E-kawayan factory to turn Alaminos into bamboo capital

ALAMINOS CITY, Philippines — The Hundred Islands E-Kawayan Factory in Barangay Tangcarang is turning the city into the bamboo capital of Pangasinan, churning out products while encouraging massive cultivation of the plant. 

Arceli Talania, city agriculturist, told The STAR the factory was conceptualized in 2010 with a small production area in Barangay Bolaney. Some personnel were trained in the technology in partnership with Mariano Marcos State University, Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and the Cottage Industry and Technology Center.  

The factory initially crafted small items in 2013. 

“Our products are different because they are engineered, the process of manufacturing goes to different stages with the help of machines,” she said. 

Bamboo of the kawayan tinik variety are processed and transformed into different sizes and shaped into slats, glued and laminated with the help of 21 machines. 

“We don’t use nails here,” Talania said.  

After funds became available, their products diversified from key chains to plaques, chairs, tables, wall clocks, sala sets, fruit trays, lampshades, podiums and table names, depending on the needs of clients. 

Talania said the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor) provided P31 million to jumpstart the project with five components. The city government had not complied with one requirement for tissue culture and the fund had to be consumed in two years.    

When Mayor Arthur Celeste assumed his post in 2013, he returned the unspent P15 million to Pagcor, Talania said. 

She said their designers would in time be capable of manufacturing large-scale products like boats and helicopters. 

She said different groups from various places come daily to visit the E-kawayan factory located in a five-hectare techno-demo farm for benchmarking. Some come to shop. 

The factory now supplies products to places as far as Manila.

Durability of their merchandise can last up to 100 years, Talania said, quoting the DTI. 

The Metro Pacific Investments Corp. of businessman Manny Pangilinan has a separate building here where tourists who enjoy the panoramic view of the world-famous Hundred Islands National Park are encouraged to watch a video that teaches them about the importance of bamboo.