Page 14 - TANGKIRAN

BAMBOO RDE THROUGH THE YEARS

The word “tangkiran” symbolizes the overall goals of CSU Gonzaga to increase its resilience and of its service
communities. Tangkiran is an Iloco word for tough, steadfast and resilient. This Iloco term describes the
characteristic of bamboo: pliant but tough and resilient; that during typhoons, it humbly bows and sways with the

strong wind but after the storm, it stands strong and erect again. When extreme drought comes, it sadly sheds off
some of its leaves to minimize loss of moisture through transpiration, but when the rains come, it becomes vibrant
and verdant again.

CSU Gonzaga’s passion in bamboo traces its beginning from the theses conducted by BS Agriculture students and
the faculty of the College of Agriculture. When Dr. Calixto B. Alicay became the Campus Research Coordinator,
the research culture started was boosted in the campus, aside from experiments conducted by thesis students,

faculty researchers and research staff in the Research for Development and Extension (RDE) office institutional
externally funded researches and extension projects were also constructed.

With the development of bamboo-based agroforestry as niche program of the Campus under the administration
of CEO Froilan A. Pacris Jr., the directions, goals, thrusts and priorities were set .The Campus has ventured

into several bamboo-based research, extension, and development projects with the guidance of the University
President Urdujah G. Alvarado.

At present, the CSU Gonzaga maintains a collection of 32 species of bamboo. As the Campus slowly makes its own
identity in the bamboo industry, it has become one of the major producers of bamboo propagules in the province

and contributes to plantation establishment, mountain slope protection and riverbank stabilization in different
areas of Cagayan.

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