R
ecently, urban wetlands have been given more The Las Piñas-Parañaque Wetland Park
attention for conservation in this time of rapid
urbanization. Urban wetlands are known to
provide a variety of ecosystem services and functions,
including important feeding and breeding ground
for migratory birds. The critical question is whether
they can be sustained from urban expansion, negative
externalities (e.g., solid waste, air, and water pollution)
and other anthropogenic pressures. Many of the urban
expansions occur in coastal cities. The sustainability
challenges of these wetlands are further exacerbated
by highly complex factors—political, economic,
institutional, social, and environmental—which make
them even more difficult to solve.
Wetland degradation is one of the most common
effects of urbanization and land development. Studies
have warned that habitat loss resulting from wetland
reclamation remains a major threat in biodiversity
conservation (Yang et al. 2011). Presently, Asia is one
of the fastest urbanizing continents in the world and
Southeast Asia has the largest metropolises and cities
(McGranahan and Satterthwaite 2014; UN 2017). In
the Philippines, Manila Bay, while it largely contributes
to the country’s socio-economic development, is also an
important migration route for migratory birds. Because
of Manila Bay’s strategic location, many infrastructure
projects are being proposed prompting a problematic
issue among the public, particularly private sectors,
environmentalists, and local authorities.
A prime example of a coastal urban wetland in the
country is the Las Piñas-Parañaque Wetland Park
(LPPWP), also called the Las Piñas-Parañaque Critical
Habitat and Ecotourism Area (LPPCHEA). LPPWP
is a legislated protected area located at the urban
periphery of Manila Bay, particularly along the two
highly urbanized cities, Las Piñas and Parañaque. It is
composed of two reclaimed islands: Long Island and
Freedom Island. Situated in the East Asian-Australasian
Flyway (EAAF), LPPWP is recognized as a RAMSAR
site or a wetland of international importance, hosting a
significant number of migratory birds.
Though efforts and initiatives for wetland conservation
exist in the country, possible effects of human activities
are crucial to understand at this point. LPPWP still
has no designated buffer zone and knowledge gaps on
habitats and resources in the area limits conservation
efforts and further threatens the functionality of the
protected area.
ERDB’s recent assessment found that over 2,000
migratory birds visited the wetland. Lush mangrove,
ponds, lagoons, mudflats and river mouths (Parañaque,
Las Piñas and Zapote Rivers) are critical as feeding,
foraging, and loafing habitats, allowing these birds to
rest and refuel from long migration flights. Because of
this, efforts to conserve the protected area are being
JANUARY-JUNE 2021 3
 conducted including ecotourism activities such as
birdwatching, tree planting, as well as beach clean-up
activities.
Threatened Waterbirds of LPPWP
Based on the 2004-2020 bird count data from the
Department of Environment and Natural Resources-
National Capital Region, there is one locally threatened
Philippine duck (Anas luzonica), and three globally
threatened migratory birds such as Chinese Egret
(Egretta eulophotes), Red-necked Stint (Calidris ruficollis),
and Grey-tailed Tattler (Tringa brevipes) that occur in
LPPWP. The endemic A. luzonica is listed under the
vulnerable category of DENR Administrative Order no.
2019-09 and IUCN Red List of Threatened Species,
and has notable decreasing population trend due to
extensive overhunting and widespread conversion of its
wetland habitats (BirdLife International 2021).  extent of buffer zone—in which one of the main goals
ERDB’s survey found that of the 26 migratory bird
species recorded, egrets (Ardea sp. and Egretta sp.),
Whiskered Tern (Chlidonias hybrida), and Black-winged
Stilt (Himantopus Himantopus) were the most abundant
in the protected area. A small congregation of common
Red Shank (Tringa totanus) was also found along the
mudflats of Long Island, LPPWP.
Declining Trend
The protected area is close to highly urbanized cities,
making it more exposed to various human disturbances,
and pollution. Based on ERDB’s study, traffic noise,
aircraft noise, watercraft and pedestrian are the most
frequent forms of human disturbance in both islands
of LPPWP. Presence of the watercrafts was frequent
because the communities near the LPPWP also depend
on the foreshore area as navigational waters for fishing.
Beach shoreline of Freedom and Long Islands are also
teeming with solid wastes.
Many populations of migratory birds are undergoing
rapid decline globally (Wilson 2018). In LPPWP, the
waterbird local population trend is declining since
2010. More than a thousand waterbird species visit
the protected area, in which the highest count was
recorded in 2010 (5003 individuals).
The endemic A. luzonica, locally called ‘papan’, was rarely
sighted in LPPWP in the past two years. Jensen (2018)
4 CANOPY INTERNATIONAL • VOL.47 NO.1
reported that the duck and shorebird population
decline in LPPWP have been particularly severe.
Tourism activity and infrastructure construction have
been extensive in LPPWP before the pandemic, raising
speculation that decline in abundance of A. luzonica may
be driven by the disturbance in the habitat conditions.
Likewise, though it was reported that LPPWP supports
at least 1% of the estimated population of H. himantopus
in the past and presently remains abundant in the area,
their population have also decreased throughout the
years. Other possible factors on the decline may include
climate change and food availability.
Importance of a buffer zone
The urban challenges faced by LPPWP has led to the
joint endeavor between the DENR-NCR Regional Office
and the ERDB to work on a project in determining the
is to mitigate the disturbance on wildlife. Buffer zone
is defined as identified areas outside the boundaries of
and immediately adjacent to designated protected areas
that need special development control in order to avoid
or minimize harm to the protected area. Designating
a buffer zone for a protected area is vital for the
conservation of species with high mobility, particularly
these migratory birds, since their movements are not
restricted to the core of protected areas.
Science-Policy link
Modern scientists advocate for interdisciplinary
research, and cities need better science-policy
linkages. This ERDB’s project contributes in
narrowing this gap between research and policy
making. The project draws from various fields of
science, involving experts on mangrove, birds, marine
resources, freshwater ecology, microbes, and social
science; national and local government authorities,
and communities, towards developing a science-based
buffer zone, sustainable conservation strategies, and
crafting an evidence-based policy.
With the complexity of urban wetlands, enhancing
science-policy collaboration is indeed needed. In
reconciling urban development and biodiversity
conservation, environment authorities and
policymakers need research-based advice on urban
issues to guide them in future decision making. This is
not only, for this case, the protection of this threatened
wetland, but also an initial step in shaping urban
development in the Philippines.

