BSU holds bamboo mini-festival

January 27, 2020 Provincial

LA TRINIDAD, Benguet, Jan. 24 (PIA) – The Benguet State University (BSU) will hold a bamboo mini-festival on January 27-31 with the theme, “Linking Local Bamboo Resources to the Industry.”

The five-day fair will re-launch the bamboo development plan of the institution and will usher the bamboo industry in the Cordillera region having a potential in production and product development.

The festival will feature a mini-expo, demonstration activities, forum, concert, and seminar-workshop. The opening program will be held afternoon of Jan. 27 with Forester Bernard Bawing, president of the CS 1st Green Agro-Industrial Development, Inc.

The bamboo mini-expo which will showcase different bamboo plants, ornamental and products will be held from January 27-31 at the Anthurium Hall.

A bamboo demonstration on basket weaving, shoot processing such as labong atsara and labong kimchi, splitting bamboo off-set cuttings, and potting of ornamental bamboo will also take place from January 27-29.

The secretariat will entertain individuals interested for bamboo seminar, training and workshop. On Jan. 29 will be Bamboo Forum from 8:30am-4: pm at the College of Teacher Education Function Hall.

Topics include BSU’s Research Development and Extension Agenda to be presented by BSU Bamboo Program Coordinator Engr. Dante S. Chichioco; Bamboo Industry in Pangasinan by For. Webon Lomong-oy, Plantation Manager of CS 1st Green AIDI; Organizing a Provincial Bamboo Cooperative; Bamboo as Structural Materials by Arch Marcus Lloyd Lubrica, President of BAMBUORG; Status of Bamboo Resources in Benguet by Minda Odsey of Watershed and Water Resources Research Development and Extension Center (WWRRDEC), and Bamboo Ornamental by Fatima Tangan, BSU Bamboo Research Specialist.

A bamboo jam with KJKB Band will be held at 5:00pm at the BSU Secondary Laboratory School Gymnasium, one of the expected outcomes of the event is the organization of a bamboo cooperative which will link and sustain bamboo industry partners.

BSU partner agencies in this advocacy include the Department of Trade and Industry, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, WWRRDEC, local government units (LGUs) of Baguio City, Itogon, Sablan, Tuba, Tublay and this town, LGUs of Mt Province, Kalinga, La Union, and municipal LGUs of Bayambang and Alaminos in Pangasinan and Cordillera state universities Based on WWRRDEC latest data (2013), the total area of production of the different varieties of bamboo in the Cordillera region is equivalent to 293.2 hectares (has) broken down as follows: Buho or bolo which occupy 96.5 has; giant bamboo, 67.2 has; and kawayan tinik, 129.5 has.

Chichioco said Abra is ahead in the bamboo industry and has already established its market. Bamboo, a plant belonging to the grass family, provides many environmental and socioeconomic benefits.

It serves as carbon sink absorbing carbon dioxide which pollutes the air. In agriculture, it is used to control erosion. It also has an array of uses like food, medicine, building materials, decors, furniture, fabrics and clothing, toys, utensils, musical instruments, paper, and weapons.

JDP/SCA-PIA-CAR, Benguet