Philippine Journal of Crop Science (PJCS) August 2010, 35 (2):54-68 Copyright 2010, Crop Science Sociely of the Philippines Bamboo Shoot Resources of the Philippines: |. Edible Bamboo and the Current Status of the Local Bamboo Shoot Industry Merdelyn T. Caa: ", Linda B. Mabesa” and Roy B. Candelari "Institute of Plant Breeding, Crop Science Cluster (CSC), College of Agriculture (CA), University ofthe Philippines Los Bafos (UPLB), 4031 College, Laguna Philippines; ? Food Science Cluster, CA, UPLB, 4031 College, Laguna; Breeding, CSC, CA, UPLB, 4031 College, Laguna Philippines; * Corresponding Author, [email protected] This Is the first comprehensive report on bamboo resources in the Philippines as edible bamboo shoots. Twenty-six provinces were visited along the creeks and rivers, bamboo plantations and market places to determine the predominant bamboo species and the species with quality shoots. The current status of the local bamboo shoot industry was described as well as the regional preferences, processing, storage and bamboo shoot recipes noted. The study used primary data gathered through personal interviews, designed questionnaire and actual field surveys. The common species found in the area are all used as vegetable shoots. These were Bambusa blumeana J.A. & J.H. Schultes, Bambusa vulgaris var vulgaris Schrader ex Wendiand, Gigantochioa levis (Blanco) Mert., Gigantochloa atter (Hassk.) Kurz), Dendrocalamus asper (Schultes (f.) Backer ex Heyne, Bambusa merriliana (Eimer) Rojo & Roxas and Bambusa philippinensis (Gambie) McClure. Bamboo shoots are called by many local names and the common names across the Country are ‘labong’, ‘dabong’ ‘rabong’, ‘tambo’, ‘uvug', etc. ‘Kawayang tinik’ or B. blumeana was the most predominant species in most regions and also the most popular edible species. ‘Kawayang kiling’ or Bambusa vulgaris was the second most common but only third in rank as edible species. The current status of bamboo shoot industry revealed that itis still at its infancy stage. The processing and marketing aspects of bamboo shoot follow the traditional system. Significant observations during the study were discussed and the most alarming observation was the dwindling population of bamboo in natur especially along the major and minor rivers of the country. This is due to continuous illegal c poles and for bamboo shoot consumption and the non-planting or replenishment of this very important Institute of Plant plant resource. Keywords: Bamboo, bamboo shoot, bamboo shoot industry, bamboo recipes, Bambusa blumeana, Bambusa memriliana, Bambusa philippinensis, Bambusa vulgaris, Dendrocalamus asper, Gigantochloa atter, Gigantochioa levis INTRODUCTION Bamboo shoots are among the under-utilized food sources in the country (Caasi-Lit 1998). The low supply and the seasonal availabilty of bamboo shoots in the market limits its utilization and has become the bottleneck for its promotion as an important food source. Added to this is the lack of baseline information on bamboo shoot R & D especially the potential of bamboo shoots as food (Caasi-Lit 1999; Rivera 2009). This is also the reason why this food source is not popular anymore among the younger Generation. Moreso, the natural bamboo groves are already diminishing where most of the supply of bamboo shoots in the market is derived. As of 2002- 2007, an annual average of 7,722 ha of bamboo was harvested for bamboo shoot with an annual average volume of production valued at 2,935 Mt (Table 1; BAS 2007). This is supplemented by the inventory conducted by the regional offices of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources thru the Forest Management Bureau in 2002. The survey showed that there are at least 27,639.60 ha of bamboo Plantations within forestland and private lands in the whole country (Table 2). Bamboo shoots were popular alternative food source in the past. Many of our old folks reported that bamboo shoots were used in times when no other food sources were available. In this new age of healthy living, bamboo shoots are considered as the health food for the new millennium (Caasi-Lit et al 1999). It is highly nutritious because the harvested shoots grow mostly in the wilds and devoid of pesticide sprays. It is generally recommended by specialists for heart patients because of its low fat content and for colon patients as good roughage with high dietary fiber. According to many old folks, bamboo shoots are very high in calcium. In China and Japan, bamboo shoots are highly priced commodity and people value them for its organic nutrients. They regard bamboo shoots as an emblem of long life and endurance. At present, there is no comprehensive study on the different bamboo species being used as edible shoots in the country. Literature search will actually confirm the dearth of