BACOLOD City – To boost its economy, the municipality of Cauayan is positioning itself to become the bamboo capital of southern Negros Occidental.
Several local government units were lobbying with Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson to be identified as the province’s bamboo capital, but Mayor John Rey Tabujara said he asked the governor to prioritize their town, adding that Cauayan got its name from bamboo, or kawayan, thickets abundant in the area.
The mayor said, at present, the town has a five-hectare lot in Barangay Talacdan planted with giant bamboos.
The municipality has also established an association with the support from the local government to propagate bamboo plants in order for them to have a livelihood as a form of boosting the local economy and tourism industry.
And as a part of tourism promotion, the town held its first-ever Bamboo Festival from September 27 and 28, 2024.
In April last year, the Cauayan local government also initiated the first-ever Bamboo Summit.
In his message, Gov. Lacson said the bamboo summit is one way of promoting the emergence of the uses of bamboo not widely known before.
“Bamboos have a very significant role in the economy and the environment, and the provincial government is in full support of making Cauayan the ‘Bamboo Capital of Southern Negros Occidental,” the governor added.
Bamboo plants in Negros Occidental play a vital role in both the environment and local economy. Bamboo aims to support sustainable livelihoods, promote eco-friendly practices, and strengthen the province’s green economy./PN
