PAGADIAN CITY, Sept. 30 (PNA) -– The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) is releasing on Wednesday Php3.4 million worth of equipment and machines to boost the Bamboo Industry in the nearby town of Ramon Magsaysay, this province.
DTI Provincial Director Ma. Socorro Atay announced this Tuesday during the “Pulong-Pulong sa Industriya sa Kawayan” held in this city as part of the agency’s consultation efforts and at the same time an education and information campaign attended by the Bamboo Industry stakeholders.
The pulong-pulong was held in partnership with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Department of Agriculture (DA), Department of Education (DepEd), Department of Science and Technology (DOST), Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) and Technical Education Skills and Development Authority (TESDA).
Atay said the equipment and machines will be released during Wednesday’s launching of the Bamboo-based products at a nursery in Ramon Magsaysay town. Different bamboo species are available at the nursery.
In an interview, DENR Bamboo Specialist Gregorio Santos likened bamboo to a coconut.
“If coconut is dubbed as the ‘tree of life’ bamboo too can be considered as one because every part of bamboo, like coconut, is useful. The bamboo shoots is one of the best food which is rich in fiber and has anti-cancer agent,” Santos said, adding that bamboo can also help control soil erosion.
He said there are a total of 200 species of bamboo in the country. (PNA)