information on the importance of bamboo shoots as food. This study aimed to: i) survey the bamboo species in the different provinces of the country, ii) determine the predominant bamboo species that are actually or may be potentially used asTable 1. Annual mean area harvested (ha) and volume of production (Mt) of bamboo shoots in the Philippines. from 2002-2007 (Data from the Bureau of Agricultural Statistics, 2007). ‘Area Volume of production Region Area Harvested (ha)* mt" PHILIPPINES 7722 2835 1 CAR 2 2 2 locos Region 1987 486 3 Cagayan Valley 52 28 4 Central Luzon 88 24 5 CALABARZON 31 27 6 MIMAROPA 18 8 7 Bicol Region 8 8 8 Western Visayas 2449 798 9 Central Visayas 1014 416 10 Eastem Visayas 97 24 1 Zamboanga Peninsula 382 1075 12 Northern Mindanao 290 48 13 Davao Region 1028 51 14 SOCCSKSARGEN 136 50 18 ARMIN 3 5 16 CARAGA 162 180 TOTAL 15,448 5871 “Wear of six annual readings fom 2002-2007 Table 2. Hectarage of bamboo in plantation and natural stands in the Philippines (Ecosystem Research and Development Bureau, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, 2002). Plantation Natural Region ‘Stand ‘Stand Total area NCR 2.14 0 214 CAR 11,276.28 46.90 11,323.18 1 Hlocos 349.40 tC) 349.40 2 Cagayan Valley 2,208.00, 2,458.10 4,865.10 3 Central Luzon 558.46 222.00 780.46 4 Southem Tagalog 5 Bicol 1,085.12 1,176.85 2,261.97 6 Western Visayas 1,500.00 0 1,500.00 7 Central Visayas 2,371.18 1,813.85 4,185.03 8 Eastem Visayas 1.00 ) 1.00 ‘9 Western Mindanao 87.58 0 87.58 10 Northern Mindanao 11Davao Area 327.99 0 327.99 12Cotabato 696.00 1,073.33 1,733.33, 13CARAGA, 335.31 87.12 422.43 TOTAL 20,799.45 6,940.15 27,839.60 resources for edible shoots, and iil) describe and assess the prospects of the local bamboo shoot industry in the Philippines, This paper mainly generates baseline information on edible bamboo shoot species, processing, consumption and marketing especially in the local/regional markets, MATERIALS AND METHODS Survey of Bamboo Species Present in the Different Regions of the Country The survey was conducted using questionnaires, on- site field interviews and actual visits to local markets. Local names of bamboo shoots and the predominant, MT CaasiLit et al bamboo species in local areas were gathered. Creeks, rivers, roadsides, and other places like the river basins were monitored for the presence of the natural stands ‘of bamboo and bamboo plantations. Ocular survey along the roadsides was also conducted to assess the predominance of bamboo species in these areas especially bamboos growing near the bridges and along riversides. Common bamboo species were identified and only those uncommon species were referred to the works of Rojo et al. (2000), Dransfield and Widjaja (1995), and Virtucio and Roxas (2003). The inventory of existing bamboo resources for edible shoots made use of previous data from the Ecosystem Research Development Services of the Department of Environmental and Natural Resources. The data on 55the actual number of hectares harvested for bamboo shoots were taken from the Bureau of Agricultural Statistics (2007). Predominant Bamboo Species and the Local Bamboo Species as Food Source The local bamboo species in the different regions were identified and were found to be all edible and consumed as food. Bamboo shoot vendors were interviewed on what kind or species of bamboo were sold and these were mostly referring to bamboo shoots in their vernacular or native dialects. Bamboo Shoots in the Local Markets The survey questionnaire on the status of bamboo shoot industry in the country included the descriptions of local bamboo shoot industry, local price of whole and chopped bamboo shoots, consumer preference, local recipes, procedure for preparation and processing. Bamboo shoot vendorsidealersitraders, and buyersiconsumers in the local markets in the different towns and provinces were interviewed. For this paper, the prices during the survey were used to reflect the actual conditions when the survey was conducted. The Ecosystem Research and Development Bureau (ERDB), the local units of the Department of Environment and Natural Resourses and the provincial offices of the Department of Agriculture (DA) were visited and their assistance sought especially in areas where they have on-going experiments on natural stands and existing bamboo plantations. Data Treatment The paper used primary data gathered through personal interviews, designed questionnaires and field/market surveys. Data for the local bamboo species were tabulated per region and the predominant species were specifically indicated per town or province. The predominance of the bamboo species was expressed as the percentage of the total number of times a specific species was observed in a particular region. Local names of the bamboo species. were also recorded but the scientific names were used because some local names of the same species were different. Data for the status of the local bamboo shoot industry were mostly descriptive analysis of the state of the art specific to the region. The reference data for the available bamboo resources were taken from the survey made by the Ecosystem Research Development Bureau of the DENR and area harvested and volume of production for bamboo shoots were taken from the Bureau of Agricultural Statistics. