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Antiqueños urged to plant more bamboos

By Annabel Consuelo Petinglay

March 8, 2022, 2:55 pm

<p><strong>ENGINEERED BAMBOO</strong>. Bamboo craters and planters try the state-of-the-art equipment at the Bamboo Center in the University of Antique Main Campus in Sibalom, Antique on February 24, 2022. Dr. Nelly Mistio, UA Project Component Leader, said during a virtual press conference Monday that they are encouraging bamboo farmers to plant more to be used as raw materials.<em> (Photo courtesy of UA Main Campus)</em></p>

ENGINEERED BAMBOO. Bamboo craters and planters try the state-of-the-art equipment at the Bamboo Center in the University of Antique Main Campus in Sibalom, Antique on February 24, 2022. Dr. Nelly Mistio, UA Project Component Leader, said during a virtual press conference Monday that they are encouraging bamboo farmers to plant more to be used as raw materials. (Photo courtesy of UA Main Campus)

 

SAN JOSE DE BUENAVISTA, Antique – Farmers from this province are encouraged to plant more bamboos to supply the demand for the engineered bamboo project of the University of Antique (UA).

UA operates the Bamboo Center Shared Service Facility (SSF) from the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) inside its main campus in the Municipality of Sibalom.

The PHP14 million SSF has state-of-the-art equipment such as planer saw to remove bamboo nodes, pole cutter powered by electricity, and treatment bath against pesticide, among others to produce quality engineered bamboo craft and furniture.

Dr. Nelly Mistio, UA Project Component Leader of the Bamboo Crafts and Furniture Facility or the Bamboo Center, said they would be needing raw materials for their projects once the center starts to fully operate within the year.

During a virtual press conference on late Monday, she said UA President Pablo Crespo, Jr. has lobbied for the because of the available local resources and its market potential.

“There is (a) demand for the engineered bamboo locally and even abroad,” Mistio said.

Bamboos can be sold to the center at PHP2 to PHP3 per slat or even hire their (farmers') services when the market demand is huge.

UA staff manning the center and 30 bamboo crafters and planters from municipalities of San Remigio, Valderrama, and Tibiao that will initially supply the raw materials already underwent two successive free training provided by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and the University of the Philippine in the Visayas (UPV) on bamboo propagation and production of bamboo tiles and other novelty items to ensure the sustainability of the project.

“We are now in the process of perfecting the products to ensure its quality and coming up with its costing before introducing it to the market,” she said.

Mistio added they would also be hiring additional staff to meet the orders initially from the local market, such as hotels and restaurants. (PNA)

 

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