Natonin's abaca industry could yield as much as P18M annually

Posted on | Friday 25 March 2011 | No Comments

by Lito Dar

BAGUIO CITY, March 26 – The Fiber Industry Development Authority (FIDA) confirmed that the Abaca industry of Natonin, Mountain Province could yield as much as one ton of fiber per hectare and with 900 hectares allotted for such purpose and if sold at P20 per kilo could give the municipality up to P18 million a year.

This was disclosed by povincial fiber officer Raymond Tunac, during the kapihan forum held at the Philippine Information Agency’s (PIA) "Dap-ay," Thursday, in line with the promotion of Natonin’s Sas-alliwa festival.
Abaca, which is the One Town One Product (OTOP) of Natonin, will once again be one of the highlights to be featured on the Sas-alliwa festival, which will be held on May 7 to 15.


According to Natonin municipal government administrator Gilbert Bangilan, they will be putting on more products for this year’s festival as he also stressed that abaca was given by nature to the people as these thrive abundantly with little maintenance in the vast tracts of lands in Natonin.


Meantime, Natonin’s Abaca OTOP product president David Ayungo said that the abaca fiber industry is starting to boom again after a slump during the global financial crisis in 2009. According to Ayungo, there are several fiber varieties in Natonin and they are continuously developing more abaca by-products that not only serve as a livelihood and source of employment in their municipality but as a tourist attraction as well.


Natonin, for the first time, also joined the Session Road in Bloom last February and according to Bangilan, all the abaca by-products they brought in for display were sold out and that they even went back to Natonin to bring in more products.


On May 7, coinciding with the grand opening parade and program, will be the start of the agro-industrial trade fair, wherein aside from abaca, it will also feature the various indigenous products, including agricultural produce and local cuisines.

Meantime, municipal tourism officer Lilia Vida also assured visitors to the Sas-alliwa festival that there are Natonians who are ready to accommodate them through the municipality’s homestay program.
“There are already 15 homestay houses that can accommodate a little less than 200 people,” Vida said. *(PIA CAR)

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