by PCAFI Chairman Philip Ong in 1990.   

  SFC boasts of ISO-certified manufacturing facilities that produce optimally bioavailable ingredients for fast seafood growth and for environmental sustainability.

   FSI’s program with USAID  aims to sustain food production while protecting the seas and fish populations. 

   The USAID program recognizes that the Philippines loses an estimated P68.5 billion yearly from illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing

   It has supported protection of fishery areas through key marine biodiversity areas (KMBA) in Calamianes Island, Southern Negros, and Visayan Sea.

   FSI has also  contributed to the empowerment of 50 women and their families as the Department of Trade and Industry granted them a brine cold storage facility upon FSI’s training of these women.

PHOTO Fishta links Palawan fishermen direct to consumers of value added seafood products like this Halibut

Florida-based Rizome Philippines invests $100 million for enginereed bamboo plant in Cagayan de Oro, House Bill on bamboo development ok’d  


May 30, 2023

By Melody Mendoza Aguiba


Florida-based Rizome Philippines is investing a whopping $100 million (P5.5 billion) for an enginereed bamboo plant in Cagayan de Oro even as it supports government’s move to prioritize House Bill 7941 passage for bamboo sector development.

   Former Agriculture Secretary Luis P. Lorenzo Jr., a global investor at Rizome Philippines through subsidiary Bamboo Ecologic Export Corp (BEEP), is bringing in cutting edge, proprietary technology in bamboo wood manufacturing.

   Rizome is progressively  infusing capital from $20 million to $100 million in its Cagayan de Oro plant.
   “I became a global investor cause I want to bring the best technology here.  I don’t want the Philippines to be second class.  The investment is big.  But (even now) our business is already a billion peso industry.  And it employs thousands,” said Lorenzo.  
   Lorenzo just met with Philippine Bamboo Industry Development Council (PBIDC) Vice Chairman Deogracias Victor B. Savellano who has been pushing for priority legislation to institutionalize execution of Executive Order 879 issued in 2010.
   Savellano just reported that the Lower House approved on second reading House Bill 7941, promoting the development of the sector.  It buttresses the provisions of EO 879 which aimed to seize a $8 billion bamboo market dominated by China.
   Lorenzo seconded efforts to make bamboo a priority industry.  Appointed Department of Agriculture secretary in 2002, Lorenzo ran one of Philippines’ biggest banana export firms, Lapanday, and pineapple firm Del Monte prior to appointment.

   “Please make bamboo a priority.  I hope government would be friendly toward a new industry.   Government is technically pushing housing.  Why not import-substitute all the components of housing construction,” he said.
   Despite China’s vast bamboo plantation, Lorenzo said Philippines can compete with any country in the world in bamboo wood quality. This is particularly with the Giant Aster species that grow abundantly all over Mindanao.

Former Agriculture Secretary Luis P. Lorenzo Jr, Rizome International global investor, shows the many forms of engineered bamboo lumber. Credit-Melody Aguiba

