REGION 2 — The National Industry Cluster Coordinator (NICC) for Bamboo, DTI R2 RD Leah Pulido Ocampo led the National Bamboo Industry Cluster 2023 Strategic Planning Meeting, 16 February 2023 via Zoom.
The said meeting aims to consolidate and harmonize the 2023 Program, Activities and Projects (PAPs) of the DTI regional offices and the Regional and Provincial Bamboo Councils.
DTI Regional Operations Group (ROG) Undersecretary Blesila A. Lantayona advised all bamboo focal persons to be extremely engaged and strive to further develop their expertise in all aspects of the industry.
Moreover, RD Ocampo discussed the updates on the scaling out of the Community-based Bamboo Inventory and Database Management System and encouraged other regions to reorganize their local bamboo councils mirroring the PBIDC structure to ensure their alignment with the national plans and priorities.
RD Ocampo also encouraged the rollout nationwide of the bamboo development ordinance in order to institutionalize the Bamboo Development Program at the local level. It is noted that 50 municipalities in Region 2 have already enacted their local bamboo industry development ordinances, paving the way for a more active engagement of local governments in the bamboo industry.
The DTI Bamboo Focal Persons presented the 2023 Workplans of their local bamboo councils focusing on the eight roadmap strategies, i.e., advocacy, data and information management, establishment of community-based enterprises, Resource Development, capacity building, development of high-capacity machines & equipment, product development, and marketing development.
DTI R2 Industry Development Division OIC-Division Chief Randolph Cacacho presented the ways forward for the industry which includes the Integration of the directives provided by the NICC, to build and nurture connections with respective Regional and Provincial Bamboo Councils to be able to properly capture all bamboo related accomplishments, among others.
In closing, DTI XI Provincial Director Romeo Castañaga suggested including bamboo economics in the work plan which will basically be an information material on the economic aspects of bamboo given its many uses and by-products.
The Bamboo NICC acknowledges the collaborative efforts of the regional bamboo councils in the achievement of 2022 accomplishments and is hopeful that the PAPs presented will be implemented by the councils to realize the goal of the bamboo industry in the country for 2023 and beyond. *
Date of release: 16 February 2023