Literature Cited

BirdLife International. 2021. Important Bird Areas

factsheet: Manila Bay. [accessed 2021 February 2]
http://www.birdlife.org

Department of Environment and Natural Resources-

National Capital Region. 2020. NCR Asian Waterbird
Census 2004-2020 https://esa.un.org/unpd/wpp/
Publications/Files/WPP2017_KeyFindings.pdf.

Jensen, AE. 2018. Internationally Important Waterbird

Sites in Manila Bay, Philippines, October 2018.
Technical Report. Wetlands International and IUCN
National Committee of the Netherlands.

Kennedy, RS, Gonzales, PC, Dickinson EC, Miranda Jr.

HC, Fisher TH. 2000. A guide to the birds of the
Philippines. Great Clarendon Street, Oxford: Oxford
University Press.

McGranahan G, Satterthwaite D. 2014. Urbanisation:

Concepts and trends. IIED. [accessed 2021
May 5]:https://www.researchgate.net/profile/
David_Satterthwaite/publication/263662952_
Working_Paper_Urbanisation_concepts_and_trends/
links/0f31753ba3eef9be9a000000/Working-Paper-
Urbanisation-concepts-and-trends.pdf

Yang H, Chen B, Barter M, Piersma T, Zhou C, Li F, Zhang

Z. 2011. Impacts of tidal land reclamation in Bohai
Bay, China: Ongoing losses of critical Yellow Sea
waterbird staging and wintering sites. Bird Conserv.
Int. 2011;21:241–259. [accessed 2021 May 5] doi:
10.1017/S0959270911000086.

United Nations. Department of Economic and Social

Affairs, PD. 2017. World Population Prospects: The
2017 Revision, Key Findings and Advance Tables.
World Population Prospects. The 2017, pp.1–46.
[online]. [accessed 2021 May 6]:

________________________________________________

The authors are Chief Science Research Specialist of the

Urban Ecosystem Research Division, and Science Research
Specialists II from the Urban Ecosystem Research Division,
Forest Ecosystem Research Division, and Laboratory and
Experimental Services Division, respectively.

