GIANT bamboo and other bamboo varieties will soon be planted along the stretch of the Paglabuan River in Guagua town near the FVR Megadike as an alternative reforestation method and to jumpstart local craft and food industries based on bamboo.

This came about as the local government unit (LGU) of Guagua headed by Mayor Dante Torres and Pampanga State Agricultural State University (PSAU) president Honorio Soriano Jr. met last week to discuss the plan that would set out the propagation of one million bamboo varieties in the area.

Torres is keen on planting giant bamboo varieties that could be used as alternative to wood lumber and could even be used for wood carving.

Guagua town has a bustling woodcarving and furniture industry with some companies embracing the use of bamboo in making furniture.

"We are also looking into the possibility of commercializing bamboo shoots and preserve these in cans or easy to open packaging," he added.

The once mighty Paglabuan River has long since diminished in size after the eruption of Mt. Pinatubo. But its wide side riverbanks could still be used to plant bamboo saplings.

Torres said that initially, the town is targeting a few thousand bamboo saplings to start the program.