Aklan to expand abaca production program

Kalibo, Aklan – This province is training its sight on yet another major income earner for Aklan and for the country – abaca.

To attain this, the provincial government of Aklan, together with government agencies with direct functions in attaining this goal gathered recently at the Sangguniang Panlalawigan Session Hall here to sign a Memorandum of Understanding for the expansion of abaca production in Aklan.

The MOU signing was initiated by the provincial government led by Aklan governor Carlito S. Marquez and the Aklan Rivers Development Council (ARDC), headed by its Executive Officer, Atty. Allen S. Quimpo, former representative of the lone district of Aklan.

The Aklan Rivers Development Council was created to revitalized and sustain efforts to preserve and develop the Aklan Rivers system, and one major activity it is undertaking is the planting of bamboos to prevent soil erosion as well as to preserve and provide bamboo furniture makers and consumers an unlimited supply for the industry.

With the MOU, the ARDC will also include abaca planting in its program.

Besides major government agencies like the DTI, FIDA, DAR, DENR, DOST, Agricultural Training Institute and government financing institutions DBP and LBP, the Aklan State University, headed by its president, Dr. Benny Palma assured the ARDC and the provincial government of the university’s involvement in terms of abaca and bamboo development program.

“Now is the opportunity for Aklan to expand abaca production as the Bicol region, the country’s leading abaca producer, has suffered a setback with the recent damage wrought by typhoon Reming on its abaca plantation,” Dr. Palma said.

Atty. Quimpo emphasized that abaca is the world’s strongest fiber and it has unlimited opportunities.

From just 1,500 hectares in Aklan planted to abaca, Aklan now aims to increase this to reach 3,355 hectares involving eight municipalities – Altavas, Balete, Banga, Ibajay, Madalag, Makato, Malinao, and Libacao.

Presently, Libacao and Madalag are the main source of abaca in Aklan.

As the number one supplier of abaca in Western Visayas and with the MOU signed, Atty. Quimpo said production will be maximized and hopefully, status of most marginalized abaca planters will be uplifted.

Vice Governor Ronquillo Tolentino, for his part, said the program to expand abaca production will help in the continuous economic progress in Aklan.

Relatedly, in the national scenario, Rep. Luis Villfuerte of Camarines Norte said government and the private sector should quickly combine forces to build up the abaca industry in order to boost rural employment and family income in a big way.

Villafuerte said the industry has been grossly underrated as a potential driver of economic growth in the country.

In House Res. 354, Villafuerte urged the Department of Agriculture’s Fiber Industry Development Authority to immediately draw up “an aggressive and determined plan” to advance the abaca trade, which, he said, “faces an extremely bright future.”

Villafuerte said abaca is one of the most fascinating plants in the world, and its fiber alone has an assured future.

The country, according to Villafuerte, covers 90% of global demand for abaca fiber, but he lamented that annual production growth had been hampered by decreasing yield per hectare, and dwindling land area devoted to cultivating the plant.

The development of the abaca industry in the country and in Aklan in particular is seen to propel the economy forward as its rebound despite encountered hardships and constraints such as the four storms that hit the country in the last quarter shows the stability of the drivers and its projected growth is a clear manifestation of resiliency. (PIA)