Batac City: A 10-hectare Beema bamboo plantation is being developed by the provincial government of Ilocos Norte in Barangay Camandingan, Batac City, with an initial batch of 10,000 propagules ready for planting this rainy season. "The area to be planted is ready. We are just waiting for the delivery of the propagules so we could start planting this month or in the first week of July," Hashler Garalde, bamboo focal person of the Ilocos Norte government, said on Tuesday.
According to Philippines News Agency, the Beema bamboo is a superior clone selected from Bambusa balcooa, a higher biomass-yielding species that originated from India. It is also one of the fastest-growing plants, expanding at an average of one-and-a-half feet per day under tropical conditions. Bamboo experts indicate that Beema bamboo can be an excellent choice for environmental greening and climate change mitigation. It also has many uses, including construction, paper pulp production, energy power generation, charcoal production, and crafting furniture and various handicrafts.
The plantation project is part of the provincial government's Sustainable Agroforestry Farm Enterprise-Bamboo Business Model (SAFE-BBM) program. This initiative is a collaboration with the Department of Agriculture, City Government of Batac, Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), and Nueva Segovia Consortium of Cooperatives. The program aims to enhance livelihood opportunities, increase climate resiliency, and foster ecological conservation across target communities in Ilocos Norte.
Supporting the SAFE-BBM program, members of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan unanimously approved Provincial Resolution No. 2025-05-452. This resolution authorizes Governor Matthew Joseph Manotoc to enter into a memorandum of understanding with other concerned parties for the project's implementation.
In addition to growing Beema bamboo, BFAR will complement the project by providing freshwater prawns, locally known as "udang," which are common in rivers, lakes, and other tributaries in Ilocos and other parts of Northern Luzon. As a high-value species, "udang" is exported frozen to the United States and European markets, where its large size and comparatively lower price than the tiger shrimp make it a popular aquatic item.
