THE bamboo industry in Region 3 (Central Luzon) has generated P9.12 million in investment that created 28 new jobs and pulled in a total of P7.54 million in sales for 38 micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) as of December 2021.

In a statement, Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Regional Director Leonila Baluyut said the good news was part of the continuing effort to promote the bamboo business as one of its priority industry clusters.

She added that as the national coordinator of the Philippine Bamboo Industry Cluster Development Council, DTI-3 was tasked to put together efforts to promote and develop the industry to help the MSMEs involved in the venture.

These efforts are done in convergence and collaboration with various agencies including the Department of Education, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Department of Agriculture, and Department of Science and Technology to help increase employment and livelihood in the countryside.

“We implement the value chain approach. We take into account the whole production process from obtaining raw materials, as well as who are the stakeholders involved from the production, to manufacturing, delivery and marketing,” Baluyut said.

“The labong that we eat is made from bamboo and we want it to be further developed. We are exploring how we can process it so that it is available all year round,” Baluyut said.

SOURCE: https://www.manilatimes.net/