JANUARY-JUNE 2021 5
 I
n July 2015, the Ecosystems Research and
Development Bureau (ERDB) implemented the
extension project entitled “Kapaligiran at Likas
Yamang Pag-unlad sa Nayon: An Adopt a Community
Project by the ERDB-Gender and Development Focal
Point System (GADFPS). It is a three-year project
realized in Barangay Bucal, Magdalena, Laguna
and introduced ERDB’s bamboo propagation and
plantation establishment technology. It made use of the
culm cuttings (one- and two-node cuttings) of kawayan
tinik with the application of Hi-Q VAM 1 (ERDB’s
developed bio-fertilizer) and raised in a mini-nursery
for its propagation. The project was implemented to
enhance partnership with People’s Organization (PO)
through proactive intervention mechanisms toward the
adoption of need-based ENR technologies.
The project site
Magdalena is a third-class municipality and an inland
town of Laguna lying at the foot of the legendary Mt.
Banahaw. It is about 105 km from Manila via Sta. Cruz,
a major urban center and the capital of the province.
6 CANOPY INTERNATIONAL • VOL.47 NO.1
The town is bounded on the North by the municipalities
of Sta. Cruz and Pagsanjan, on the South by the town of
Liliw, on the East by Pagsanjan and Majayjay and in the
West by Nagcarlan and Sta. Cruz.
Barangay Bucal is one of the 24 barangays of
Magdalena and is located in the eastern part of the
town. It is about 3 kms away from the town proper
via a paved road. The upper portion of the barangay is
Barangay Munting Abling, the western part is Barangay
Salasad, the northern part is Barangay Ilog while the
eastern portion is Barangay Ibabang Atingay.
The community has a total land area of 69,390
hectares, comprised of 55,512 hectares of lowland;
3,470 hectares forest land and 10,408 hectares of
riverbank area.
The people in the barangay depend on farming, poultry
and hog raising while others are working as laborers.
Their houses are mostly semi-concrete which are made
of cement, wood and bamboo. MERALCO provides
their electricity.
In 2018, Barangay Bucal was registered to have a total
population of 1,076 individuals with 503 females and
573 males. There are 263 families and 174 households.
The project cooperators
The cooperators selected for the project are members
of the People’s Organization – Balikatan 2005 (an
all-male PO) and the Clean and Green Women’s Club
of Barangay Bucal. There were 20 female and 10 male
cooperators.
The majority are natives of the barangay with an
average length of stay of 32.33 years. The average
household size is four. Most of them derive their
income off-farm while a few work on the farm (farming
and animal raising). The males who work off-farm are
into sand and gravel (SAG) extraction while others are
serving as barangay officials. On the other hand, the
females augment family income through repacking
meat and bakery products, housekeeping, sewing, doing
the laundry, and as STL collectors. Some women are
plain housewives.
Extension Strategy adopted in the community
The enhanced PARTNER-BOND (Pro-active Response
towards Nurturing Environmental Relations – A
Barangay Outreach Program based on community
Needs and Demands) Strategy was adopted in this
project for which an identified process of technology
transfer was followed. The strategy includes the
following step-by-step process, to wit: a) team
organization; b) start-up/ baseline information to
comprise activities like the selection of the project site
and the cooperators, conduct of exploratory meetings,
led the Technology Needs Survey, and the conduct of
the Stakeholder Analysis, KAP (knowledge, attitudes,
and practices) survey and the PRAGEN (Participatory
Rural Appraisal on Gender); c) consensus/alliance
building was done through orientation/leveling-off
meetings and focused group discussions (FGD);
d) conduct of capacity building initiatives such as
trainings, seminars, and hands-on demonstration; e)
action planning; f) execution of the Memorandum of
Agreement/Understanding (MOA/U); g) conduct of
push through/follow-up extension activities such as
field or cross-farm visits; h) progress tracking of project
activities to include conduct of impact assessment; and
i) project phase-out/turn-over to partner clientele.
JANUARY-JUNE 2021 7
 The Technology Needs Survey (TNS) result showed that
the bamboo propagation and plantation establishment
were needed in the area. This is primarily to rehabilitate
a portion of the Balanac River and a possible source of
income of the community in the future.
The consensus and alliance-building activity was done
through briefings and coordination meetings with
the MLGU of Magdalena and the BLGU of Barangay
Bucal. These activities were conducted to familiarize
the Municipal Planning and Development Coordinator
(MPDC), Mr. Norman B. Licong, and the barangay
captain of Bucal, Mr. Nomar L. Sune on project details.
Similarly, regular visits were done in their respective
offices to give updates on project developments on
the site. Issues and concerns were also discussed
during these visits.
The LGU through Mayor David O. Aventurado,
Jr. supported the effort. They provided financial
assistance to the cooperators through the MLGU’s
”cash for work program”. Project cooperators
received cash incentives in the performance of the
maintenance activities at the plantation site. Likewise,
two project billboards were hoisted at the project area
and along the national highway.
Trainings and seminars were conducted to enhance the
knowledge and capacities of the cooperators as follows:
a) Training-workshop cum hands-on demonstration on
bamboo production; b) Seminar-workshop on bamboo
plantation maintenance and utilization; c) Seminar/lecture
on Solid Waste Management (SWM); and d) Seminar/
lecture on Climate Change Adaptation and Disaster
Preparedness. A Gender Sensitivity Training (GST)
was also conducted to heighten the awareness of the
cooperators on gender issues and concerns and to enable
the local community to promote women’s economic
empowerment, especially on bamboo micro-enterprise.
Four action plans were prepared by the co-operators
and three by the project implementers. As a result,
cooperators were able to put up a temporary nursery,
raised 100 bamboo planting materials, and established
a mini bamboo plantation (with around 53 clumps of
robustly thriving kawayan tinik) along the river banks of
Balanac River.
A Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) was also
executed between ERDB and the two POs (Balikatan
8 CANOPY INTERNATIONAL • VOL.47 NO.1
2005 and the Clean and Green Women’s Club). This
serves as a reminder to both parties of their roles and
responsibilities in the project. Moreso, a cross-visit cum
