“With its ability to mitigate flood and soil erosion, bamboo has various economic and ecological benefits”
IF YOU were in the Philippine countryside during the monsoon or in summer, you are certain to look up to bamboos which are abundant in this Southeast Asian archipelago.
And if you were flying in during daytime from a trip abroad or from any point in the archipelago, there is no doubt you would have a glimpse of the verdant bamboo grove below – thanks to a clear porthole which gives you a “bird’s-eye view” of the landscape below.
Bamboo is abundant in the Philippines, which has over 60 species, including native ones, and is a major global exporter of the material.
While once considered inexhaustible, factors like illegal logging and over-exploitation have led to efforts in resource management, plantation development, and industry growth to ensure sustainable availability for its significant economic and cultural importance.
Common bamboo species in the Philippines include indigenous species like Bambusa blumeana (Kawayang Tinik) and Gigantochloa levis (Bolo/Botong), and introduced ones such as Dendrocalamus asper (Giant Bamboo) and Bambusa vulgaris (Kawayan Kiling).
These species vary in size, form, and uses, with B. blumeana and D. asper being particularly important for construction, while species like Bambusa blumeana and Schizostachyum lumampao (Buho) are also used for edible shoots and mats, respectively.
The average height of bamboos in the Philippines varies greatly by species, with common species like Kauayan-tinik (Bambusa blumeana) reaching 10-25 meters and Kauayan-kiling (Bambusa vulgaris) growing 10-15 meters tall, while giant species can be much taller.
For example, Dendrocalamus asper can reach up to 30 meters.
But this country’s wealth faces challenges.
These challenges include a lack of sufficient, high-quality raw materials and planting materials, slow plantation development, inadequate infrastructure, and limited access to financing and technology.
Additionally, inconsistent regulatory frameworks, including the Department of Environment and Natural Resources’s stringent transport permits for bamboo, create significant hurdles for both large and small-scale operators.
There are also issues with low product quality, underdeveloped marketing and market linkages, insufficient data for resource management, and high processing costs, hindering its growth and sustainability.
There are also supply-side challenges, like insufficient raw materials where there is a shortage of quality bamboo poles and planting materials, limiting production and causing periodic increases in raw material costs.
There is also slow plantation development, where authorities say the expansion and development of new bamboo plantations are progressing at a slow pace.
Other challenges include low survival rates, inadequate infrastructure, limited access technology, high processing costs, lack of supporting policies, among others.
There are also market and information challenges, weak market linkages, limited information, and low product quality.
Awareness of the challenges is timely in September, celebrated as Philippine Bamboo Month, a national observance established by Proclamation 1401 in 2022.
Officials say this month-long celebration aims to raise awareness about the importance of bamboo as a sustainable resource, promote its development and use across various sectors, and strengthen the local bamboo industry for environmental and economic benefits.
The Philippine Bamboo Industry Development Council leads the observance, coordinating with government agencies, local government units, non-government organizations, and the private sector to promote its initiatives.
Official estimates suggest there are a total area of bamboo stands in the Philippines which ranges from 39,000-53,000 ha, mainly naturally growing sporadically or in patches in backyards and riverbanks in forest lands and some private lands and rarely in pure commercial stands.
There are 60 known bamboo species in the Philippines and their number is increasing because of the newly-introduced species by plant collectors and bamboo enthusiasts.
Botanists say the bamboo grass family, Poaceae, includes about 12,000 species, with approximately 1,500 species of bamboo belonging to around 100 different genera.
It belongs to the family of grasses, Gramineae or Poaceae, and is a high-value crop given its many uses involving food and material for buildings, bridges, and furniture.
With its ability to mitigate flood and soil erosion, bamboo has various economic and ecological benefits.
Bamboo has a lower carbon footprint due to its fast growth rate, meaning it is more sustainable than traditional materials such as wood, plastic, and steel. Additionally, bamboo is highly versatile and can be used in many different ways both indoors and outdoors.
It also provides food and nutrition security as food and animal feed. Bamboo is earthquake-proof, has greater tensile strength than steel, and withstands compression better than concrete – which is why it is so valuable in construction.
Used as a substitute for concrete, it also reduces emissions of greenhouse gases.