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Local Names of Bamboo Shoots The name ‘bamboo shoot’ is called in many ways around the country (Table 3, Column 3). The shoots 56 are called ‘rabong’ in Northern Luzon provinces (Regions 1, 2 and 3), ‘dabong’ in Central Luzon, rrabong’ or ‘labong’ in Pampanga, Tarlac and Bulacan ‘labong’ in Southern Tagalog regions (Batangas, Laguna, Quezon, Rizal) and in the National Capital Region (Metro Manila). In the Bicol regions, bamboo shoots are called ‘lambo’ or ‘labong’ in Camarines Norte and ‘lambong’, ‘lambo’ or ‘puwag’ in Camarines Sur. Consumers from the Visayas region call them ‘tambo’ (Hiligaynun, lloilo) or ‘dabung’ (Cebuano and Waray). It is either ‘labong’, ‘dabong’ or ‘rabong’ in several other Visayas regions. The different indigenous peoples have also unique and distinct names for bamboo shoots like ‘uvug' (Ibanag, Isabela) or ‘hubwal/harepeng’ (Ifugao, Mountain Province) This variety of names only showed that Filipinos have ong been familiar with bamboo shoots and this is a clear evidence of the prevalent use of local bamboo species as edible shoots in the whole country. Predominant Bamboo Species in Local Areas The bamboo species found along riverbanks, creeks and streams of the different provinces are listed in Table 3 {Columns 4 and 5). For the 26 provinces, the most predominant species are Bambusa blumeana (Kawayan-tini’, Figure 1A) followed by Bambusa vulgaris var vulgaris (‘Kawayan-kiling’, Figure 1B) and Bambusa merriliana (‘Bayog’. Figure 1C). The three species are almost present in all the regions. Gigantochloa levis ('Bolo’, Figure 1F) is also present in hilly and mountainous areas. Dendrocalamus asper (Giant bamboo, Figure 1G) is abundant in high elevation areas where they grow best. Schizostachyum lumampao (‘Buho’), Bambusa vulgaris ev vittata ("Yellow bamboo’, Figure 1E) and Dinochioa sp. (‘Bika’) are present intermittently among the dominant species along bamboo groves and bridges. Bambusa philippinensis (‘Laak’, Figure 1D) and Gigantochloa ater ‘Kaya’, Figure 1E) are found mostly in Southern Mindanao. Dendrocalamus latifiorus (Machiku) was introduced in the 1970's and clumps of this bamboo species are found in Laguna and Davao. In addition, survey in major rivers in some provinces, showed that 8. blumeane and 8. vulgaris are the two most abundant bamboo species observed as large clumps (Table 4). These are also the same species mostly found near bridges along major highways. Other species like 8. merriliana, G. atter, and B. philippinensis are particularly found in @ specific region of the country. The most significant observation during the survey is the consistent presence of bamboo clumps near bridges and along riverbanks in most provinces with B. blumeana as the most dominant species (Table 4). These lines of bamboos along the riverbanks especially in Luzon and Visayas are believed to have been planted by Filipinos during the Spanish time when the King of Spain ordered the ‘Indios’ to plant bamboo along the rivers for riverbank rehabilitation and prevention of soil erosion Edible bamboo of the PhilippinesTable 3. Local names for bamboo shoots, bamboo species present in the region and the predominant species as edible shoots in the different areas of the Philippines. Predominant Region no. / Local Bamboo species : 5 Town i Bamboo species Province name —_—Present in the region Ueed as food Pangasinan ‘Alaminos Rabong __Bambusa blumeana Bambusa blumeana Bani Bambusa memriliana Mangatarem Bambusa vulgaris Urdaneta Gigantochioa levis 2 Nueva Ecija Cabanatuan Dabong —_Bambusa merniiana Bambusa meriliana Bambusa blumeana Bambusa vulgaris Bambusa vulgaris Bambusa blumeana 2 Nueva Vizcaya Bambang Dabong —_Bambusa merrifiana Bambusa meriliana Bambusa vulgaris Bambusa blumeana Bambusa blumeana Bambusa vulgaris 2isabela llagan Dabong —-_Bambusa merniliana Bambusa meriiana Bambusa vulgaris Bambusa blumeana 3 Pampanga Magalang Rabong _ Bambusa blumeana Bambusa blumeana B. vulgaris cv. vittata Dendrocalamus strictus Bambusa memriliana Dinochloa sp 3 Tarlac Camiting Rabong _Dendrocalamus asper Bambusa blumeana Tarlac City Bambusa blumeana Bambusa merrliana Bambusa memriliana Bambusa vulgaris 3 Bulacan Pulilan Labong —-Bambusa vulgaris Bambusa blumeana Bambusa blumeana Bambusa vulgaris Bambusa memriliana