Page 15 - TANGKIRAN

Bamboo offers socio-economic and ecological benefits. It is a sustainable
resource that grows well in our country. It provides approximately 35% more
oxygen and absorbs 40% more carbon dioxide which equatesto 12 tons per
hectare annually as compared to trees(Tort, 2020). Further, cultivation of
bamboos stores around 100-400 tons of carbon per hectare (INBAR, 2018).
The Philippines has an aggregate of 52,711 hectares of production area
planted with 62 species with approximately 52 million harvestable poles
per year (Philippine National Report on Bamboo, 2010). In addition, the
country exported $32 million worth of bamboo products in 2014.

The Enhanced National Greening Program of the Department of
Environment and Natural Resources allocated 16,687 hectares for the
nationwide bamboo planting for 2021. Through this program, the
Cagayan State University-Gonzaga in partnership with the Provincial
Environment and Natural Resources Office (PENRO) is tasked to
produce 76,500 bamboo propagules to cover 375 hectares of marginal
and idle lands in the province of Cagayan. This greening program
will become a great source of livelihood.

Moreover, it will become an environmental protection shield
for the Cagayanos as bamboo is excellent for carbon fixation,
riverbank stabilization, soil erosion control and of purifying the
environment.
Dr. Calixto B. Alicay
Professor, CSU-Gonzaga

Yellow Kiling variety is found in the CSU Bamboo Sanctuary 15