By Kris M. Crismundo
MANILA, Mar 7 (PNA) — Bamboo industry in Region IV-A (CALABARZON), which include the provinces of Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon, has surpassed its targets for 2013, according to the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).
For 2013, the region’s bamboo industry grew its investments to P4.88 million from an annual target of P1 million.
Revenue of the bamboo industry locally was also beyond the P2.22-million sales as it earned a total of P2.82 million last year.
The industry also created 152 jobs in 2013 alone, surpassing its expected employment generation of 30 jobs.
DTI added that within a year, its regional office in CALABARZON created a total of 13 micro small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to expand the bamboo industry there.
Moreover, DTI’s shared service facility (SSF) program benefited seven MSMEs in CALABARZON.
SSF program is a flagship initiative of DTI that aims to empower MSMEs in the country in order to enhance the quality of their products and improve production capacity.
The program also drives local MSMEs to compete not only in the local market, but offshore as well.
A total of P14.9 million was allocated for the region last year through SSF to buy more advance technologies and equipment.
Aside from SSF program, DTI also provided trainings, relevant advocacies in terms of information dissemination, and business opportunities to these MSMEs that venture into the bamboo industry.
A total of 35 MSMEs in Region IV-A were assisted by the agency last year.
The administration issued Executive Order No. 879 which was passed May 2013.
The policy has created the Philippine Bamboo Industry Development Council (PBIDC) to improve competitiveness of the country’s bamboo industry to create business activities and jobs in the said industry.
DTI chaired PBIDC with member agencies such as Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Department of Education (DepEd), Department of Agriculture (DA), Department of Science and Technology (DOST), Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), League of Municipalities of the Philippines and representatives for Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and Private Industry Associations (PIAs).
Trade value of bamboo products in global market from 2007 to 2010 averaged at US$ 1.49 billion.
The global bamboo industry also expects a growth of US$ 2 billion annually and aims to hit US$ 20 billion in 2015. (PNA)