Following the widespread damage inflicted by super typhoon Rolly on the abaca industry in the Bicol region in November 2020, the Philippine Fiber Industry Development Authority (PhilFIDA) allocated nearly P110 million for the project dubbed as the “Revitalization of Typhoon-Damaged Abaca Farms in Albay and Catanduanes (Typhoon Rolly).”
Although Catanduanes accounts for almost 88 percent of Bicol’s annual fiber production, Albay is deemed the seat of the fibercraft industry due to the presence of pulp mills, cordage manufacturer and fibercraft processors and exporters.
The project seeks to improve the abaca production level and productivity as major source of income of 13,777 farmers in Catanduanes and another 3,268 farmers in Albay, with the latter to see the restoration and operationalization of the existing Abaca Tissue Culture Plantlet production facility.
Specifically, it aims to replant a total of 860 hectares of typhoon-damaged plantations in Catanduanes and another 347 hectares in Albay which sustained moderate to heavy damage from the typhoon.
With the recent transfer of funds to the respective provincial local government units, it will be the PLGUs which will procure a total of 1,933,260 abaca planting materials (APMs): 555,560 pieces for Albay and 1,377,700 for Catanduanes.
The materials are to be distributed to farmers by town and barangay as follows: Bagamanoc, 455 farmers in 13 barangays; Baras, 1,527 farmers in 22 barangays; Bato, 1,618 farmers in 26 barangays; Caramoran, 2,145 farmers in 26 barangays; Gigmoto, 842 farmers in six barangays; Pandan, 1,079 farmers in 23 barangays; Panganiban, 398 farmers in 12 barangays; San Andres, 689 farmers in 18 barangays; San Miguel, 2,088 farmers in 24 barangays; Viga, 1,889 farmers in 24 barangays; and Virac, 1,047 farmers in 14 barangays.
The project data, however, based on PhilFIDA’s statistics as of December 2019, with the 2021 stats indicating that the number of abaca farmers came up to 13,818.
Each abaca farmer in Catanduanes will be provided 100 APMs and a digging bar for replanting their farms within the six-month period of implementation.
To maintain and/or increase the abaca production levels, the spread of abaca diseases should be controlled and managed by farmers with the technical supervision of PhilFIDA.
For this purpose, the provincial government will procure 3,500 liters of insecticide and 3,500 liters of herbicides as well as 2,130 units of knapsack sprayers to be distributed to 208 barangays (including 50 units for the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist), and 13,777 digging bars as farm implements.
According to implementing manual of the project, the abaca planting materials would cost a total of P41,331,000.00, the herbicides P2,800,000.00, the insecticides P2,275,000.00 and the digging bars another P13,728,999.58, with the 2,130 knapsack sprayers to cost a total of P9,816,000.00.
As counterpart, the province of Catanduanes provided a counterpart of P7,209,000.00, with the bulk of the funding going to the hiring of 33 local project technicians on contract of service and the conduct of project coordination meetings and the distribution of farm inputs and tools.
The provincial government is now in the process of procuring the planting materials, chemicals and implements while 33 local project technicians and PhilFIDA personnel conduct farmers’ meetings and site validation, along with technical assistance in abaca disease training and replanting, before the procured materials are distributed.
The manual states that prior to the procurement of the planting materials, PhilFIDA shall check and certify its sources to determine the presence of abaca diseases.
The planting materials being considered include abaca suckers (“pongpong” or “dumalaga”), abaca seedpieces (corm section with at least three viable eyebuds) or abaca corms (rootstock).
Prior to replanting, PhilFIDA shall also certify the recipient abaca areas as disease free while those with disease incidence shall be validated and subject for treatment using the agency’s Abaca Disease Eradication Protocol.
The labor for disease eradication (underbrushing, inserting the herbicide-soaked bamboo stick), and spraying) shall be borne by farmers prior to replanting.
“Replanting the 1,106.0 hectares in the provinces of Albay and Catanduanes would generate at least 553 metric tons of abaca fiber on the initial harvest with as estimated value of Ph₱ 40.30 million,” PhilFIDA stated. “Succeeding harvest would generate at least 1,659 metric tons of abaca fiber amounting to Ph₱ 120.89 million annually.”