Bambusa merriliana 4 Laguna Los Bafios Labong Bambu blumeana Bambusa blumeana Sta. Cruz Bambusa philppinensis Mejayiay Gigantochioa levis Binan Bambusa vulgaris Gigantochloa atter 4 Quezon Sariaya Labong —-_-Bambusa blumeana Bambusa blumeana Tayabas Gigantochioa levis, Gigantochioa levis, Gumaca ‘Bambusa vulgans Manila Quiapo Labong —_ Bambusa blumeana Bambusa blumeana Bambusa merniliana Bambusa meriliana ‘5 Camarines Norte Daet Lambo Bambusa blumeana Bambusa vulgaris Labo Labong ——_Dinochioa sp. Bambusa vulgaris, 5 Camarines Sur Naga Lambo Bambusa blumeana Bambusa vulgaris Sipocot Lambong —Schizostachyumn fumampao Bula Puwag —_ Bambusa vulgaris Rinconanda District Negros Oriental Dumaguete Dabong —_Bambusa merniliana Bambusa blumeana Bambusa vulgaris Bambusa blumeana 7Cebu Cebu City Dabong —_-Bambusa blumeana Bembusa blumeana Bambusa vulgaris Bambusa memnliana MT CaasiLit etal oTTable 3. Continued... Region no. / ny Local Bamboo species Province fname Present in the region Used ea ood Beye Baybay Dabong __ Bambusa blumeana Bambusa blumeana Ommoc Bambusa vulgaris Bambusa vulgaris Bambusa memriliana Bambusa memiiana 9 Bukidnon Malaybalay Dabong —_Dendrocalamus asper Dendrocalamus asper Gigantochloa atter Gigantochioa levis, 10 Misamis Oriental Cagayan de Oro. Dabong = Bambusa vulgaris Gigantochioa levis, Gigantochoa levis, 11 Davao del Norte © Tagum Dabong —_Dendrocalamus asper Bambusa philippinensis Mawab Bambusa vulgaris, Panabo Bambusa blumeana Schizostachyum lumampao Gigantochioa levis Bambusa philippinensis 14 Compostela Valley Nabunturan Dabong —_Bambusa blumeana Bambusa phlippinensis Gigantochioa atter Bambusa philippinensis. 11 Davao det Sur Calinan, DC Datong —-_Bambusa blumeana Bambusa blumeana Sta Cruz Bambusa vulgaris, 412 South Cotabato Lake Sebu Dabong —_Dendrocalamus asper Dendrocalamus asper Bambusa blumeana Bambusa vulgaris CARAGA Butuan Dabong —_ Bambusa vulgaris. Bambusa blumeana ‘Agusan del Norte Dendrocatamus latiforus Gigantochloa levis, Bambusa memiliana B. vulgaris cv. vittata Bambusa blumeana Schizostachyum lumampao CARAGA Bayugan Dabong —_ Bambusa vulgaris Dendrocalamus asper ‘Agusan det Sur Gigantochioa levis, Bambusa blumeana CARAGA Tandag Dabong —_ Bambusa blumeana Gigantochioa levis Surigao det Sur Bambusa merrliana Dendrocalamus asper Bambusa vulgaris Indigenous People’s Group Ibanag -Isabela Uvg Bambusa vulgaris Bambusa blumeana Bambusa blumeana Bambusa vulgaris Minanubo Sibagat Dabong —_Dendrocalamus asper Dendrocalamus asper Agusan del Sur Mandaya Dabong _Dendrocalamus asper Dendrocalamus asper Davao Oriental Mansaka Bambusa philippinensis Bambusa philippinensis Davao del Norte ifugao Lagawe Hubwal Bambusa memiliana Bambusa meriliana Mountain Province Banaue Harepeng — Bambusa vulgaris Dendrocalamus asper Bambusa blumeana Edible bamboo of the PhilippinesFigure 1. Edible shoots of the different bamboo species in the Philippines. A) Bambusa blumeana, B) 8. vulgaris; C) B. merriliana; D) 8. philippinensis ) G. alter, F) Gigantochioa levis; G) Dendrocalamus asper. MT CaasiLit et al 59Table 4. Selected major river basins of the Philippines and the bamboo species present in the area and the predominant bamboo species along bridges and major highways, Major Drainage area Species present during the coe River basins Region (sq. Km.) survey" 7 Cagayan Tagayan Valley 25.649 Bmenifiana B. blumeana 8. wuigars 2 Mindanao Southern Mindanao 23,169 B. philppinensis B. wigaris 3 Agusan Northern Mindanao 10.951 8. wuigaris 8. blumeana 6. levis B. wigan ev. viata 4 Pampanga Central Luzon 9,758 8. memiliana 8. blumeane 5 Agno Central Luzon 5,952 8. blumeana 6 Abra locos 5.125 B. blumeana 7 Pasig Southern Luzon 4678 B. blumeana 8 Bicol Bicol 3am 8. vulgaris B. bumeana 8 Abulug Cagayan Valley 3372 10 ‘Tagum-Libuganon: ‘Southeastern Mindanao 3,064 B. philippinensis B. wigaris B. blumesne 41 tog-Hilabangan West visayas 1.945 B. blumesna 12 Panay West Visayas 11843 13 Tagoloan Norther Mindanao 4,704 14 Agusan Southem Mindanao 1645 8. vulgaris 8, blumeana 15 Davao Southeastem Mindanao 41628 8. vulgaris B. blumeana 8. philppinensis 16 Cagayan Northern Mindanao 11821 B. blumeane 17 Jalaud West Visayas 41503 18 __Buayan-Malungun _Southeasterm Mindanao 1434 “Survey conducted from June 1999 to June 2006. ‘Source: National Water Resources Council, Principal River Basins ofthe Philippines. Bamboo species in plantations are limited to private farms for pole production. Among these pioneering bamboo plantations are those in Rizal and Davao. 