Bamboo house, anyone?

First Gentleman Mike Arroyo will lead the launching of the very first ecologically-designed and weather-proof economical bamboo house at the opening day of the National Bamboo Development Forum which runs from Oct. 22 to 24 at the Philippine Trade Training Center in Pasay City.

The Bamboo House is structurally designed to suit the country’s tropical climate. Made primarily of versatile and sustainable building materials with very little or no other construction supplies, the Bamboo House will serve a model to be replicated in a conceptualized Bamboo Village for the economically-challenged.

The village will not only have houses made of bamboo, but will be complete with structures like school, market, and community center.

The First Gentleman, who initiated the study and evaluation of the potentials of “the lowly bamboo” some years back, had in mind the deprived members of the community. He envisioned presenting them a livable community making use of indigenous materials.

Planting bamboo, with parts – from root to tip – have about 1,500 productive uses, will also be part of the community interest and activity.

The NBDF, organized by Laguna Lake Development Authority, headed by general manager Edgardo C. Manda, in collaboration with other government, non-governmental organizations, the academe, research groups, and other stakeholders.

The forum, with the theme “Towards Sustainable Development of the Bamboo Industry in the Philippines for Environmental Protection & Livelihood Generation”, will feature emerging investment opportunities in the country.

This will serve as a venue for assessing the bamboo industry in the country, review the 1997 Philippine Bamboo Master Plan, and formulate a strategic action plan for its sustainable development in the Philippines.

Round-table discussions will be participated in by policy makers, industry leaders, students, entrepreneurs, government representatives, and members of the research and scientific community. There will also be trade fairs and exhibits.

For inquiries on the forum, call Lennie S. Borja, LLDA, Rizal Provincial Capitol Cmpd., Pasig City, (02)6377581 & 3001453, email [email protected]h; Dr. Ramon A. Razal, FFPS, UPLB-CFNR, (049)5363432 & 6411207, email [email protected], and Dr. Aida A. Lapis, ERDB, College, Laguna, (049) 5362509 & 9089743, email [email protected].