Scientist finds new hope for Abaca

Jun Ariolo N. Aguirre

Libacao, Aklan- Country’s top ranking agricultural scientist has found new hope to increase the abaca production in the country after he accidentally stumbled on relatively new legume specie that is only endemic in this municipality.

Dr. Emil Javier, current president of the National Academy of Science and Technology of the Department of Science and Technology said that he believed there is no known scientific literature yet on the indigenous tree locally called as ‘Maganhup' locally known as Kupang (parkia timoriana) and family name mimosoideae.

Javier, the former president of the University of the Philippines-Diliman came here for a four-day exploration trip to Barangay Dalagsaan, Libacao upon the invitation of aklanon Rica Cortez Rentzing, director for project development of Rentex-Euro Asia Ltd.

“Javier original plan is to visit the planting of the indigenous people known as ‘Aklanon Bukidnon’ for Abaca to make Libacao as a pilot site for the proposed program on Philippine Agriculture 2020. However, in his visit he took curiosity on the Maganhop plant,” Rentzing also serves as the chair of the Libacao Tourism Development Authority.

Javier said, the indigents told him that their century-old abaca plantation have grown virus resistant with the help of the said legume which believes that it serves as a tree shades for abaca plant.

“But in my initial observation, I know that the Maganhup leaves has the needed nutrients to serve as fertilizer for abaca possibly makes the abaca in Libacao grows virus-resistant and high-grade plant specie,” Javier said.

Because of Javier’s discovery, the agriculture scientist said that the draft for the Abaca 2020 project will have some changes now to include Maganhup tree as one of the best source of fertilizer for Abaca plantation.

Immediately after the discovery, Javier turned-over his initial findings to the Aklan State University (formerly Aklan State College for Agriculture) to conduct needed experiments and scientific tests to document the usage of the Maganhup tree.

“The ASU findings could recommend the propagation of Maganhup tree possibly as a feed meal or green manure not only for Abaca but also to several other plants. If my observations are true, the Maganhup tree would provide a new kind of industry for the farmers and for Aklan,” Javier said.

Under the Abaca 2020 program Javier is creating, it hopes to retain the Philippines a capital producer of Abaca in the country.

Javier said, currently the Philippines provides 84 percent of the needed Abaca in the world market and the demand is increasing 3-4 percent every year.

“Currently, the problem on Abaca production largely depends on labor issues but we hope that through the Maganhup the abaca planters will be motivated to plant more Abaca to feel the needed demand of the world market,” he said.

The country’s Abaca productions have slide down for several months already because major Abaca producers such as Eastern Visayas and Bicol were infested with virus. The abaca plantations in Libacao are so far virus-free.

For his part, Benjamin Gomo, acting regional director of the Fiber Industry Development Authority (FIDA) said that they will wait for the possible recommendations to be made by the experts from the ASU before they could recommend the official findings to the FIDA national office.

Town mayor Charito Navarosa said because of Javier’s discovery, he is already planning to establish a center for Maganhup plantation to prepare farmers for a new industry that will help improve their economic lives.