Thirty-five farmer-members of Mambuaya Integrated Social Forestry Farmers Association (MAISFFA), Inc. target to increase their income and improve their livelihood with the establishment of a bamboo processing hub in their area in Mambuaya, Cagayan de Oro City on 5 March 2021.

Composed of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Misamis Oriental Provincial Director Almer Masillones and barangay officials of Mambuaya, the group turned over P2.4M worth of equipment which includes bamboo splitting machine, high-speed strip planning machine, glue coating machine, and hot press machine to members of MAISFFA.

The project was under the Shared Service Facility (SSF) of Integrated Natural Resources and Environmental Management – Livelihood Enhancement Support (INREMP-LES) 2, a DTI-led special project with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).

Another ceremonial turnover of the same project was held in the afternoon of the same day during the Joint National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) and Regional Task Force (RTF)-ELCAC X Meeting with President Rodrigo Roa Duterte in the University of Science and Technology of Southern Philippines (USTP).  The certificate of turnover was officially handed by DTI Assistant Secretary Niño Contreras and Northern Mindanao Officer-in-Charge Regional Director Ermedio Abang to Cagayan de Oro City Mayor Oscar Moreno.

The turnover of the bamboo processing hub was in line with the government-initiated programs under the poverty reduction, livelihood and employment cluster and with DTI’s mandate to provide continuous assistance to priority areas and beneficiaries by bringing its services and programs closer to the indigenous people. ♦

Date of Release: 10 March 2021