field trip in the Los Baños Experiment Station (LBES)
and ERDB was conducted.
Participants had the opportunity to see the research
and demonstration areas of ERDB on agroforestry,
bambusetum, rattan gene bank, medicinal plants,
and forest nursery among others. They explored the
bamboo and rattan gallery at ERDB. The activity was
undertaken to enliven the interest of the cooperators
and sustain the partnership in the application and
adoption of the technology.
For the progress tracking, regular monthly visits and
quarterly meetings were initiated. Two year-end
assessments cum meeting/planning workshops were
also undertaken. An impact assessment of project
activities was likewise carried out.
Finally, a project phase-out plan was prepared
and executed between ERDB and the MLGU of
Magdalena to ensure continuity and sustainability of
the undertaking. This was realized through a simple
turnover ceremony on March 25, 2019 at the municipal
hall with the presence of the town mayor.
Some lessons learned
For a development and extension project such as this,
it is recommended that at least a three-year project
duration be adopted. The enhanced PARTNER-BOND
Strategy is recommended to disseminate and promote
ERDB’s mature and commercially feasible technologies.
Strengthen linkage with the MLGU for the continuity
and sustainability of the project. The continuous
conduct of monitoring and evaluation activities is
likewise an advantage.
____________________________________________________
The authors are Training Specialist III, Community
Development Officer III from the Technology Transfer
Division, and Science Aid from the Laboratory and
Experiment Services Division.
T
he Philippine Bamboo Industry Development
Roadmap (BOI-DTI und) mentioned an incident
in a workshop where both pole producers and
bamboo processors were invited. The scene was the
pole producers complaining about not having buyers of
their pole produce and the bamboo processors similarly
complaining about not having poles to buy. The incident
is a concise yet precise revelation of the supply chain
being broken. There is more to it than meets the eye.
Many times the author has witnessed actual occasions
where bamboo pole buyers met with pole producers
but no deals were made. The thing is the buying price
offered for the pole-length poles were too low to meet
the latter’s floor price. In the end the former left with
no poles tied to their names and complained about
“shortage” in pole supply. The latter, on the other hand,
let their produce unharvested and their bamboo stands
to get wasted. It’s a “lose-lose” situation that must be
stopped pronto. Price not shortage in potential pole
supply broke the supply chain.
The current bamboo supply chain
The associated supply chains of an industry are its
backbone. It is a matter of fact that when these become
inefficient or broken the growth and development of
the industry becomes stunted and limited. The bamboo
industry is no different.
The operational efficiency of the bamboo supply chain
is not all about the availability of poles at its front-end
as the call to plant more bamboo may imply. It includes
the associated prices, trading practices, regulatory
environment, and players and what they do to the
material as it moves through the chain as well. These,
either singly or collectively, could limit or stop its flow in
spite of huge volumes of potential supply as described
earlier. The state of physical access, normally, is
factored-in in the price.
Potential pole supply and demand. The dominant
impression on the country’s bamboo resource is that it
is not sufficient, hence, the call to plant and plant some
more. The data presented in the 1997 Master Plan for the
Development of Bamboo as Renewable and Sustainable
Resource as cited by Foronda (Foronda 2016) and The
Philippine Bamboo Industry Development Roadmap
(BOI-DTI und) are too divergent to be considered
consistent and conclusive.
Foronda (Foronda 2016) reported that the industry’s
utilization rate lags far behind the potential pole supply.
The said findings confirmed the conclusion reached
by the Department of Environment and Natural
Resources-Forest Management Bureau that led to
the lifting of the export ban imposed on bamboo poles
and placing it under the Regulated Commodity List.
But more simply, the obvious state of degradation of
bamboo stands as observed in the field, at least in the
Ilocos, should indicate that there is more than enough
JANUARY-JUNE 2021 9
 supply given the obtaining industry capacity. For how
could a rational pole producer allow the degradation of
his bamboo stand if there is sufficient demand?
Sourcing and consolidation of supply. The producer-
buyer negotiation mentioned above refers to pole-
length poles that are yet to be harvested due to the
fact that bamboo is a perishable commodity. Note
that once the culms are harvested comes the onset
of bio-deteriorating agents especially powder-post
beetles, rot and stain fungi. Small pole producers do
not have treatment facilities to treat their poles to last
long, hence, will not risk them getting wasted by said
organisms. For exactly the same reason, only a few if
any, independent traders venture into consolidation
of pole supplies even in localities where the resource
density is higher than average, which makes sourcing
of supply difficult and costly. These are plain
traders whose value-addition to the material is only
consolidation and hauling. In practice, pole harvesting is
limited during the dry season.
Trading and form of the supply. In general, the current
supply chain involves the trading of pole-length poles
up to the end-product manufacturer. Change in form,
say, into short pole segments or slats is still emerging as
could be seen in some retail stores and roadside vendors.
While some sectors truly need long poles for their end-
products the likes of fish pens and scaffolding, majority
requires short pole segments as could be inferred from
the sharing of the individual pole-using sectors being
the furniture and handicraft sector (40%), the fish pens,
housing and construction industries (25%), the vegetable
and fruit industries (10%) and other uses (25%) (Foronda
2016). That is, the practice of trading pole-length poles
especially by secondary processors is primitive and not
responsive to the needs of the industry.
Note that the characteristic features of a bamboo pole
such as diameter, form, wall thickness and internode
length that determine its suitability to specific uses,
vary along its length and between poles. The trading
of pole-length poles glosses-over said features
that results to inefficient allocation of supply at the
industry’s detriment.
