The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) is looking forward to helping develop the bamboo industry in Iloilo as it embarks on various initiatives.

In a press conference on Friday, Jonathan Tejida, DTI Iloilo Supervising Trade-Industry Development Specialist, said they are looking at activating their shared service facility for bamboo processing in the municipality of Dingle. The facility can support the neighboring towns of Passi, Dueñas and Pototan.

They are also to open a bamboo processing, souvenir and showroom in Maasin this year.

“One way to elevate the capacity is really on mechanizing the process,” he said.

DTI sits as chair of the Philippine Bamboo Industry Development Council at the national level and is being localized at the regional and provincial levels.

In their 2016 roadmap, he said that the commitment is to set up a 50-hectare bamboo shoot production.

A training on bamboo shoot production was conducted in the Lemery town in 2021. Currently, the town has some 150 hectares of bamboo plantation, a project of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

DTI also conducted trainings to develop various delicacies, utilizing other parts of the bamboo plant.

Last year, DTI launched the bamboo embutido (meatloaf) and nuggets during the Artesanias Trade Fair. These are products of a community in Barangay San Jose in Lemery.

Recently, DTI conducted training on the preparation of bamboo shoot tocino in Alimodian town. They also intend to explore tea made of bamboo leaves.

“While the bamboos are not yet productive, they can produce bamboo shoots and tea,” he said.

As the country celebrates Bamboo Month this September, there will be an Artesanias Trade Fair on Sept. 15 to 21 when they will introduce bamboo shoot tocino (sweet meat) and siomai (Chinese dumpling) and bamboo planting in Leon town on Sept. 19. (PNA)