   “I came across group of Americans who for 13 years were producing from Vietnam high-end, prefabricated homes made of bamboo.  The same group studied ways by which bamboo can be re engineered using technology.  After 13 years,  they finally decided after visiting Brazil, Indonesia, China, India  that the Philippines has the best bamboo.”
   Rizome produces panels, boards, veneers, and strand woven made of giant asper bamboo.
   An important priority policy is to make bamboo a recognized construction material in the implementation of the Building Code.  This, as engineered bamboo is a proven technology strong as steel, tough as concrete, fire resistant, water resistant, pest free, and is even beautiful as hardwood.
   Rizome International is financing its investments in the Philippines through loans, “offset credits” for capital equipment startup and operational expenses.  
   Rizome’s bamboo manufactures are shipped in container loads to Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) in America, Europe, Middle East, Africa, and Asia Pacific.    
   As the passenger terminal of the Mactan Cebu International Airport became the first airport in Asia made entirely of lamellar wood, Rizome is being introduced in the Philippines as global standard quality wood.
  “Because you heard about the beauty of Cebu and Clark airports, we want to introduce bamboo to the Philippines as our national identify.  The beams and all that –we make all of these.  We make these bullet proof.  We can make beams as long as you like.  No more steel, no more concrete,” Lorenzo said.
   Also top among incentives government can do to encourage investments in bamboo plantations and manufacturing is the easier processing of 25 to 50 years of forest management contracts (Industrial Forest Management Agreements, Community Based Forest Management Agreements.)
   Huge ancestral domain lands for bamboo should also be identified by government to give livelihood to rural people and Indigenous People.
   Local government units (LGUs) who can have a significant contribution to bamboo sector’s development should be creative to encourage their constituents to plant bamboo, Lorenzo said.  
   Savellano, through PBIDC and the entity he founded, Kilusang 5K Foundation, has earlier put up a Technical Working Groups (TWGs) primarily for production and propagation of bamboo all over the country.  
   The TWG also works on bamboo’s industry and commerce and training of workforce for bamboo propagation and processing.
   Rizome buys bamboo slats of agrarian reform beneficiaries who have planted bamboo in Bukidnon, North Cotabato, Agusan provinces, and Surigao province.  It also buys bamboo from communities in mining areas.
   Rizome enginereed bamboo keeps up with premiere architectural specifications, equalling “quality, strength, durability of steel and concrete.”
   Through an infusion of clean mineral salts,  Rizome pressure treats bamboo fibers to totally efface insect and mold from the wood.   It is a treatment tested by the Washington State University.
   A finalist to the Musk Foundation’s XPrize, the Rizome Bamboo Project in the Philippines can win the grand prize of $50 million for its carbon offset efforts.  It has been chosen as candidate among 60 others for the potential of bamboo farms to sequester 400 tons of carbon dioxide per year.  
  “Our goal is to have planted 10 miilion bamboo clumps by 2030 for a 10-year carbon drawdown of over 26 million tonnes of carbon dioxide, the equivalent of the greenhouse gas emissions of 5.654 million cars in a year,” according to Rizome.  

PHOTO (Above( Former Agriculture Secretary Luis P. Lorenzo Jr, Rizome International global investor, lifts engineered bamboo wood to demonstrate its light weight, yet highly durable quality. Credit-Melody Aguiba

BIG ON BAMBOO

Former Agriculture Secretary Luis P. Lorenzo Jr.,(third from left) leader of Florida-based Rizome Philippines, explores with Philippine Bamboo Industry Development Council Vice Chairman Deogracias Victor B. Savellano (first from left) vast opportunities to export and create jobs for sustainable, engineered bamboo (known to be strong as steel, sturdy as concrete, beautiful as hardwood) now exported as sophisticated construction material to the United States. Also in photo is PBIDC Executive Director Rene Butch Madarang (fourth from left).

May 18, 2023

Technology transfer pursued by PBIDC with private, research firms as Base Bahay for bamboo development for fiber, housing, biomass

May 2, 2023

A technology transfer program has been pursued by the Philippine Bamboo Industry Development Council (PBIDC) with private firms as Base Bahay and local government for the development of bamboo for low to high-end products– fiber, housing, fuel, and biomass.

   In an Usapang Kawayan forum held in Mendez, Cavite, more bamboo partnerships are reported to be pursued  for bamboo technology sharing and commercialization, according to PBIDC Vice Chairperson Deogracias Victor B. Savellano. 

   These potentially growing tie-ups also include research agencies like Philippine Textile Research Institute (PTRI), Forest Products Research and Development Institute (FPRDI), and local government units (LGU) as Miag ao, Iloilo and Dapitan City in Zamboanga del Norte.

   Sustainable, socialized housing  using bamboo has been shown possible by Base Bahay Innovation in its bamboo villages in Bagong Silangan, Quezon City and Estancia and Jaro, Illoilo, among others.  The houses are disaster-resilient designed to resist typhoons.

   “This is a very good program to support President (Ferdinand) Marcos’s program for housing so that more socialized houses can be built,” said Savellano.

