Bamboo is poised to be Mindanao’s next major industry
Bamboo is being considered the next major industry for Northern Mindanao after the Philippines set a Guinness World Record for planting the most bamboo simultaneously across areas of Mindanao, a lawmaker said.
The world record attempt was joined by a total of 2,305 planters, led by the Department of Science and Technology (DoST), and its Kawayanihan Circular Economy partners on Oct. 18, at 19 locations across Mindanao
“All eyes are now on Northern Mindanao because a lot of investors are actually interested to come in and invest, whether in propagation, processing, or marketing. There are many opportunities here available in this initiative,” Bukidnon Rep. Jose Manual F. Alba said in mixed English and Filipino during the press conference of the DoST held in Cagayan de Oro City last Thursday.
Mr. Alba highlighted bamboo’s potential beyond furniture, emphasizing its use as a durable, sustainable material for modern infrastructures. He added that promoting bamboo would create job opportunities for locals in rural areas, dismantling the belief that such opportunities exist only in urban centers.
“Right now, we are trying to reverse the situation… The opportunity is right there in your backyard,” Mr. Alba furthered.
In Bukidnon alone, Mr. Alba said the DoST has identified 18,000 hectares of land planted with bamboo, highlighting its great potential for economic use.
“There will come a time when we no longer need to cut down forests because people will seek bamboo, not wood,” Mr. Alba said.
Mr. Alba also said that a bill to integrate bamboo into the national building code is in progress, which, if enacted, would be a significant milestone for the country’s construction industry. Given bamboo’s fast-growing properties and its abundance in many areas of the country, the move is seen as a step toward more sustainable building practices. — Edg Adrian A. Eva
