EIGHT farmers and members of a people’s organization and other groups from Isabela town in Negros Occidental attended a five-day training on engineered bamboo production in Iligan City recently.
Mayor Enrique Montilla said the training is part of the local government’s effort to help town farmers embark on the growing bamboo industry.
“The town is developing its potential for bamboo which could be a parallel industry to sugar,” the mayor added.
Melanie Valencia of the Mansablay Tree Farmers Association, who attended the training, said the activity was very informative and equipped them with knowledge on bamboo product development.
Valencia said they were made to experience hands-on production of engineered bamboo products like table tops, tiles, paper weight, and planks, among others.
The training, facilitated through the bottom-up budgeting (Bub) program of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), was conducted by Robert Palomares of the Homebiz Crafts Bamboo Center based in Luinab, Iligan City.
Farmers from other groups in Barangay 9 and Maytubig also attended the training.
Earlier, the participants also attended a training-seminar on bamboo propagation conducted by the Philippine Bamboo Foundation.
The activity was also facilitated under the DTI’s Bub program. (EPN)