Bamboo: The Timber of the 21st Century

By Conrado Perreras

This book entitled Bamboo: The Timber of the 21st Century assessed comprehensively the local supply situation of bamboo and provides key marketing information from primary and secondary sources. Scope includes industries using bamboo as raw material, bamboo species and bamboo resources in various regions of the Philippines, estimated area with bamboo stands, the extent of bamboo forest area, and bamboo master plan, among others. Insights about the international market were obtained from personal interviews with experts. Moreover, several barriers were identified.

Furthermore, It is a comprehensive assessment of the state of the bamboo industry and how it can transform itself to be the timber of the 21st century. It concerns itself with providing a roadmap for the government and the private sector in revolutionizing the bamboo sector of the country. It is therefore directed first and foremost to policymakers responsible for the future of the industry. It also serves as a briefing paper for everyone else interested in the logic of the bamboo industry.

Conrado S. Perreras is an economist by training, a marketer by profession, and an entrepreneur by choice. An advocate for life in protecting and preserving the environment, overall wellness, and good governance, Perreras is dubbed as "The Bamboo Warrior" of the Philippines. He wrote this book for business people and entrepreneurs wanting to get into the business of bamboo: establishing nurseries, developing plantations, harvesting, and processing of bamboo into handicrafts, furniture, and most especially engineered bamboo products where the future of the industry belongs. It is a roadmap that describes where we are and where we are going, how we will get there, how much it will cost, and who is responsible for making things happen.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Conrado Perreras
• Release date: Sep 10, 2021
• ISBN: 9781005362614

Conrado Perreras

Conrado S. Perreras (CSP) is the ideal profile of a consummate businessman who blazed his pathway to corporate success. With 30 years of experience as Chairman and Chief Executive Office (CEO), of his holding company (1991-PResent), he boldly navigated it into several strategic business units (SBU) that included realty, beauty and wellness among others.As Chairman and CEO he effectively established strategic partnerships with funding institutions and proponents of innovative and economically viable local and international development projects. These emerging developments unleashed to serve as Strategic Advisor or Management consultant of various small, medium and large-scale enterprises (SMLE).Academic achievements firmly rooted his corporate success. He finished with an impressive record, Bachelor of Arts in Economics (Magna Cum Laude), eventually earning full academic credits for a Master of Science in Industrial Economics (MSIE), from the Center for Research and Communication, now known as the University of Asia and the Pacific, with Banking and Finance as sectoral experience and Wood as field of industry specialization. This was further boosted by a Master’s Degree in Business Administration and a thesis on “Strengthening The Supply of Bamboo” on which this book is anchored on.Despite CSP’s executive workload, he is an indefatigable volunteer for various NGOs and member of Rotary and Toastmaster clubs. He is also a Teaching Fellow of the Institute of Corporate Directors.An economist by training, marketer by profession and entrepreneur by choice, CSP attained all these with his superior college and graduate school and academic preparation.A staunch advocate for the protection and preservation of the environment, worksite wellness and good governance, CSP’s pathway to more accomplishments continue to be mapped out.With a full schedule, he manages to strike a balance between work and leisure by riding horses, playing tennis and swinging golf clubs. He is married to Josephine, and their union blessed with two children, Nicole and JC. The family resides at Alabang, Muntinlupa City, Metro Manila.

Book preview

Bamboo

Bamboo

The Timber of the 21st Century

Conrado S. Perreras

Contents

Foreword

Acknowledgments

Prologue

Chapter 1 - Introduction

Botanical Features

Remarkable Attributes of Bamboo

Environmental Benefits

The Philippine Bamboo Industry

Research Problem

Research Objectives

Chapter 2 - Research Framework

Review of Related Literature

Synthesis

Conceptual Framework

Chapter 3 - Research Methodology

Expected Data/Information and Collection Methodologies

Chapter 4 - Findings

Unprecedented Interest on Bamboo in the Philippines

Barriers to the Development of the Bamboo Industry

Indications of Supply Shortage of Raw Materials in the Bamboo Industry

Disadvantages of Natural Stands as Sources of Raw Materials

Plantations – The Key to a Strong Bamboo Industry

Sporadic Stands

Species Suitable for Making Furniture, Handicrafts and Engineered Bamboo Products

