The Cagayan Valley Bamboo Industry Development Council (CVBIDC) convened on 12 August 2022 for their 1st Business Meeting at CSU-Gonzaga, Gonzaga, Cagayan.
To commence the activity, a tour around the CSU-Gonzaga Bamboo Sanctuary, headed by Campus Executive Officer, Dr. Froilan Pacris Jr., was conducted. The said bamboo sanctuary has a total of 45 bamboo species and also maintains a bamboo nursery and a bambusetum.
During the said meeting, the status of agreements from the last meeting on 20 November 2021, was presented to the CVBIDC members for approval. Updates on their 1st-semester accomplishments and 2nd semester-planned programs, projects, and activities in support of the bamboo industry were also presented by representatives from the Department of Agriculture Regional Field Office No. 02, Department of Science and Technology Region 2, as well as the academe from Cagayan State University-Gonzaga Campus, Nueva Vizcaya State University, and Isabela State University-Cabagan Campus.
“We, as a council, have decided that we will be pouring our efforts more on the expansion of production,” said DTI R2 RD Leah Pulido Ocampo as she emphasized the importance of plantation expansion in the development of the bamboo industry in the region. RD Ocampo said that the region has to increase its production in order to strengthen and develop the industry.
RD Ocampo added that engaging LGUs to come up with their respective ordinances in support of the bamboo development program in the region plays an important role in the sustainability of raw materials in the region. She highlighted that there are already more than 40 LGUs in the region that has been implementing the said bamboo ordinance.
Moreover, RD Ocampo presented the functions of the council as DTI R2 is now the National Industry Cluster Coordinator for Bamboo. She stressed that the collaborative efforts of the region in terms of implementing activities in promoting the bamboo industry have been noticed by the national cluster.
Some of the key agreements and discussions during the meeting were:
1. Increase the raw material base production of Kawayan Tinik and Giant Bamboo to support e-bamboo processing and other bamboo industrial products;
2. Provision of technical assistance of CSU Gonzaga for the establishment of Bambusetum and Bamboo Sanctuary in various areas within Region 2;
3. Establishment of village-based bamboo plantations;
4. Development of village-based technology for the farmers to eventually supply the Yarn Production in ISU Ilagan;
5. Calendar of activities for the Philippine Bamboo Month and World Bamboo Day, including simultaneous bamboo planting and logo-making contest; and
6. The Council members expressed their enthusiasm on the establishment by DOST-PTRI of a Bamboo Yarn facility in ISU-Ilagan, which they consider as a milestone for the bamboo industry development efforts of the region.
“We should be on the same wavelength with the direction of the regional director,” said DTI-Isabela PD Ma. Sofia Narag, supervising director for Bamboo, as she expressed her joy in seeing the bamboo council convene and in line with a clear direction—to strengthen the production by expanding the plantation of bamboo in the region.
PD Narag inspired the council to work hand in hand as she gave emphasis that the success of the industry lies with the collaboration of each member of the council.
The CVBIDC, headed by DTI R2, is gearing up on the implementation of the various activities pipelined for the month-long celebration of the bamboo industry. ♦
Release date: 25 August 2022