DOST 7 SET-UP Product Catalogue - DOST 7! - Department of ...

Buglas Bamboo Institute
Trendy, Versatile And With A Tensile
Strength Higher Than Steel
Traditionally dubbed as the “poor man’s” lumber, bamboo has been underrated as a material for good
furniture. It is not only indigenous but also renewable, an earth-friendly resource with a wide range of
applications. And, do you know that the tensile strength of bamboo is higher than that of steel? Are you
also aware that the Philippine bamboo is the best bamboo in the world?
The widespread production and utilization of bamboo
and its use as a resource that can provide business
and livelihood to so many people while enhancing the
environment are the concerns of the Buglas Bamboo
Institute (BBI), a non-stock, non-profit organization
promoting rural development.
Buglas is the old Spanish name of Negros. In Ilonggo,
they refer to buglas when they mean tall grasses, and
as the story goes, in between these grasses were
found the small Negritos.
BBI started as an NGO established by Frans Kleine
Koerkamp, a Dutch who has made the Philippines,
his home. The idea of adding value to bamboo led
the group to conduct researches in 1995. It was in
1999 that the production of bamboo started. Over
the years, BBI has organized 10 communities, six
of which are regular suppliers of bamboo. BBI now
operates a furniture factory in the southern town of
Dauin, Negros Oriental.
With limited working capital, upgrading the bamboo
drying and finishing technologies of BBI was a major
concern that led to the partnership between BBI and
DOST through the latter’s program, SET-UP. The
problem with bamboo is that if there is moisture left,
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DEPARTMENT OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY VII
Product Catalogue 2011
fungus grows causing staining, which is not
aesthetically pleasing, thus, lowering the market
value of the product. Without a new dryer, drying will
also be confined to the drying of shorter and smaller
poles. The lack of a proper finishing area forces the
workers to rely on the open space spray finishing
method, which is subject to weather conditions. Or,
the spraying is done near the other workers posing
health hazards.
Through SET-UP, a furnace-type bamboo dryer
designed by FPRDI, was acquired. This is in contrast
to the existing mechanical dryer which has a smaller
capacity and is less effective in attaining the desired
moisture content. This upgraded equipment in fact
more than doubled BBI’s drying capacity and greatly
improved raw material quality by lessening the
incidence of fungus growth. Adoption of the spray
booth technology improved the working environment,
thus, safeguarding the worker’s health.
The market for bamboo is huge. However, competition
abroad is stiff with China as the most formidable
competitor because of its low priced engineered
bamboo products. The current global financial
crisis has also discouraged overseas demand for
Philippine-made furniture. Many local buyers also
prefer other cheaper materials and high production
costs have increased its price.
Despite these developments, the plan to link BBI
with possible markets in Germany and Europe is
in the works. Jobert Koerkamp, BBI’s Business
Manager, mentioned this as part of their plan. He
added that the local market is being developed.
Tie-ups with academic institutions for their design
students to make bamboo designs are also being
explored.
“Bamboo is just one. We have many resources in
the Philippines which are not sufficiently appreciated.
If that would change, the attitude of people towards
the environment will also change.” Frans emphasized
the need to maintain the resources and not to deplete
it. With this conviction, the “poor man’s” lumber is
here to stay for all generations to realize its versatility.
Buglas Bamboo Institute (BBI)
Maayong Tubig, Dauin Negros Oriental
Mr. Jobert Kleine Koerkamp
Business Manager
Mobile: 0927 508 6655
Email: buglasbamboo_se@yahoo.com