An initiative led by the Iloilo Economic Development Foundation (ILEDF) is eyeing to position Iloilo as the bamboo powerhouse in Southeast Asia by 2030.

Velma Jane Lao, head of the Local Economic Investment Promotion Office of Iloilo City, said bamboo stood out due to its strong fundamentals during their industry development for export and import substitution, or the research-based export strategy.

These included the job creations, land productivity, value addition and market competitiveness.

The municipality of Maasin in Iloilo is also recognized as the “Bamboo Capital of the Philippines.”

“We are here because of our strategic location, because of its business landscape and progressive city,” Lao said in an interview on Tuesday.

She said the focus will be on engineered bamboo, with the ILEDF taking the lead in setting up a local engineered bamboo manufacturing or production center.

Lao said they are looking for land for the manufacturing plant and for a plantation to ensure sustainable supply.

“This can support around 5,000 farmers,” she said.

During their meeting last month, Lao said Governor Arthur Defensor Jr. was supportive of the endeavor because the province will serve as the plantation and manufacturing site.

Defensor said the initiative is “timely and relevant” and aligns with the grassroots economic agenda of the provincial government.

He also considered the approximately 9,000 hectares of areas under the Integrated Social Forestry Projects as potential sites for plantations.

Meanwhile, the presence of the Visayas International Container Terminal (VICT) in Iloilo City is expected to open export market opportunities for engineered bamboo.

Mayor Raisa Treñas has also expressed support in terms of marketing, promotion, and research and development, among others.

On Thursday, she said ILEDF representatives will be leaving for Cagayan de Oro, the base of Rizome Philippines, a firm that produces an array of bamboo building products, for benchmarking on bamboo plantation and manufacturing.

ILEDF is a public-private organization partnership with a long-term vision of making Iloilo a highly preferred investment destination. (PNA)