A total of 338,394 bamboo propagules were planted in 1,187.49 hectares of land in the different areas of the region, recently.
All Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) 6 provincial offices supported the goal in making Western Visayas the country’s “bamboo capital” by joining the simultaneous Bamboo Planting Activity in celebration of the World Bamboo Day 2021 with the theme: “Alay ng Bayan sa Inang Kalikasan, Kawayan.” It thus helped to attain the planting of more than 300k bamboo in one day.
The activity also raises awareness on the importance of conserving and promoting the bamboo industry. It was participated in by 531 individual composed of the personnel from DENR-NGP 6, PENROs and CENROs Personnel, 4Ps Beneficiaries, DAR, DTI, BFP, DOLE, TESDA, academe, men in uniform, LGUs, and PO members.
The list of participating areas per provinces in Western Visayas were:
- Aklan – Ibajay, Makato and Tangalan
- Antique – San Remegio
- Capiz – Jamindan
- Guimaras – Sibunag
- Iloilo –Maasin
- Negros Occidental – Cadiz City, Calatrava, Candoni, Cauayan, E.B. Magalona, Hinoba-an, Ilog, Kabankalan San Carlos, and Sipalay
World Bamboo Day is a day of celebration to increase the awareness on the benefits of bamboo globally. Where bamboo grows naturally, bamboo has been a daily element, but its utilization has not always been sustainable due to exploitation.
The World Bamboo Organization aims to bring the potential of bamboo to a more elevated exposure – to protect natural resources and the environment, to ensure sustainable utilization, to promote new cultivation of bamboo for new industries in regions around the world, as well as promote traditional uses locally for community economic development.
“Bamboo are used for variety of purposes, apart from helping combat the effects of climate change, and this product is widely used in our country, especially in our region,” said Regional Executive Director Livino B. Duran.
“We aim for the region to be the ‘Bamboo Capital of the Philippines’, thus, we support this activity,” he added.
DENR Secretary Roy A. Cimatu pursue bamboo plantation in the same way which the National Greening Program (NGP) is being implemented. He saw its potential of mitigating the impacts of climate change. Indeed, bamboo forests serve as carbon sink while producing oxygen as well. (DENR-6)
