THE Senate has approved on third and final reading the proposed bamboo industry development program that could create more jobs for farmers and small businesses and expand the market for bamboo products.
Senate Bill No. 2495, or the proposed “Kawayan Act,” was approved on Thursday, Oct. 8, 2026, with 16 affirmative votes, no negative votes and no abstentions.
Sponsored by Senator Juan Miguel “Migz” F. Zubiri, the measure seeks to strengthen the domestic bamboo industry through a national development roadmap, expanded government procurement of bamboo products, and financial and technical support for bamboo-based enterprises.
“Despite the wide use of bamboo in the country, however, the truth is that our bamboo industry has plateaued over the years. Here in Southeast Asia, we are lagging behind Vietnam and Indonesia in the promotion of bamboo as a product,” Zubiri said.
He said limited government support for research and development has constrained the industry, leaving gaps in data needed to establish growth targets and determine the assistance required by local producers.
Under the bill, the government will establish a Philippine Bamboo Industry Development Roadmap, a five-year national strategy covering the propagation, processing, utilization, commercialization and promotion of bamboo and bamboo-based products.
The measure also seeks to reconstitute the Philippine Bamboo Industry Development Council, which will oversee the roadmap’s implementation and coordinate government initiatives to develop the industry.
The council will be chaired by the Department of Trade and Industry secretary, with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) secretary as vice-chairperson. Representatives from other government agencies, the private sector and nongovernment organizations will also sit on the council.
Among the council’s responsibilities will be identifying areas suitable for bamboo plantations, facilitating financing and credit facilities, promoting processing facilities and bamboo farm tourism, supporting mechanization, expanding market access, and providing technical assistance to farmers, processors and designers.
The bill also seeks to create a more stable market for bamboo products by incorporating them into government programs.
The DENR would be required to use bamboo as planting material for at least 25 percent of its annual reforestation and rehabilitation programs, particularly in areas suitable for bamboo-based industries or where conventional trees are difficult to grow.
Meanwhile, at least 25 percent of the Department of Education’s annual procurement requirements for school desks and armchairs for public elementary and secondary schools would be made from bamboo, as far as practicable.
The measure also encourages the use of bamboo furniture and fixtures in government facilities whenever feasible.
To support bamboo enterprises, the bill earmarks 20 percent of the Department of Science and Technology’s assistance funds for small and medium enterprises for bamboo-based businesses. These include programs under the Small Enterprise Technology Upgrading Program and the Technology Application and Promotion Institute’s venture capital program.
The measure consolidates several proposals intended to develop the domestic bamboo industry and strengthen its competitiveness.
The bill’s approval on third reading brings it closer to becoming law, subject to the completion of the remaining legislative process. / KOC