8, blumeana was grown by the late Mr. A. Alfonso and his family in Pililia Rizal mainly for furniture. Locally known as ‘Laak’, B. philippinensis was discovered by the late Mr. M. Caasi in Davao and found most suitable as poles and props to support the heavy inflorescence of banana. This fast-growing species is extensively propagated and grown in large plantations and cultivated by thousands of bamboo farmers in Davao Province in the 1970's. Local Bamboo Species as Food Source in the Region Bamboo shoots of several species as food source in different regions are shown in Table 3 and Figure 2 The most predominant species (B. blumeana, B. vulgaris and 8. merriliana) are the most commonly used bamboo species for edible shoots in Northern and Central Luzon; 8. blumeana and G. levis in Southern Luzon; B. vulgaris var. vulgaris in Bicol region; Dendrocalamus asper in Central Mindanao 60 Report No. 4 (October 1976). and B. philippinensis and G. ater in Southern Mindanao. Based on the survey of 26 provinces, the top six most popular edible species in decreasing order are: B. blumeana, 8. vulgaris, 8. merziliana, G. levis, D. asper and B. philippinensis (Figure 3). The list of edible species of bamboo and some species not commonly used as food source is, summarized in Table 5. The list has been modified from Caasi-Lit (1999) and additions were made for this paper. Four species under genus Bambusa are edible namely: B. blumeana, 8. vulgaris var. vittata and B. philippinensis; three species under Dendrocalamus: D. asper, D. latiflorus and 8, merriliana and two species under Gigantochioa: G. atter and G. levis. Other bamboo species listed like Schizostachyum species are not commonly used as food source due to their characteristic thin culms. However, according to Batugal (1975), S. lima (‘Anos’) and S. lumampao (Bagakal’) were listed as species that were non- conventional food sources. No data were taken whether the shoots of Cephalostachyum mindorense locally known as ‘Bagto’ are edible. B. vulgaris Edible bamboo of the PhilippinesB blumeana Gx), B meriiona (>), & wilgaris (i), O. sper} G less) G, atter(Q)), D. philippinensis ie. Figure 2. Map location of the different edible bamboo in the Philippines. MT Caasi-Lit et al | et100.0 800 60.0 Figure 3. Percent bamboo species used as edible shoots. Table 5. Checklist of Philippine bamboos species (modified from Caasi-Lit 1999) and the percentage of species used as food in 26 provinces. Common name Scientific name Popular species used as food Other names (% of 26 provinces) ‘Commonly Used as Food Source Bambusa B blumeana Kawayan-tink Spiny bamboo 88 Batakan (Cebuano) ‘Tunokon (Cebuano) Kagingking (Cebuano) Siitan (lokane) 2. phillppinensis Laak Laak (Bisaya) " B. wuigaris Kawayan-kiing Marubal Biko} 7 Lunas (Bisaya) Taywanak B. vulgaris var. vittata 8 Kawayan-dilaw Yellow bamboo 8, meriliana Bayog Bayatakan (Bisaya) 2 Dendrocalamus D.asper Bukawe Botong (Biko!) 3 Butong (Cebuano) Patong (Bisaya) Giant bamboo D.fatiforus Botong Machiku (Japanese/Chinese) 8 Gigantochioa . atter Kayal Kayali(Bisaya) 12 6. levis Bolo Kabolian (Bikol) 39 Kawayar-sina Botong (Bisaya) B. Not Commonly Used as Food Source Cephalostachyum Bagto (Bonkawe) - € mindorense Schizostachyum 'S brachyoladum Buhong ditaw S lima Anos Bagakay (Bisaya) S.lumampao Buho Sumbiling (Tagbanua) 4 Lumampao Bagakan (Bisaya) Dinochioa sp. Bikal 8 Dendrocalamus D. stctus Male bamboo 4 Edible bamboo of the Philippines(Kiling), the lesser-used bamboo and very unpopular bamboo species, is surprisingly the species used as food in the Bicol region. Even though the natural stands of B. blumeana are abundant in the area, it is, exclusively used for furniture as per strict ordinance from the provincial government. A similar stricter ordinance was adapted in the Ilocos region in the 1990's where bamboo harvesting was prohibited for any uses. This is one way to encourage regrowth of existing natural bamboo stands and the most efficient in rejuvenating old bamboo groves Ocular inspection of the province revealed that there are no more natural bamboo stands in Butuan City and the supply of bamboo shoots come mostly from ‘Agusan del Sur. Survey of the Agusan riverbank showed the diminishing natural stands of bamboo. ‘The survey revealed that the population of the natural stands of bamboo was roughly estimated at 7 bamboo clumps per kilometer with only few culms remaining In other areas, natural bamboo stands can reach as high as 200 clumps per km and these are mostly B. blumeana and B. vulgaris. These are mainly from forest reserves which are very limited. Most of the stretch of the Agusan River is already eroding and this, has caused the continuous widening of the river. lumps of Bambusa philippinensis or locally known as ‘Laak’ are abundantly growing in Davao Province since the 1970's as a result of intensive planting for the banana plantations. This species is endemic and it was first discovered and classified as an endangered species in 1978 by Pancho and Obien (1988). Introduced in Laguna province in the early 1990's, itis now widely used as bamboo shoots in several