BAGUIO CITY – The city council requested the Philippine Bamboo Foundation, Inc. (PBF) to provide livelihood trainings to interested groups from the city’s 128 barangays for them to be actively involved in the enhancement of the state of the city’s environment and provide the people with adequate sources of livelihood.
The council made the request after approving the foundation’s request for exemption of the entrance fee it is charging to tourists from the city’s 30 percent amusement tax for the group to be able to sustain its operation at the Laperal House along Legarda Road here.
The council stated the foundation must continue providing the necessary trainings to the different groups in order to expand and increase the bamboo plantation in the city which could be used as a source of adequate materials for bamboo crafts, livelihood for concerned residents and contribute in increasing the forest cover of the city to help bring back the greenery of the mountains among others.
Edgardo L. Manda, PBF president, informed the city councillors on the good properties of bamboo which has over 400 percent carbon sequestration compared to the other tree species plus the fact that bamboo grows easily and a mountain could be reforested fully within a three-year period.
Initially, the PBF already provided the appropriate trainings to dozens of wood carvers in barangay Asin that allowed them to shift the use of materials from the usual wood to bamboo considering that they already have difficulty in getting wood products from the region’s forests following the stringent implementation by concerned agencies of the anti-logging ban nationwide to pave the way for the implementation of massive reforestation efforts.
The PBF decided to establish its bamboo exhibit area and eco park within the premises of the Laperal Park in order to provide opportunity to the public to appreciate the bamboo products that will be produced by the carvers from Asin and other interested carvers from different barangays of the city.
Manda cited the exhibit area will be open to bonafide residents of the city provided that there will be a prior coordination with the organizers and that they will be able to present appropriate identification cards indicating that they live in the city.
The PBF official recommended the bamboo should be used in the tree planting efforts of various groups, barangays, concerned government agencies among others because it easily grows and thrives in the city compared to other tree species, thus, the purpose of reforestation could be easily achieved in a span of three years.
He explained the exhibit area is primarily intended for viewing of the works of the bamboo carvers while the PBF will refer to the carvers individuals interested to order their art works, thus, there will be no selling activities within the Laperal House.
He cited bamboo experts regarded the Cordillera as one of the best plantation sites to propagate the different types of bamboo that is why the region could be able to achieve robust economic growth once it will embrace bamboo as one of its reforestation materials that will be planted in strategic areas in order to contribute in effectively and efficiently bringing back the forest cover of denuded mountains in he different parts of the region.
By Dexter A. See
