will soon rise here this year following a groundbreaking rite for the
project last week in Barangay Tangcarang.
Launched was the Hundred Islands E-Kawayan Factory which will
complement the E-Kawayan Processing Center earlier established by the
Alaminos City government in Barangay Boliney that is already
manufacturing bamboo desks for use in the public schools.
The factory was realized with the help of the Philippine Amusement and
Gaming Corporation that extended financial assistance of P31 million
to the Alaminos City government through Mayor Hernani Braganza, using
the E-Kawayan technology developed by the Mariano Marcos State
University (MMSU) in Batac, Ilocos Norte.
The first full-blown factory for bamboos will, among others, process
and transform bamboos into different and advance forms of products by
shaping these into slats, glued and formed together to uniform desired
sizes to produce log-like lumber that could be used as alternative for
wood products.
The financial assistance from Pagcor also covers acquisition of the
needed modern equipment in bamboo processing, human resources
development, establishment of bamboo nurseries and plantation, as well
as the establishment of a tissue culture laboratory.
Once fully operational, the factory is expected to induce massive
bamboo planting in Pangasinan, making it as another source of living
for farmers in the rural areas of Alaminos and western Pangasinan as
well as create additional business and job opportunities for the
people.
Mayor Hernani Braganza, who led in the groundbreaking ceremony for the
upcoming factory, said the project will enhance the establishment of
bamboo plantations that would supply the needed raw materials for the
project, thus in one way help solve the problem posed by climate
change.
Aside from promoting renewable and sustainable development, the
E-Kawayan factory could make Alaminos City the regional center of
bamboo industry.
The factory will produce construction and building materials for the
homes that can be sold in commercially.
Mayor Braganza thanked PAGCOR Chairman Cristino Naguiat and Atty.
Jorge Sarmiento, president and chief operating officer, for granting
the city's request for financial assistance as they fully believe the
project to succeed.
He also extended gratitude to Dr. Stanley Malab of MMSU who introduced
to him the E-Kawayan technology in one of his visits to the university
a few years ago.
Malab joined Mayor Braganza in the groundbreaking rites for the
project, along with Undersecretary Merly Cruz of the Department of
Trade and Industry, Maria Elisa Cruz and Danilo Pascual, both of
PAGCOR.
Others present were Arnold Santos of the Department of Science and
Technology, Dr. Bartolome Teneza of Department of Education Region 1,
DENR Regional Director Samuel Penafiel, Assistant Regional Director
Julie Daquioag of the Department of Interior and Local Government,
Department of Tourism Regional Director Martin Valera and Dr. Romulo
Angan-angan of the Forest Products Research and Development,
Institute, Cottage Industry and Technology Center (CITC) Director
Franklin Bonuan, and Ms. Vanie Chua and Jess Paras of the First
Pinnacle Trading Corp.
Believing that the E-Kawayan technology will benefit his people,
Braganza signed a memorandum of agreement with MMSU for the needed
transfer of technology in 2008.
The mayor said in 2010, the city started the conduct of inventory of
resources and the trainings on bamboo nursery establishment, bamboo
production and bamboo management.
Braganza revealed that the Hundred Islands E-Kawayan Processing Center
was established with the help of Alaminos City's project partners
--MMSU, Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and CITC.
No comments:
Post a Comment