DBP PLEDGES LOAN SUPPORT FOR MINDANAO TREE FARMING

The Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA), with the financial support of its partner bank, the Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP), will initiate the revival of the Plywood and Veneer Industry in Mindanao, this time using fast-growing industrial trees.

On Wednesday, Aug. 11, in the newly-opened “Sikwatihan,” or choco outlet, located right at the edge of a Cacao farm intercropped with Falcata Trees in Naawan, Misamis Oriental, two key officials of DBP expressed support for the Industrial Tree Farming Program pushed by MinDA. DBP President Emmanuel G. Herbosa and Director Jeannie Sandoval who joined me and the MinDA team in a series of activities which started in Taraka, Lanao del Sur agreed with MinDA’s proposal that the Industrial Tree Farming Industry of Mindanao should be boosted by organizing

the stakeholders and establishing processing facilities to complete the value chain.

The discussion on the key role of tree farming in Mindanao’s Greening and Economic Recovery Programs started when I pointed out to Herbosa and Sandoval that the chocolate drink we were having in the roadside Choco Joint came from Cacao Trees which were vigorously growing under Falcata Trees.

The Cacao under the Falcata Project, along with the “Sikwatihan sa Lasang,” are projects of Naawan Mayor Dennis Roa.

Falcata is a fast-growing tree species planted in many mountainous areas of Mindanao, especially in the Caraga Region, which had provided poor rural families with sources of income.

However, since the tree farmers are disorganized and most of the logs are bought by private processors or exported to China, prices had been controlled and manipulated. August 14-20, 2021 | 33

The logs exported to China are processed into plywood and veneer and sold back to the Philippines depriving the farmers of added value for their trees.

MinDA has initiated moves to support the Tree Farming Industry by organizing the Mindanao Industrial Tree Farming Development Council, similar to what it did with the Bamboo Industry.

At the height of the logging operations, Mindanao was known for its quality plywood produced by such companies as Sta. Clara and others.

Later, the tree industry shifted to growing Falcata for the country’s largest paper mill, the Paper Industries Corp. of the Philippines in Bislig City, Surigao del Sur. PICOP had shut down its operations several years ago due to mismanagement.

Bislig City officials led by Mayor Florencio Garay had been moving for its rehabilitation and reopening saying it would boost the economic growth of the city and the region. Herbosa, during our conversation, said he was impressed with MinDA’s current thrust of building industries and undertaking the complete value chain in its production programs for food and other commodities.

“This is the approach that we should take in undertaking development projects so that we could provide jobs and boost the economy at the same time,” he said.

MinDA is set to convene Industrial Tree Farming stakeholders in a virtual convention before the end of this month to organize the Mindanao Industrial Tree Farming Development Council (MITFDC).