Ang Pahayagan

SUBIC BAY FREEPORT – The Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) in Zambales have partnered for a bamboo nursery project here to promote wider propagation and cultivation of this resilient and important forest resource.

The two agencies jointly inaugurated the nursery at Subic’s El Kabayo eco-tourism area on Tuesday, June 24, with 200 propagules of iron bamboo species donated by the Banco Kalikasan Environmental Movement, Inc.

Iron bamboo, which is scientifically known as Guadua Angustifolia, is native to South America, but has been successfully propagated in the country. Known for its large size, strength, and suitability for structural applications, it is considered a premier material for construction and engineered bamboo production.  

SBMA Ecology Center OIC Rossell Abuyo said setting up the bamboo nursery would just be the first phase of the SBM-DTI collaborative project, as the two agencies plans to establish in the same area a “bambusetum”, which will be valuable for scientific and educational research purposes.

A bambusetum, she explained, is a specialized garden dedicated to the cultivation and study of various bamboo species, thus serving as a gene bank and allowing the observation of different bamboo growth habits and characteristics.

DTI-Zambales director Enrique Tacbad, meanwhile, pointed out that apart from the environmental benefits of planting bamboo, its propagation can also serve as a good source of livelihood for stakeholders in the community.

“Initially, we are preparing at least 15 to 20 species of bamboo for the bambusetum ,” Tacbad said.

Aside from its ability to sequester carbon dioxide, reduce soil erosion, and provide habitat for wildlife, bamboo is increasingly in demand for construction, furniture, handicrafts, and as a food source.

According to a DTI report last year, worldwide bamboo market is expected to grow at a compounded annual rate of 4.5 percent from 2022 to 2030 with industrial application and furniture segments dominating the global market.

However, despite the industry’s positive global trade prospect, the bamboo industry in the Philippines faces challenges due to the limited supply of bamboo raw materials, and incomplete or sporadic bamboo data that are important to sustain the growth and development of the local bamboo industry. 

In 2010, then President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo created the Philippine Bamboo Industry Development Council through Executive Order No. 879 to promote bamboo industry development and provide the over-all policy directions of the program for all stakeholders. (Taktikom News and Features)

📸 DTI-Zambales Provincial Director Enrique Tacbad, SBMA Deputy Administrator for Public Health Amethya Dela Llana, and SBMA Ecology Center OIC manager Rossel Abuyo lead the launching of the Subic bamboo nursery on June 24 at El Kabayo eco-tourism area (SBMA HO photo)