LA TRINIDAD, Benguet – Benguet State University will hold a mini bamboo fair on Jan. 27 to 31 with the theme, “Linking local bamboo resources to the industry.”
The five-day fair will relaunch the institution’s bamboo development and will also promote the bamboo industry in the Cordillera.
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, ornamentals and products, will be held from Jan. 27 to 31 at the Anthurium Hall.
A demonstration on basket weaving, making of labong atsara and labong kimchi, splitting bamboo off-set cuttings, and potting of ornamental bamboo will also take place from Jan. 27 to 29. The secretariat will entertain individuals interested in attending a bamboo, training and workshop.
On Jan. 29 will be the bamboo forum from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. 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 forester 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, and bamboo ornamentals by Fatima Tangan, BSU bamboo research specialist.
A bamboo jamming session with the KJKB Band will be held at 5 p.m. 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 has partnered with the Department of Trade and Industry, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, WWRRDEC; local government units of Baguio City, Itogon, Sablan, Tuba, Tublay, this town, Mountain Province, Kalinga, La Union, Bayambang and Alaminos in Pangasinan and Cordillera state universities in the advocacy.
Based on the 2013 WWRRDEC data, the Cordillera has 293.2 hectares devoted to production of the different varieties of bamboo broken down as follows: buho or bolo, which occupies 96.5 has; giant bamboo, 67.2 has; and kawayan tinik, 129.5 has. – Susan C. Aro
April 25, 2024