Intermediate materials and products. There are only
a few small producers of intermediate materials/
products the likes of pole segments, slats, “tadtad”
bamboo sheets, woven panels, basket sticks, etc. The
procurement and transformation of the pole-length
poles into finished product are all done basically by
10 CANOPY INTERNATIONAL • VOL.47 NO.1
the end-product manufacturers. There may not be
any problem if their production systems are designed
to start from long poles. Otherwise, doing the added
front-end operations could bring about system
inefficiencies that may prove detrimental to their
bottomline. Operationally speaking, given the difficulty
in procuring pole supplies and the time needed in
transforming them into finished products it stands
to reason why the industry’s utilization rate, which
reflects the obtaining capacity of all end-product
manufacturers, lags far behind the potential supply.
The end-product manufacturers are mostly located in
urban-manufacturing centers.
Product standards. While no mention was made about
pole standards in the aforementioned incidents it is
implicit that some sort of pole standards were used
as basis for price negotiation. These, for sure, were
dictated by the pole buyers for their own benefit, which
suggest that there could be as many standards applied
as there are buyers. The government is yet to come
up with formal product standards be it for pole-length
poles or short pole segments to govern the exchange.
These should be made mandatory as opposed to
voluntary and understandable by both parties to serve
as objective basis for price negotiation and conflict
resolution, should conflict arise.
The PNS ISO 19624:2020 (BPS-DTI 2020) as adopted
by the government is not applicable for the purpose of
trading poles as described.
Price and price negotiation. Price is truly between the
producer-seller and the buyer. When both parties feel
fairly compensated then price is settled no matter
what. In a free enterprise economy price should not be
regulated as it stifles the spirit of either of the parties.
So far prices of bamboo poles are not regulated. What
is needed though to facilitate the negotiation process
and form an objective basis in pricing individual poles or
pole quality grades are formal and mandatory products
standards as stated above.
Regulatory environment. The Department of
Environment and Natural Resources (DENR)
Administrative Order No. 07, series of 1994 that
superseded Administrative Order No. 59, series of
1993 has cleared most of the impediments on the
movement of bamboo pole supply from private lands.
The Certificate of Verification (CV) required for the
transport/shipment of said products from private
lands has a lot of merit in the monitoring system of
pole supplies for the benefit of the bamboo industry
and future implementation of the Chain-of-Custody
Certification of forest products. However, the said
guidelines can still stand additional improvements.
State of the supply chain. On the whole the bamboo
supply chain is structurally flawed constricting the flow
that keeps the industry from achieving its potential. Since
the formation of the defunct National Cottage Industries
Development Authority and eventual termination of
its successor agency, the Cottage Industry Technology
Center, half a century and 10 years ago the bamboo
industry remains an emerging industry. Too much time
and resources have been wasted through the years, its
high time, actually long overdue, for the government
to get serious on interventions that truly matters and
enable the industry to fly.
Priority interventions and expected impacts
The first and strategic intervention in support of
the industry is laying-out the rules-of-the-game, so
to speak. The formulation or adoption of product
standards for pole-length poles and short pole
segments for the trading of poles is urgent. While
there is a product standards designed specifically
for short pole segments of kawayan tinik (Bambusa
blumeana Schultes f.) (Foronda 2015) that may be used
in the meantime, the government in partnership with
the industry should endeavor to formulate or adopt
soonest formal product standards for pole-length
poles and short pole segments suitable for the purpose
of trading. It begs repeating that formal product
standards are essential in facilitating both trading and
manufacturing activities. Kawayan tinik is the most
widespread and widely-used species in the country.
The DENR Administrative Order No. 07, series of 1994
is already highly supportive of the bamboo industry.
The guidelines as written though is not clear on the
movement within the source-municipality of non-wood
forest products, particularly those coming from private
lands. This is not trivial because monitoring inspection
happens and could actually become violent due to the
proximity of the origin and the destination, and the
ownership of the goods and the source. It will be most
beneficial to give exemption from the CV requirement
as in “No CV Required” for the transport within the
source-municipality of non-wood forest products
coming from private lands. Said exemption will facilitate
as well smooth consolidation of pole supply at the
source where the majority of the pole producers are
small landowners having only a few clumps of bamboo.
Further, while it has been institutionalized under
Sec. 6 of the Administrative Order that “elected
Local Government Officials of the locality where the
oath is administered are authorized to subscribe
the Certificate of Origin Form” there is fear that it
could be abused. To increase the confidence of the
local DENR Office that said authority is not abused,
it should map-out the forestland of each and every
municipality under its jurisdiction, given that it already
possessed the data to do so. Such would enable quick
and easy determination whether a shipment from a
given locality or point of origin is clearly or more likely
from private lands. In localities where the forestland
contains substantial bamboo resource, checkpoints
for monitoring work could be established at the
forestland’s common entry/exit points.
The next intervention is the formation of sawmill-like
players equipped with treatment facilities at the source
or front-end of the supply chain to improve its flow.
Pilot players/enterprises should be established by the
government in partnership with enterprising individuals
or groups. These players will serve as ready markets
and merchandiser-preservers that consolidate and
allocate the pole supply systematically and efficiently
and allow pole producers a longer window to harvest
their produce.
The presence of said players, being ready markets or