Methods of Propagating the Species Listed in Table 4.1

Pole Requirements of Philippine Bamboo Industries

Implications on Bamboo Nursery Establishment

Destinations of Bamboo Furniture Exports

Handicrafts Industry – Present Status and Raw Material Requirements

Engineered Bamboo Industry – Present Status and Raw Material Requirements

Minimum Plantation Area for Companies Desiring to Establish their Own Plantations

Chapter 5 - Conclusions and Recommendations

Conclusions

Recommendations: To the Department of Environment and Natural Resources

Epilogue

List Of Figures

List Of Tables

References

For Further Information

About the Author

About Bamboo Network of the Philippines

About the Cover

Appendix

BAMBOO

The Timber of the 21st Century

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Conrado S. Perreras

Philippine Copyright 2021

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All rights reserved and any reproduction of and/or copying from the book whether through mechanical or digital means for commercial purposes is strictly prohibited. However part (s) of this book may be reproduced/copied without written permission for articles, reviews and/ or further studies with special mention of the source.

A close-up of a group of bamboo plants

Foreword

The once lowly kawayan has come of age!

Its presence is beginning to make a visible impact and strongly being felt in a market once dominated by wood. With the onslaught of climate change wreaking havoc on our forests, millions of hectares razed by forest fires and aggravated further by rampant illegal logging, there is the felt and urgent need to find a suitable replacement that will be responsive in terms of efficient utility, construction resiliency and economic practicality.

This in essence is what the author provides, a realistic and well thought out view, a glimpse of an alternative for our timber needs, for our housing and construction requirements.

The bamboo’s time has come. Its numerous species satisfy not only with its ornamental facets that collectors delight in, but more significantly, it is now a construction bread and butter.

A little more than 10 years ago in 2008, the author and I found ourselves attending the same Rotary meeting in Makati Central (RCMC), immediately rekindling our long lost ties as classmates. Forty years have lapsed since these two young men from Pampanga and Albay, sought out their dreams of a good education and an equally good family life. It also marked the auspicious beginning of our Bamboo Advocacy, that led us to evolve from classmates to successful professionals, family patriarchs, and dedicated Rotarians.

Turning 70 years old this year has become even more significant as our Bamboo Advocacy has been recognized beyond our shores and was hailed at World Bamboo Summits and Conferences in different parts of the world. The Strategic Partners and Alliances, Inc. (SPAI), sealed both our personal and professional ties, bringing us around the Philippines notably in Ilocos, Cordillera and Cagayan. It also expanded our territorial reach to other regions of Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao, engaging us with bamboo scientists, entrepreneurs and advocates. It will be well to note that the Philippine Bamboo Network was well represented in the World Bamboo Congress of 2009 in Bangkok, Thailand, which the author and I attended.

In writing this book, the author brilliantly explored, exhaustive and deliberate study the wide variety and species of bamboo and its amazing features.

World resources are not infinite. As precarious as that may seem, the alarm is sounding off, but like the bamboo, hope springs from its redemptive values once unheard and untapped.

The author’s compelling, singular message: The bamboo is here to stay.

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Dexter E. Quintana

Acknowledgments

This achievement would not have been possible without the full support and encouragement of key individuals and groups. First among them is my family – my dearest wife Joji and my two children, Nicole and JC who hardly understood why at this stage in my life, I am burning the midnight candles to pursue advance education. I have not even told them yet of my plan to pursue a doctoral program.

Secondly, I would like to express my gratitude to my St. Dominic Family for providing me the platform to do what I love doing. SDCA (the school) taught me new skills while SDMC (the hospital) allowed me to apply the key learnings with its managers through a program called DOMTALKS (Development of Managers To Advance Leadership Knowledge Skills). Special mention goes to my professors, advisers and my classmates who had to live with my idiosyncrasies and listen to my corporate war stories being the oldest in the group.

Thirdly, I would like to thank the members of the Bamboo Network of the Philippines (BambooPhil) for allowing me to draw from my vast experience as Founding Chairman