Earning while Greening! BAMBOO INDUSTRY COUNCIL EYED FOR MINDANAO IN 2021

The Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) will initiate the organization of the Mindanao Bamboo Industry Development Council next year as it pursues its Green Mindanao Project which promotes environment-friendly agricultural production.

The organization of the Bamboo Council supports the move by the private sector with the recent establishment of a bamboo processing facility in Malaybalay, Bukidnon Province.

The Bukidnon Giant Bamboo Resources Corp. (BGB) has established post-harvest facilities for bamboo “to treat, dry and process into slats, while doing integrated production from plantation to manufacturing of finished engineered bamboo products such as lumber/beams and boards, building materials (doors, jambs, mouldings, etc) and furnitures using the most modern technology in the wood-working industry.”

The BGB, whose processing facility is located in Sayre Highway, P2B Aglayan, Malaybalay City, is headed by Roderico R. Bioco as Chairman, Roberto V. Tinsay, Jr. , President; Ruel L. Rivalde, Treasurer and Chief Operating Officer; Atty. Burt M. Estrada, Secretary; and Engr. Roger V. Navarro.

Last month, during the Workshop on the Corn Grains Storage Silo Program for Baungon town in Bukidnon, Bioco, who was one of the resource persons, shared with me the information about the bamboo processing facility which they have established in Malaybalay.

After the informal briefing, I and Bioco agreed to work on the organization of the Mindanao Bamboo Industry Development Council to fully utilize the facilities and in the process boost the development of bamboo farming in Mindanao.

Bamboos, along with fruit trees and industrial trees like Falcata, are among the species promoted by MinDA for planting in the deforested areas of Mindanao as part of the Green Mindanao Project.

Green Mindanao Project which I initiated when I moved to the MinDA from the Department of Agriculture aims to promote agricultural productivity while at the same time protecting the environment.

The organization of the Bamboo Industry Council will bring together the farmers, processors and the funding agency which is the Development Bank of the Philippines.

This is in preparation for the expansion by BGB of its processing facilities in other parts of Mindanao.

‘Starting with its bamboo innovation center in Aglayan, BGB is expanding postharvest and manufacturing facilities in Impasugong, Talakag, Cabanglasan and Manolo Fortich (Bukidnon) and Claveria (Misamis Oriental),” Bioco said in the message sent to me.

“Core to the advocacy of BGB is engaging individual farmers and IP communities to expand bamboo propagation as an alternative source of income while able to address environmental concerns, especially the REDD+ program of our government to meet GHG emission reduction commitment under the Paris Agreement. BGB is also pursuing its own bamboo plantation,” he added.

“Our aim is to create a solid corporate platform of Environment, Social and Governance (ESG) to address at least 7 of the 17 SDGs, reforest 100,000 hectares, mitigate impact of global warming, improve water security and uplift the living standard of 100,000 families,” Bioco said.

The organization of the Mindanao Bamboo Industry Development Council is part of the MinDA Industry Development Philosophy which aims to develop agriculture and fisheries by organizing and uniting the stakeholders who will be assisted through financing and market access by MinDA and its partners.

Ragtag farmers and fishermen’s groups are now being organized and provided with technical and financial capability training then provided with access to credit and finally marketing.

Among those being assisted by MinDA are the Organic Rice Sector, Vegetable and High Value Crops Sector, Fruit Tree Growers, Fisheries and Corn Farmers through the establishment of Grains Storage Silos.

#KungGustoMaramingParaan!

#GovernanceIsCommonSense!

#BeautyBountyOfMindanao!

(Photos attached to this article were provided by Rod Bioco of BGB Resources)