   To further advance the use of bamboo in modern housing, the Philippine Institute of Architects, in a program called “Bamboo’s Tahanang Kawayan,” has been tapped to integrate bamboo in its designs for more sophisticated housing materials.

   Consultation between PBIDC and Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) has started  to look into cement bamboo frame technology as construction material for socialized housing.

   Also in discussion on possible bamboo partnership for housing  is with former Agriculture Secretary Luis P. Lorenzo Jr. who now runs Rizome Philippines. 

   For the manufacture of engineered bamboo for home finishing and construction material, Rizome Philippines supplies a type of giant bamboo, Dendrocalamus asper, to international partners, particularly in Florida, United States.

   The government has been strengthening the function of PBIDC since it was convened on Dec. 22, 2022 by Trade Secretary Alfredo Pascual to fulfill its mandate to contribute to industrial development under Executive Order 879.

   As PBIDC practically has yet to be budgeted by government, a proposed budget has been filed with Philippine exports Federation (Philexport).  Department of Trade and Industry Regional Director Leah P. Ocampo has also led the crafting of resolutions on a more robust PBIDC function.

   Congressman Joeman Alba of Bukidnon will refile the PBIDC bill (House Bill 9576, Senate Bill 605) which will institutionalize PBIDC as the umbrella organization to steer bamboo to its industrial development role.

Bamboo Textile Fiber Innovation Hub. Credit- PTRI

Bamboo for energy

   For the possible use of bamboo for charcoal as fuel and for biomass, PBIDC has been in talks with Dr. N. Barathi who has developed India’s Beema bamboo for its use as one of the best sources of generating energy.  In the Philippines, the Bayog bamboo species, Bambusa spinosa, may be the equivalent of Beema bamboo for renewable energy–  biomass for heating and cooking.

    FPRDI has also a developed a technology on bamboo’s use for charcoal or fuelwood.  Its bamboo charcoal is cheaper, energy-efficient and is ecology-friendly.  Upland people do not have to do kaingin (forest burning) to produce cooking fuelwood.

   For the propagation of bamboo, a tissue culture technology of the FPRDI is planned to be adopted in PBIDC’s own bamboo plantation program such as those in Karugo, Puray, and Upper Marikina Watershed in general.  Tissue culture will enable massive seedling production. 

Bamboo fiber

   For bamboo fiber, PBIDC is partnering with New York-based Filipino-American fashion designer and textile technologist Anthony Legarda. He has worked with the PTRI and advanced the development of abaca fiber and other indigenous materials.

   “What is good with bamboo for fiber is recovery is big at 35% per pole, while recovery in abaca and other fibers is only at 2%,” said Savellano.

   The Environment Research and Development Bureau’s (ERDB) Bambusetum in Los Banos is also eyed to be replicated by PBIDC nationally. 

   “Where can you find such place with the genetic resource of such large number of bamboo species? It is good to replicate this Bambusetum of ERDB because many of these species grow in different locations all over the country,” said Savellano.

   Irene Marcos Araneta, herself President Marcos’s sister, is involved in the development of bamboo for fiber.  She may enter into similar collaboration with PBIDC in order to give more livelihood to Ilocos Region weavers. 

PBIDC Vice Chairman DV Savellano, PBIDC Exec. Dir. Rene Madarang visits a DTI Shared Service Facility in Gen. Tinio, Nueva Ecija producing bamboo slats for housing

These are other possible partnerships:

1.  Health Undersecretary Camilo Cascolan will explore the natural properties of bamboo as medicinal plant.

2. For bamboo planting expansion, the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) and Pasay City LGU eye the planting of bamboo for urban landscaping and livelihood for urban dwellers. 

   The University of the Philippines Manila Alumni Association is also supporting bamboo planting for its “Adopt a Estero” program led by PBIDC Executive Director Rene Madarang. Planting programs are also being discussed with the National Movement of Young Legislators.

3.     PBIDC and KIlusang 5K  Foundation have been meeting with different Local Government Unit (LGU) heads for a Kawayan Karavan and Lakbay Aral for the exploration and development of bamboo for varied uses.  In Nueva Ecija, the Kawayan Karavan was held in plantations and shared service facility in Gen. Tinio and Fort Magsaysay.