“bagsakan”, at the source will motivate pole producers
to bring in their individual produce that will facilitate
consolidation of supplies. Further, it will motivate
them to manage their crops as to produce more and
sustain increased flow of the supply chain. Given their
capacity to treat poles, it will afford the pole producers
the whole dry season to harvest their produce that
is expected to bring in bigger volumes of supply as
opposed to waiting for pole buyers who may never
come. Also, it is expected that prices of pole-length
poles will be settled more easily for the benefit of both
parties, given the players’ capacity to merchandise the
poles and maximize their value.
As merchandisers the said players will cut the pole-
length poles into some standard lengths and quality
grades to satisfy the varied uses and needs of the
industry and conserve the resource base. In the
JANUARY-JUNE 2021 11
 meantime that the government has not adopted
formal products standards for short pole segments
the standards designed specifically for short pole
segments of kawayan tinik (Foronda 2015) may be
used to guide the process.
Note that when a pole-length pole is traded as a unit
that portion or segment which does not conform to
the user’s specifications is actually withdrawn from the
supply pool depriving those users whose specifications
the said portion or segment fits. That is, the supply
pool is reduced by said portion or segment that is more
likely to be thrown away as waste. These unnecessary
reductions add up to cause supply shortages that grow
out of the inefficient allocation process rather than
actual lack of supply.
Further, without said players to allocate the supply, pole
users will continue to pay for the materials contained in
the pole-length poles that do not fit their specifications.
That is, on a per unit basis the recovered materials
become much more costly than it should be. While the
non-conforming portions contained in the pole-length
poles still could be utilized by the pole-user it will be at
increased processing cost. Pole users know this very
well, which could explain their resistance to pay the
floor prices set by pole producers that force the latter
to let their produce go to waste.
Thus, the presence of the sawmill-like players will
afford pole users the luxury of paying only for the pole
segments or quality grades that fit their specifications
saving on material and processing costs, the convenience
of dealing only with said players instead of many
individual pole producers to fill their requirements saving
on procurement cost, and the knowledge of having
contributed to conserving the resource base.
The third intervention is the formation of more
producers of intermediate materials/ products the likes
of slats, “tadtad” bamboo sheets, woven panels, basket
sticks, component parts, etc. in support of end-product
manufacturers. Again, pilot players/ enterprises should
be established by the government in partnership with
enterprising individuals or groups along the path of the
supply chain. These complementary producers could
increase significantly the end-product manufacturers’
capacities without expanding their production facilities
by sub-contracting the production of intermediate
materials or component parts. That is, given the time
freed by the arrangement the latter could focus on the
12 CANOPY INTERNATIONAL • VOL.47 NO.1
proprietary or unique operations in their individual
production systems and increase their outputs.
Similarly, the freed spaces could be used to smooth-out
the bottleneck operations in their remaining production
systems and increase their individual capacities.
Some complementary producers could even specialize
on specific intermediate materials or component
parts to benefit more the end-product manufacturers.
When nurtured said arrangement could mature into
a “specialization and complementation” scheme that
could bring both parties to higher levels of productivity.
Note that “specialization and complementation” is
an effective strategy used by large manufacturing
firms in the assembly industry. The said arrangement
also could benefit society as a whole by enabling
the re-distribution of economic activities between
the urban-manufacturing centers and the rural-raw
material-producing areas.
Literature Cited
Board of Investment-Department of Trade and Industry.
The Philippine Bamboo Industry Development Roadmap.
http://docplayer.net/186402604-The-philippine-
bamboo-industry-development-roadmap.html
Bureau of Products Standards-Department of Trade and
Industry. PNS ISO 19624:2020 - Grading of bamboo
culms. http://www.bps.dti.gov.ph/index.php/press-
releases/24-2020/214-dti-bps-adopts-international-
standards-on-bamboo-structures
Department of Environment and Natural Resources.
Administrative Order No. 07, series of 1994 and
Administrative Order No. 59, series of 1993. https://
denr.gov.ph/section-policies/laws.php?
Foronda, S.U. 2016. Boosting the local bamboo industry.
Canopy International 42(1): 5, 14-15
___________. 2015. Supply of local bamboo poles not enough,
really?. Canopy International 41(1): 4-5
____________________________________________________
The author is Pangulo (President) of the Samahan ng
Magkakawayan ng Ilocos Sur, Inc.
Pine trees in Baguio City under threat from an
interplay of biotic and abiotic factors
Pinus kesiya Royle ex Gordon is an important forest
species not only for its ecological use but also as
an iconic symbol in Baguio City, dubbed as the City
of Pines. However, decimation of pine trees due to
biotic and abiotic factors has alarmed residents and
environmentalists prompting authorities to address
this concern of preserving the remaining pine trees in
Baguio City. Anthropogenic factors or those human-
made activities as a result of urbanization and conversion
of pine stands to built-up areas have been identified as
important factors in the disappearance of pine trees in
Baguio City. Aside from this, death of pine trees from
bark beetle occurrences or climate-related outbreaks
that have escalated in recent years. The changing climate
in this once-cool city and elsewhere in the country
and the world and their impacts to the resiliency and
sustainability of the forests cannot be overemphasized.
Outbreaks and even epidemics from pests have
been reported worldwide due to extreme climatic
events such as increasing temperatures, droughts
and increased intensities of typhoons. Data from
the Philippine Atmospheric and Geophysical and
Astronomical Administration (PAGASA) reveal of
increased temperatures and droughts in Baguio
City during a 10-year observation period wherein
the highest temperatures in the Cordillera
