PINK PEPPER
The Bamboo Market Week showcase
The ribbon cutting led by Glenda Dagdag
and DENR Undersecretary Edgardo
Manda with them are DTI regional director
Dominic Abad, Mario Nillos, Board
Member Mariano Malones and
Mathilde Octavio.
Some 19 exhibitors showcased their furniture and crafts during the 5th Iloilo Bamboo Market Week, which opened last November 24 at the SM City, Iloilo.
Formerly called the Kawayan Market Week, this is an annual event that started in 2004. This year's focus is on the diversity of bamboo, involving not just exhibits of the products of the industry but also a symposium on bamboo that included topics on the status of the bamboo industry at the national and international level, bamboo propagation, bamboo utilization and markets, bamboocraft, and bamboo for food.
Usec. Edgardo Manda of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, said that they would bring all the resources to develop the primary processing in Iloilo and training to increase production.
PJ Aranador and the models.
"We will adapt the Techno farm in Maasin. They are into toothpick and chopsticks making. In Manila, we are encouraging food chains to stop using the plastic stirrer and use a bamboo stick instead. This is good for the environment and will create more jobs and opportunities for the farmers," he said.
The objective is to create greater awareness and appreciation on the different uses and potentials of bamboo from home furnishings, food to industrial and architectural components; strengthen the domestic market of the sector; promote appropriate bamboo preservation technologies thereby encouraging more investors and industry players and more importantly improving product quality and to strengthen the advocacy for bamboo as an environment-friendly material.
Some are key players in the One Town One Product (Otop) of selected municipalities. The participants were CM Bamboocraft Center, Iloilo City; ISAF Furniture, Iloilo City; Bambu International Corp., Oton; Boyel Marketing, Oton; Damires Furniture, New Lucena; Melfrance Bamboo Furniture, Janiuay; Mangil Bamboocraft, Janiuay; Iloilo Kawayan Marketing, Maasin; Ceballos Bamboocraft, Janiuay; Pro-Wood Marketing, Leganes; Pinili Home Décor, Pavia; J&L Hablon, Iloilo City; Montblanc Trading, Leganes; Valencia Weavers, Miagao; Connie’s Handwoven Products, Miagao; Tuburan Abaca Handicraft Assn, Janiuay; Quipot Abaca Handcraft Assn., Janiuay and Tubungan Small Farmers MPC, Tubungan Iloilo.
The Iloilo Bamboo Market Week is a project of the Department of Trade and Industry, Iloilo Provincial Government, Iloilo City Government, Municipality of Maasin, DENR, TESDA, DOST, University of the Philippines in the Visayas, Iloilo Bamboo Producers for Developments In., Iloilo Small and Medium Enterprise Development Foundation (SMEDF) and ABS-CBN.