4.  To market bamboo products internationally, a potential partnership is with Davao Investment and Tourism Center and Mindanao Development Authority. 

   This– along with CITEM (Center for International trade exhibitions and Mission), Pampanga Furniture Makers led by Myrna Bituin that participated in the 2023 Philippine International Furniture Show, and Tourism Alliance Group (TAG) which promotes eco farm tourism and bamboo in their tourist destination meetings.

5.  Manila Water , which has a major function to protect water sources from watersheds, is eyed to collaborate with PBIDC on planting programs. 

6.  The bamboo manufacturers of Maasin, Iloilo which produce charcoal briquettes, toothpick, chopstick, and barbeque sticks may be able to share their technology to other entrepreneurs through a link with PBIDC.

   The Pangabuhian Weaving and Fiber processing center in Miag-ao, Iloilo may support a similar collaboration.   

7.  A PBIDC visit  to Davao Bamboo Sanctuary and participation in Davao Bootcamp may turn out for the further use of bamboo for housing and other industries. 8.  Another possible partnership is with the academe — the Nueva Ecija University of Science and Technology for the development of bamboo for varied uses.  PBIDC may further support the First Gen Hydropower Corp. which has a bamboo plantation in Pantabangan Dam, Nueva Ecija. (Melody Mendoza Aguiba)

FEATURED PHOTO Former Agriculture Sec. Luis P. Lorenzo Jr. who now runs Rizome Philippines meets with PBIDC Chairman Deogracias Victor B. Savellano, PBIDC Exec. Dir. Rene Madarang. Rizome Philippines supplies bamboo to Florida-based maker of engineered bamboo.

Govt urged to give incentives for private sector to invest in smart agriculture, renewable energy, tap ESG bonds for climate actions

April 18, 2023

Multilateral financier World Bank has urged government to give incentives for private sector to invest in climate smart agriculture and renewable energy and to tap ESG bonds to finance climate actions countering disasters.

   Presenting its Country Climate and Development Report (CCDR) 2022 in a forum of the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA), World Bank officials stressed government has to raise access of climate financing to private sector.

   That along with making investment policies for climate action attractive and encouraging access particularly to ESG bonds.

   “Public and private investments are needed to finance adaptation through climate-resilient infrastructure.  Financing mitigation measures from private sector should be incentivized by new regulatory technology-push and demand-pull policies,” said Souleymane Coulibaly, World Bank project leader and lead economist, at the SEARCA forum.

   “On the private side, issuing ESG bonds under the recently introduced Sustainability Financing Framework could leverage private financing for climate actions.”

   ESG bonds (environmental, social, governance) are generally part of sustainability financing supported by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas. Eligible green expenditures are clean transportation, climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction projects, sustainable agriculture, and renewable energy (solar, wind, geothermal, biomass, hydropower).

   Dr. Stefano Pagiola, World Bank senior environmental economist, also said at the SEARCA forum that attractiveness to farmers of climate smart agriculture practices should be improved as these have triple wins. 

   These are higher productivity, higher resilience, and lower greenhouse gas emissions.

  Some policies must be avoided.  A policy for farmers not to pay for water does not give farmers incentives to use water efficiently.

   In Luzon and Cordillera, a technology that may have higher financial return for farmers is the use of blight resistant white potatoes in crop rotation with green cabbage and rainwater harvesting.

   Financial return is estimated at more than P500,000 per hectare.

   In Visayas and Cordillera, another technology with good financial return is rice-onion crop rotation with the use of early maturing rice.

   Dr. Glenn B. Gregorio, SEARCA director, said that talks on climate policies are now so critical.  He himself has been immersed since 1986 in developing adaptation solutions to climate challenge.  

  “Sustainable Development Goal 13 for climate action is close to my heart. I have been a plant breeder for abiotic stresses, (developing rice) for drought tolerance, submergence tolerance, and salt tolerance,” said Gregorio.

   Climate change adaptation techniques in agriculture enable crops to withstand increasing temperature from global warming and receding rainfall. 