Administrative Region (CAR) were recorded from
2016 (20.1°), 2017 (20°) and 2018 (22.4°). Likewise,
the driest years recorded were in 2016 and 2017
with recorded amount of rainfall of 2953.33mm and
2741.9mm, respectively.
The Ecosystems Research Development Bureau-
Watershed and Water Resources Research
Development and Extension Center (ERDB-
WWRRDEC) has documented these bark beetle
incidences wherein outbreaks resulted in the death of
a significant number of pine trees not only in Baguio
City but also its vicinities. Findings from a research
conducted by the Center from 2015 to 2019 showed
that a total of 2,377 Benguet pine trees were killed
during the period alone. This number included only
those which were assessed and reported to the office.
JANUARY-JUNE 2021 13
 Further, research findings also revealed a relationship
of bark beetle outbreaks to the years during the
temperatures were at their highest and driest years.
Literatures have linked the interplay of anthropogenic
factors, climate change and biotic (infestations) to
forest disturbances (Jactel et al. 2012; Hart et al.
2013; Weed et al. 2013; Bentz and Jönsson 2015;
Meddens et al. 2015). Progressive warming as well
as a lack of water over longer periods of time reduce
the ‘‘health’’ or ‘‘vitality’’ of spruce forests. These
make the spruces more susceptible to an attack from
Ips typographus (Ohrn 2012).
Bark beetle as pest of Benguet pine
A successful and sound management of the pest
is crucial in order to preserve the Benguet pine
forest. And one of the basic steps for this is to know
about the beetle’s history and characteristics. Bark
beetles (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae) are
important pine-infesting pests on Benguet pine (Pinus
kesiya Gordon ex Royle) in Baguio City, other parts
of Cordillera region and other adjoining provinces
including Nueva Vizcaya and Ilocos Norte. Aside
from the more popular Ips, other bark beetles (i.e.,
Dendroctonus) have been found infesting pine trees.
In fact, based from the research findings of Parao et
al. (2019), Dendroctonus, along with Ips has been
observed at the Camp John Hay. Many species of
Dendroctonus are tree killers and considered as
economically-important pests of conifers in the US
(Connor and Wilkinson 1998).
Bark beetles being insects possess morphological
characteristics wherein their reproduction
and population is affected by the change of the
environment. As poikilothermic organisms, insects
respond to change in temperature wherein their life
cycle is shortened in high temperature and prolonged
drought resulting to population build-up. With high
population densities, these bark beetles are capable of
damaging or killing even healthy trees that develops
into outbreaks (Netherer et al. 2019; Morris 2018).
Aside from this, other environmental factors that
trigger their occurrence which include fire incidence,
poor stands, weakened and suppressed trees as a result
of climate change. The occurrence of strong typhoons
that damage and fell down trees provide a suitable host
resources/materials (Fettig and Hilszczański 2015).
14 CANOPY INTERNATIONAL • VOL.47 NO.1
Forecasting as basis for management
of bark beetles
Management of bark beetles is a challenge because of
their tiny size and their behavior to enter and live inside
the bark. What more, the increasing disturbance of pine
forest/stands in the face of climate change necessitates
for a comprehensive approach to the management
of bark beetles as alternative to traditional methods.
With the aforecited scenario and in response to a
marching order of DENR Secretary Roy A. Cimatu
to undertake research studies of Benguet pine trees,
the WWRRDEC initiated the forecasting of the pest
through a study “GIS-based Forecasting Model for
Early Detection of Potential Bark Beetle Outbreak in
Disturbed and Undisturbed Pine Forests in Baguio
City”. This undertaking is a collaboration with multi-
agencies including the City Government of Baguio City
through the City Environment Parks Management
Office (CEPMO), the Camp John Hay Golf Course and
the Benguet State University (BSU).
Forecasting using GIS is a tool for predicting pest
incidence or outbreak based on data of population, life
history and activity of the pest, climatic data and other
related information which will be used in developing
forecasting models and provide an early warning or
forecasting of pest. Monitoring through a network of
sites is most useful for studying spatial distributions of
pests, early detection of infestations and identification
of hot-spot locations to initiate appropriate
management interventions on a spatial scale (Prasad
and Prabhakar 2012).
Monitoring bark beetles using traps
An important component of forecasting is to monitor
the population of bark beetles including other
associated species to be used as basis for prediction
of their future occurrence (Turchin and Odendaal
1996). One of the widely-used tools in the detection
and monitoring the abundance of bark beetles is
through the use of traps baited with semiochemicals.
Semiochemical is a pheromone or other chemicals
used specifically for each bark beetle species for their
communication. Pheromone traps are the most popular
and widely used tools for pest detection and population
monitoring to determine the extent of an outbreak
area and as bases in the formulation of management
strategies. Multi-funnel trap or specialized device
called Lindgren funnel traps are primarily used
for monitoring and sampling insect populations as
well as mop up infestations or to suppress small
localized insect populations (Hayes et al. 2008). Trial
experiments using improvised monitoring traps in
lieu of multi-funnel traps were installed in disturbed
and undisturbed pine forests within the Golf area of
Camp John Hay and the Botanical Garden in Baguio
City have been set up. Associated bark beetles are
being collected from the traps. Monitoring stations in
disturbed and undisturbed areas including parks were
already assessed and characterized. Results of the
study hope to pave the way for addressing the problem
of bark beetle disturbances of Benguet pine trees in
Baguio City and in other areas.
Literature Cited
Bentz BJ, Jönsson AM. 2015. Modeling bark beetle responses
to climate change. In: Vega, F. and Hofstetter, R. (eds), Bark
beetles: biology and ecology of native and invasive species.
Elsevier Academic Press. [accessed 2020 May 19].
Connor MD and Wilkinson RC. 1998. Ips Bark Beetles in the
South. Forest Insect & Disease Leaflet [accessed 2020
May 18]; U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service.
Fettig CJ, Hilszczański J. 2015. Management strategies for
bark beetles in conifer forests. In: Vega FE and Hofstetter
