Since the late 90s, the government.  the government led by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has been promoting the propagation of giant bamboo in Bukidnon as an alternative to traditional timber products in any scale) as a protective measure against soil erosion and flood control. However, sustaining the propagation of giant bamboo meant providing economic opportunities to those planting and maintaining these “plantations” has always be” has always been the biggest challenge.

Despite the government’s efforts, economic opportunities for bamboo in Bukidnon were still limited to propping for banana plantations, which is now losing market as some banana plantation operators have started implementing innovations and took out banana props to save on costs, and a niche market as construction material and home-style products are still not enough to support an industry. While the most practical of all economic opportunities for bamboo is in the construction industry, the investment needed to “kick-start” was still absent since there has been no acceptable model (in the Philippines) for financing institutions (including the government) to consider. Most institutions still require “tried and tested” strategies such as hard cash invested on the ground. The only clear acceptable market to venture into was the export market since bamboo in the Philippines, while being widely promoted, more than 90% of all finished products are imported.

The idea started when Mr. Roberto V. Tinsay, Jr. (Bob) met Filipino representatives working for bamboo manufacturing companies in Vietnam during a BIMP EAGA business mission to Makassar, Indonesia, in 2017, and they were willing to do business with him. Business planning started almost immediately, resulting in several business missions led by the principals of the Vietnam-based companies coming over to Malaybalay several times to validate and develop a working business model of transforming bamboo into the new timber industry in the Philippines with emphasis on Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) business foundation. After more than a year of validation, re-validation, and business planning, the next move was to prove such a business model.

Trial Shipments

Initial Trial - The preliminary challenge was to comply with technical specifications, beginning with the proper species, moisture content, and pest control. Several months of trials and re-trials were done until there were enough poles for a trial shipment to Vietnam for processing. In late October 2018, the trial shipment of poles arrived in Vietnam for testing, and the recovery after processing was deemed “very satisfactory.”

Poles received in Vietnam October 2018

 

Trial runs - The first trial shipment of locally produced slats using available second-hand equipment (designed for timber) had to be done to continue securing data for business modeling of which, in early March 2019, the first batch of bamboo slats reached Vietnam, and again, with “very satisfactory” results amid the equipment used and the facilities limited to a makeshift factory and solar drier.