   Gregorio stressed collaboration from the academe and industries are important to promote sustainable practices.

Focus on benefitting the poorest

   The poorest population will be the most adversely affected by climate disasters– with consumption reducing by almost 9% compared to the richer population’s lower 6%.

 As such, solutions should prioritize the poorest, along with women, for their target beneficiaries.

Climate smart agriculture benefits Credit-World Bank

   The Philippines is extremely vulnerable to erratic climate change, with temperature that has risen by two 0.68 degrees C (Centigrade), further rising by 1-3 degrees C, on various scenarios. 

   As financing the cost of climate solutions is extremely high, total gross domestic product (GDP) of the Philippines is foreseen by 2030 to shrink by 7.6% than what it should be in the absence of climate shocks, the World Bank experts said.

   The good news is climate solutions are well-known as the Climate Change Act (RA9729) has been ratified 15 years ago. 

   For Philippines, these include no construction in flood-prone or coastal areas and prohibition of water facility built-up in areas where ground water is shallow—where land subsidence is high.

   Other solutions are investing in irrigation and in farm technologies that emit less greenhouse gas (such as methane produced in rice farms).

   “When you apply the solutions, you reduce the cost of climate change by two-thirds.  (The other) one-third is inevitable,” said Coulibaly.

   “You see a lot of opportunities for win-win solutions like scaling renewable energy to reinforce energy security and reduce the cost of electricity.” 

Mitigation measures

   With climate change mitigation measures, ominous predictions on GDP could be reversed.       

   Mitigation actions that reduce greenhouse gas emission such as from the use of renewable energy and electrifying transport GDP could increase by about 0.5 percent and generate about 80,000 jobs in 2040. 

   These measures have a positive impact on GDP if carbon tax revenues are used for investment, said Coulibaly.

   To enhance budget procurement, government can also use green public procurement and “layered Disaster Risk Financing Strategy.”

   “Setting a moderate price of $5 per ton of carbon dioxide could signal firms to adopt low carbon technologies while raising revenues of up to 0.4 percent of GDP per year.”

Renewable energy

   Reducing power rates is a significant factor for Philippines’ competitiveness.  Decarbonizing brings enormous savings in health costs as it reduces pollution.

 The greatest reduction in emission of greenhouse gas is from converting transport to electricity. Reduction in GHG may reach 1,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent given renewable energy investments up to 2050. This entails electrifying 90% of public transport and 72% of private vehicles with $100 billion investment.

   Other climate solutions are scaling up mass transit, additional bike lanes and non-motorized transport, promoting inter-regional passenger and freight rail, and promoting telecommunity through Internet access.

Local approach

   Aside from the private sector, local government units (LGU) should be empowered and trained in capability for climate actions.

  “It’s important to get down to the local level.  You need numerous localized interventions to address local climate change realities,” said Coulibaly.

   Forum participants asserted LGUs should invest too in climate actions as the Mandanas Ruling is enabling these to have increased budget.

  International financing—concessional and grant–  may be limited given many countries’ need for the climate actions.

   “Financing should be concessional to sweeten investment that government wants to do.”

Urban development

   Pagiola said another key sector that must be addressed and financed is urban development as 50% of Filipinos live in urban areas.  Construction in floodplains vulnerable to storm surges must be avoided.

   Water infrastructure should also be beefed up.

   “Improving water storage is not only an infrastructure (solution) but also one of watershed management, along with forest cover improvement.  Their benefits are resilience, diversifying biodiversity, and carbon sequestration,”  said Pagiola.

   There is increasing risk of hunger as food price rises.  So, farm technologies and their financing should be attractive to farmers.  The poor and women will be most vulnerable due to agriculture’s dependence on climate and rainfall.

   Right incentives include using environmental taxes to discourage harmful activities, removing regulatory obstacles to private sector climate action, attracting foreign investors, and strengthening finance sector’s financing capability . 

   Training on green jobs should be made available, along with improving resilience of education system and introducing climate-sensitive health policies. (Melody Mendoza Aguiba)