Villar lauds OK of bill on PH bamboo industry dev’t
GIVEN the huge potential of bamboo as the construction material of the future, Deputy Speaker and Las Piñas City Rep. Camille Villar on Wednesday lauded the approval of a measure seeking to develop the Philippine bamboo industry.
Villar, co-author of House Bill (HB) 9576 or the Philippine Bamboo Industry Development Act which was approved on third and final reading with a vote of 199-6 on Tuesday, August 24, cited the importance of the bamboo and its huge impact on the lives of farmers and growers.
“Bamboo may soon become the ideal construction material of the future because of its durability and sustainability. Over the years, acceptance of bamboo as an important material in various construction projects reinforced its significance in the more traditional market,” said Villar.
Villar added the measure, once approved into law, will pave the way for more revenue and employment opportunities for Filipinos to showcase their ingenuity as there is local and international demand for bamboo-based products.
Under the bill, the Philippine Bamboo Industry Development Program shall formulate a development program for the propagation, management, processing, utilization, business development and commercialization of local bamboo variants and end-products.
Incentives shall also be given to investors in bamboo plantations such as exemption from payment of rent for the use of government lands for commercial bamboo plantation for the first five years of operation, exemption of private plantations from securing permits for harvesting and transporting bamboo, exemption from payment of forest charges or any other fees that local governments may impose.
Other perks include insurance coverage of plantations by the Philippine Crop Insurance Corp., tax free importation of plantation development equipment, and prioritized access for plantation developers to credit assistance from the government, among others.
“This will be a great opportunity to fully develop our local bamboo industry and teach our bamboo farmers with the proper technology to craft more sustainable products in order to reach the much-needed success of this booming industry,” Villar added.
In the Philippines, just like in other Southeast Asian countries like Indonesia and Malaysia, bamboo, which is said to be two or three times stronger than steel, is being used heavily in modular homes, resorts, restaurants, and even socialized housing.
Bamboo is also being used to produce “jugyeom” or Korean bamboo salt known for its anti-inflammatory properties and is being used to detoxify the body.