RW (Eds). Bark beetles: biology and ecology of native and
invasive species. [accessed 2020 May 22]; London, UK:
Springer: doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-417156-5.00014-9
Hart SJ, Veblen TT, Eisenhart KS, Jarvis D, Kulakowski D. 2013.
Drought induces spruce beetle (Dendroctonus rufipennis)
outbreaks across northwestern Colorado. Wiley on behalf
of the Ecological Society of America. [accessed 2020 May
18]. https://www.jstor.org/stable/43494975
Hayes CJ, De Gomez TE, Clancy KM, Williams KK, Mcmillin
JD, Anhold JA. 2008. Evaluation of Funnel Traps for
Characterizing the Bark Beetle (Coleoptera: Scolytidae)
Communities in Ponderosa Pine Forests of North-Central
Arizona J. Econ. Entomol. 101(4): 1253Ð1265 (2008).
Jactel H, Petit J, Desprez-Loustau ML, Delzon S, Piou D ,
Battisti A, Koricheva J. 2012. Drought effects on damage
by forest insects and pathogens: a meta-analysis. Global
Change Biol. [accessed 2020 May 18]. doi: 10.1111/
j.1365-2486.2011.02512
Meddens AJH, Arjan JH, Meddens JA, Macalady AK, Buotte
PC, Cowles TR, Allen CD. 2015. Patterns and causes of
observed piñon pine mortality in the southwestern United
States. New Phytol. [accessed 2020 May 20]. 206: https://
doi.org/10.1111/nph.13193
Morris JL. 2018. Bark beetles as agents of change in social–
ecological systems mic levels over substantial areas.
Front Ecol Environ. [accessed 2020 May 18]; 16(1).
doi:10.1002/fee.1754
Netherer S, Panassiti B, Pennerstorfer J and Matthews B.
2019. Acute Drought Is an Important Driver of Bark
Beetle Infestation in Austrian Norway Spruce Stands.
Front. For. Glob. Change. [accessed 2020 May 18]; 2:39.
doi: 10.3389/ffgc.2019.00039
Ohrn, P. 2012. The spruce bark beetle Ips typograhus in a
changing climate –Effects of weather condition on the
biology of Ips typograhus. Europe 18, 1-27.
Parao MR, Untalan PP, Ligat BS, Pagadan CS and Tanguid LB.
2019. Damage assessment of bark beetle infestations
on benguet pine (Pinus kesiya Royle ex Gordon John Hay,
Baguio City, Philippines. Mountain Journal of Science and
Interdisciplinary Research MJSIR. [accessed 2020 May
22]; 79 (2).
Prasad YG and Prabhakar M 2012. Pest Monitoring and
forecasting. Publisher: CAB International 2012, Integrated
Pest Management (Editors: D.P. Abrol, U. Shankar)
[Accessed 07 May 2019] Pestmonitoringforecasting_
CABIbookchapter_2012.pdf. p.51
Turchin P, Odendaal FJ. 1996. Measuring the Effective
Sampling Area of a Pheromone Trap for Monitoring
Population Density of Southern Pine Beetle. (Coleoptera:
Scolytidae). Environ. Entomol. 25(3): 582588 (1996).
https://www.srs.fs.usda.gov/pubs/ja/ja_turchin001.pdf
Weed A, Matthew A, Jeffrey H. 2013. Consequences of climate
change for biotic disturbances in North American forests.
Ecological Monographs. [accessed 2020 May 19]. 83.
____________________________________________________
The author is Senior Science Research Specialist of
the ERDB-Watershed and Water Resources Research,
Development and Extension Center.
JANUARY-JUNE 2021 15
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Of six environmental
problems facing the U.S., Americans remain most
worried about those that affect water quality.
Majorities express “a great deal” of worry about the
pollution of both drinking water (56%) and rivers,
lakes and reservoirs (53%).
Fewer, though still substantial minorities ranging
between 40% and 45%, express a great deal of
concern about the loss of tropical rain forests, global
warming or climate change, air pollution, and the
extinction of plant and animal species. Although less
than half of Americans register the highest level of
worry about these four issues, broad majorities say
they worry at least “a fair amount” about each.
These findings, from Gallup’s annual Environment
survey conducted on March 1-15, are the latest data
points in at least two decades of tracking worry about
these environmental problems, including updates
every year since 2000, except 2005.
In general, the public’s level of worry has ebbed and
flowed in tandem across the six environmental threats
over the past 21 years. Although degrees of worry
have shifted over time, the rank order has remained
largely consistent, with water pollution outpacing all
other threats.
Source: Megan Brenan, April 19, 2021, Water Pollution Remains Top
Environmental Concern in U.S., https://news.gallup.com/poll/347735/
water-pollution-remains-top-environmental-concern.aspx
Problems at a Los Angeles sewage treatment plant
that caused a massive spill into Santa Monica Bay
last month have severely reduced the region’s water
recycling ability, forcing officials to divert millions of
gallons of clean drinking water at a time of worsening
drought conditions, The Times has learned.
Even as California Gov. Gavin Newsom urges a
voluntary 15% reduction in water usage, the Hyperion
Water Reclamation Plant‘s inability to fully treat
sewage has forced local officials to divert drinking
water to uses normally served by recycled water.
Among those is an effort to protect coastal aquifers
from seawater contamination, as well as the irrigation
of parks, cemeteries and golf courses across
southwest Los Angeles County.
The sudden loss of millions of gallons of recycled water
has alarmed experts and raised new questions about
the plant’s ability to function in a warming climate.
Source: Robert J. Lopez, Aug. 11, 2021, L.A. water recycling imperiled
after beach sewage spill, hurting drought conservation, https://www.
latimes.com/california/story/2021-08-11/water-recycling-impaired-
by-hyperion-sewage-disaster
The planet is facing a “ghastly future of mass extinction,
declining health and climate-disruption upheavals”
that threaten human survival because of ignorance
and inaction, according to an international group of
scientists, who warn people still haven’t grasped the
urgency of the biodiversity and climate crises.
The 17 experts, including Prof Paul Ehrlich from
Stanford University, author of The Population Bomb,
and scientists from Mexico, Australia and the US, say
the planet is in a much worse state than most people –
even scientists – understood.
“The scale of the threats to the biosphere and all its
lifeforms – including humanity – is in fact so great that
it is difficult to grasp for even well-informed experts,”
they write in a report in Frontiers in Conservation
Science which references more than 150 studies
detailing the world’s major environmental challenges.
Source: Phoebe Weston, Jan. 13, 2021,https://www.theguardian.com/
environment/2021/jan/13/top-scientists-warn-of-ghastly-future-of-
mass-extinction-and-climate-disruption-aoe
Maureen V. Cambay
News Editor
Technology Transfer Division