SEEING the huge industry potential of bamboo, Negros Occidental Governor Alfredo Marañon Jr. pushed for its massive production in the province.
Marañon on Thursday, April 27, said the Provincial Government has been receiving a lot of queries about the products displayed at the newly-inaugurated Bamboo Innovation Center at Panaad Park and Stadium in Barangay Mansilingan, Bacolod City.
Marañon said revelers in the ongoing Panaad sa Negros Festival as well as local government units have expressed interest to buy bamboo planting materials, however, the supply is not yet enough.
“We still have shortage of bamboo supply in the province thus, we are currently working on massive production of propagules especially for distribution among local farmers,” he added.
The establishment of the half-hectare Bamboo Innovation Center is under the Provincial Bamboo Industry Development Program.
The Provincial Government initially funded P4 million for the construction of the project’s phase one using the 2015 Performance Challenge Fund amount given by the Department of the Interior and Local Government to the province for being a recipient of the Seal of Good Local Governance.
On top of the P4-million construction fund, the provincial government tapped the Department of Science and Technology for P1 million worth of equipment, including bamboo splitter, twin rip saw, plainer and laminating press.
The first phase, which was completed last year, included the treatment, storage, and multipurpose facilities.
It also has components like establishment of bamboo nursery and training center at Barangay Tabunan in Bago City.
This year, the provincial government allocated an additional P6 million for the second phase development using the 20 percent Provincial Development Fund.
The second phase, targeted to be completed and fully operational this year, covers four project components.
These are construction of showroom and marketing center amounting to P1.26 million; completion of the Bamboo Innovation Center, P3.18 million; purchase of processing equipment including bamboo dryer, P1.24 million; and promotional, information and educational component, almost P312,000.
Marañon said there at least 39 varieties of bamboo being grown at the nursery, and the province is planning to propagate more.
“We are going to support our city and municipal governments as well as individual farmers by providing them the production materials,” the governor said.
He also lauded the support expressed by Environment Secretary Regina Paz “Gina” Lopez, who was in Sipalay City Tuesday, in pushing for more bamboo production in the province.
Lopez cited the importance of planting bamboo, which is good in carbon sequestration. The commodity is also an efficient yet low-cost material for housing and construction.
When the province already has enough supply, it will then work on further developing the product and even venture into export opportunities, Marañon added.