towns and the matured culms as fish pens in surrounding Laguna de Bay (Caasi 1998), There stil remain some natural stands of the major bamboo species in the countryside. This is confirmed by the data from BAS (Table 1) and ERDB (Table 2). However, continuous cutting without replanting will eventually threaten the supply of bamboo and bamboo shoots in the future. During the survey, there has been No report of any intensive planting of bamboos for edible shoot production. This has been confirmed by the study of Santos in 2007. If the consumption of bamboo shoots will continue without planting, bamboos in the rivers, mountains and streams will eventually diminish and this will aggravate the situation. In fact, the massive harvesting of bamboo shoots from natural stands had resulted to soil erosion, and destruction of riverbanks. This is especially demonstrated along river banks of Southern Tagalog near the industrial zones of Metro Manila area, Current Status of the Local Bamboo Shoot Industry in the Philippin ‘The current status of the local bamboo shoot industry is described in Table 6. Generally throughout the entire country, the industry is at its infancy stage MT Caasi-it et at where bamboo shoots are processed manually and sold as fresh choppedisliced shoots or as whole shoots. The supply of bamboo shoots in the market is, the same for several decades now because we do not have enough resources. In fact, there is no bamboo shoot processing plant for canned bamboo shoots indicating the lesser importance of bamboo shoot as food source in the country. During the survey, a small cottage bamboo shoot industry was visited in Laguna near the industrial zone area. They bought fresh shoots from the supplier, processed the bamboo shoots and delivered them in cans on regular basis in big markets in Metro, Manila ially, they harvested the shoots from bamboo clumps along the river. However, the supply from the river had diminished in 2000 due to overharvesting and the clumps eventually died. Lately, the supply of fresh bamboo shoots are now taken from Quezon and other provinces, A recent study by Santos (2007) on the marketing system of bamboo shoot in selected municipalities in Laguna revealed that there are no bamboo shoot farms in the area and no existing farming methodologies for bamboo shoot production. Only harvesters and marketing intermediaries _ were observed in his study. The marketing system is not efficient though it was found that bamboo shoot business is profitable among harvesters and intermediaries. Bamboo Shoots in the Local Markets All the bamboo shoots in the market are sold fresh and some are pre-cooked (Table 6). Fresh bamboo shoots are either sold as whole or choppedisliced into strips or thin sticks or chips. Dealers in Pangasinan and other provinces in Central Luzon prefer to sell them as whole fresh shoots (about 1 ft in height! length). Sale of fresh bamboo shoots normally takes place early moming to noontime. ‘The consumption of the B. merriliana shoots in Nueva Ecija is very high because of the abundant sources of shoots from natural stands. This is the most preferred species of bamboo for vegetable consumption. There is also one private farm in the area that will try to produce bamboo shoots using other species. In the urban areas in this province like the city of Cabanatuan, the supply of bamboo shoots come mostly from nearby towns (Table 6). Nueva Viscaya is mainly the source of bamboo shoots in Northern Luzon. This indicates that this province still has a lot of natural sources of bamboo shoots from its forests. The market supply in some towns depends on the availability of shoots from other nearby towns. In the province of Quezon, bamboo shoots are always available in the markets indicating the abundant natural stands in this region. However, for Tarlac, there are only very few natural bamboo stands left. Bamboo shoots are scarce and very expensive 63seuppies vey Je1@m uliyBiwere Yeos ‘qn Boge hethofony sunoy > 54 Ov-0EdUd :P®400D zg “els Z104110q pue ysem ‘doug 'e — eresy esting —_, Bx ge-szduid PevecDUN soyeg 507 eunbe1y Buoge| Buogopy eredwes 6u Buogsn 4o snBueq paup rrysse6 2p PUE SEINUIW OE-0Z 40} 108 ‘ym BuogeT 10 02-0'SdUd ‘Passenog uewnd ueseing € Suep6uoug “Buoge| Buogony seem BuogeiBuesiung ‘uy ul uses SdWuNp ooqulea may Kian “AED a10uN ur yBiusen0 yeos uoty pesserd >) JBLEW ou) U Pakeys SIO_URA ‘PaOKs ;pue 1a}2m Buyiog 0} peppy 84 OOrdud :Passs0014 10 paddoyo Apeauie sedediaxsew ul pjos sioous oeHeL E sq vaxouuo ou im estan 1uBioy oun pjos sjoous oN “eysioous pe AUS ‘S@NJUIW OE-SI JO} 108 Buepbueuig Peonpoid uoneweld s,urue| 4g “OYIN [3 BuuNg Guerebew ebuedwed ¢ ogopy ‘peles lep pjos (paddoyp) sj up pue seqnu 0-02 405 Suep6veUg oldud peddoug ‘Ayeuen ejndod sou ou, 1 ejoqesz orem Ur Simone yeos uowg pessexd “yajem Buljoa 04 Pappy “a injssei6o°04 ekeazin -06-Ldid *Boheg passanoig ‘toou 0} Buwiow Woy pjos siooug —-Buequueg enenN z ogopy, ‘seave Aqieeu Woy Ajsow Yoknjes 10 owues ‘eo sj004s ooquled "AD UeMeUEGeD UI yy Buejbueing ‘yBiy Asean sj uogdwinsuod “ede sBuepiueurg —mysseIGO'Sidud ‘Paddoyy yy 40 Avauduad aut ye plos SJooys pao! uemeueqeg —efiog en@nNZ Buconpiqges: O'0Z-0'0ldUd ‘JOO} (1) BuO pat aiojaq palseney S}O0US ue yoAnies 4, Sod ¢ Boke BIOUNA uewwied ou pey siopuaA —_eiauepIN «him Buoger Ur Ysip oyone} ale sjooys wesere6UEHy 122m uy yyBiusano ¥e0S “a ueeyeun@ {81001 did ooquieq ssneseq joyew fenvajod a61e7) “yoxse weg _AMseinaiw 9¢30 108-2 __Suep6voug syuyuekemey pe01s ‘94 U jos sloous pears pue (ejouN) uSel4 _soulWeTy _ueuseBUed | ,S}00yg ‘Aaysnpuy BOUIAQ uoperedeid ous wS0d1204 —— paotis 10 a]oUM Jo edd ——-«100\'s Coquieg ain Jo UORduDseq wel juoibey ‘seulddiyd a1 Jo SuoiGas warayip aun Ul UoNereda:d yooys pue sadioas ‘aoud ‘AusnpuUl oOUS COqUIEG Je90) atA JO Edible bamboo of the PhilippinesTable 6. Continued. Region! Price of whole or sliced 65 fee Town Description of the bamboo shoot industry aes Recipes™™ ‘Shoot Preparation Fauezn Sariaya_ Bamboo shoot s he common food source because Processed: PhP2O.Okg ‘Chop, Bolland wash Tayabas of the abundant natural stands in the area Processed: PhP10.0/canful Gumaca Guisang abong with sardine NoR Quiapo ‘Shoots from different places due to lack of bamboo Chopped: PhP10.O/big Atsara (binuro or Chop, wash and boil in water Manila resources in the area, sold chopped or cocked. canful pickled) Processed: PHP10.0/glassful Gui Guinisa Camarines Det chopped: PhP10.0/glassful Guinataan Chop and soak in water Norte Labo SCamarines Naga Bamboo shoot is a delicacy in Camarines Sur. chopped: PRP10.0/glassful Tinumtuman, _a. Wash three (2) times. Boil until Sur Sipocot "Tinumtuman’ wth bi (scallops) is the number Guinisa froth disappears, Bula Guinataan with b. Rinconanda alimasag District places have diferent food preparations, , Soak for three days in running water. 6 Negros Dumaguete Bamboo shoots from neighboring towns, only few chopped: PhP10.0iglassful Guinataan, 2. Chop, boil and wash, Oriental bamboo stands inthe city Guinisa, Kilawin_b. Soak overnight in water. 7 Cebu Cebu City Bamboo shoots from neighboring towns. Only few chopped: PhP 10.0/glassful Sweet and sour Bail in water and press. ‘bamboo clumps in rverbanks in Cebu City Paklay, Guinisa, Guinataan B Leyte Baybay chopped: PRP10.0lglassful Guinisa 2. Boll, remove froth and press Ormoe Guinataan b. Soak overnight in water. 10.Bukidnon —-Malaybalay Abundant natural bamboo stands and plenty of chopped: PhP5.0O/glassful Guinataan 2. Boil, remove froth and press. bamboo shoot sold in the market. Giant bamboo or Guinisa b. Soak overnight in water. ‘Patong’ shoots plenty starting July because of aftemoon showers, cool mornings and moist weather. JO Misamis Cagayan de Bamboo shoots from nearby towns, no more Processed: PhP25.0 kg" __Peklay, Guinisa_a, Wash thoroughiy. Oriental Oro (CDO)_standing bamboo clumps in the city. Ubod: PHP3O.0 kg" Kilawin ». Bolin water. MT CaastLit et at‘se0e1s9} ou UO ooquieg ued 0} way) Buniqyosd wnpueowau @ 0 01 9}041. 0002 SuNr-666) auNr Kanuns ey BuUNp siooys coqused Jo 291 oqopy ‘fq pausano6 si puejsioys ‘sjooys coquieg Buyes == eneueg ‘ujeup pue saynuiw o¢ 10} 1108 inyssei6/00 01d ‘Peddoug —_ ui soueoo|| ou) Aq Aeal6 peouenyul a1emsoebny) ——-ameBe7 ov6ry, ‘reup ‘saynuilu St 40} 108 -q vueeieung ‘Seaue fess et Ul S]OOUS COqWIEG Jo __@YON Ong eyesueyy uBluseA0 Yeos ‘ans-doug ‘wold ‘sea1e peisaio; ui spue|s coquieg uepungy —jeIweudoRG ekepuew sioous sono snweune, Bueld fq pain quepunge ee seney pue ‘ou Jo}eM ULjog"p —_UeejeUNS‘eves siey uesnby se0u sai .SMWEUINB, Broge BoeI4 "9 AY “(usy payoug -Uo0 Jo} ayes ApeaLTe axe s}OOYs aU ang weeis*q 40 paud episul SiuL ‘@jdoed snove6ipul sui0s 10; yBnoua si euoje jap uesnBiy Paxys-e Buy) uesieg Buyysem justuoo eplueso mo| sey coquieq we!) BEG’ ognueuiy Seueq! ees ‘spue}s Jeunjeu woy persensey ‘ej@qes} Jo sdnaip sayd ‘ej 0 siany ulysem ty BuepBusuIG ‘dood snoussipu! Aq poo} s® pasn sjooys ooqwieg ejeqes! -00g snovebipuy eswing ‘s80id pue 912M UI 10g Reyyed —_myuec/0g'ddud :Peddouo 100} | 18 polsaniey pue Bp sjooys ooquieg Sepue, sng op ovbung ‘Aiddns quepunay ‘sous Bueqebny coquied 10} paiseivey sduunp eB1e} 210 SoM ——-ueBinkeg ng jap uesnBy ‘unysdun L1e parewiisa yueqenu uesnby ut ooquieg 2uON hepied fod “ung jep uesnBy wo Aluiew sjooUs ep uesnBy ‘ssaid pue Sajnuiw ¢} 40} 108 eeu —myuea/Q‘OLdlid :Peddouyn —_ooguUeg Jo eouNog “UeniINg UI spuEIS OoqUIEG ON, uening yoveo ‘zoulnoid ay ul sduunyo ooqwied 10 fivatd ‘ooquiea jo sarvads zy Buisnoy ‘(yN30) esung ‘Seo:nosoy JEIMIEN PUE TWEWIUOWIA JO 1UAWs foyer, 's8aid pUe J812M UI 110g fepied suedeg aul Aq pausigeise useq sey wniasnqweg —uesnjungeN efeisoduiog 1 Sueceony suojejueyd eueued Jo} sejod ooquieg se pasn ueeeung ‘Auewud payueld a1om sasejoay Qoo'ST UeWI B10 = ogeutd esiuing “Aepied ‘paddouo Apeaile auwos pue sioous coquied sjouM gemew suo ____'ssaid pue seiem utiog @ nos pue 139MS __IMJUEDIO‘OLdld ‘Paddouy _Se aWIOS ‘TeyseW a4) U plOs siooYs ooqWieG USsaL-4 née, __repoenea tt i -s}004S wu souynoug uopesedesg oous a80d1oou poojjs.0 sjoursjo soug -«-AASNPUIIOOUS Coquiea ain Jo UORdUDBEq MOL uolBeu panunuoy “9 a1qeL Edible bamboo of the PhilippinesSimilarly, the supply of bamboo shoots in Cagayan de Oro comes mostly from surrounding towns and there are no more natural bamboo stands in the area The sale of bamboo shoots in the market starts from ‘one to two months after the rainy season (June-July) and before the dry season (October and November), The supply is scarce during the dry months or summer especially during the EI Niffo. From the survey, it was observed however, that there is a continuous supply of bamboo shoot during La Nia and in areas affected by heavy rains and flooding. In Agusan River, B. vulgaris was abundant and this species is observed to survive flooding and stil produce a number of shoots. The price of bamboo shoots in the market depends on the abundance of natural bamboo stands in the area (Table 6, Column 4). It was observed that the more abundant the natural bamboo stands, the lower the price per kilogram or per can. In fact, higher prices Were observed in the urban markets compared to the rural areas. A can (usually a liter called ‘caltex’ in Mindanao) of bamboo shoot was priced at PhP15.00 in Nueva Ecija while PhP 7.50-10.00 in Nueva Viscaya during the survey. Generally, the prices are lower during the early season (July-August) and higher towards the late harvesting season (September-October) or during the onset of the dry season. Bamboo Shoot Preparation Each region has its own way of preparing and processing bamboo shoots (Table 6, Column 6). In all the provinces, boiling is the common procedure to eliminate the bitter taste or the toxic cyanide substance in bamboo shoots. In Pangasinan, Nueva Ecija, Nueva Viscaya and in most places in Regions 3 and 4, bamboo shoots are boiled for 30 min or soaked in water overnight. In Camarines Sur, processing is done by soaking the bamboo shoots in water for 3 days and exposed to overnight dew or precipitation, or by soaking for 3 days in running water. In Southern Tagalog provinces, boiling and soaking are also the common practice. For the Minanubo of Sibagat (Agusan del Sur), freshly chopped bamboo shoots are placed above the ‘ginamus’ or fermented fish to eliminate the bitter taste or the cyanide. All the bamboo shoot preparations are done manually. Preserved bamboo shoots (canned, dried, bottled, desiccated, vacuum-packed) are ‘produced from foreign countries and sold as imported goods in big supermarkets, Bamboo Shoot Recipes Different regions have their unique dishes made of bamboo shoots (Table 6, Column 5). ‘Guinataang Iabong’ is the most famous recipe around the country. ‘Among the Ilocanos in the North, ‘dinengdeng nga rabong’ with ‘saluyot’ or ‘sabbiducong’ is one of the most popular recipes. 'Adobong labong’ and ‘labong salad’ are the favorites of Nueva Ecija, Isabela and MT Caasi-it et al Tarlac. ‘Tinumtuman’, an all time favorite of people from Naga using mainly the shoots of B. vulgaris, is a popular delicacy for snacks or ‘merienda’. D. asper (Giant bamboo), popular among the people of Bukidnon is made into ‘guinataan’ (coconut milk) and ‘guinisa’ (sautéed). ‘Paklay’ is one of the most delicious and famous recipes among the Visayans and many people of Mindanao. Sometimes, they steam the bamboo shoots to get rid of the bitter taste. They also prepare this particular ‘Paisan’ delicacy Where bamboo shoots are placed inside the fish Pickled ‘labong’, ‘lumpiang labong’ (spring rolls) and ‘adobong labong’ are some of the favorite recipes among Filipinos. Details of the different recipes are shown in CaasiLit (1999), The Potential of Bamboo Shoots in the Future and the Need to Study the Cyanide Content Based on the above results, there is a great potential for the Philippines to engage in bamboo shoot production and processing. Given the natural resources as well as the expansion of existing bamboo plantations, the possibilty of future ventures into bamboo shoot business is encouraging. Bamboo, as a vital food source in our diet, has already been highlighted and this will inspire many Filipinos to patronize this very important commodity in these relevant times of climate change. However, ttle is known in the literature on the chemical composition of bamboo shoots under Philippine conditions. The bitter taste of bamboo shoots is the cyanide substance and shoots when eaten raw are highly toxic. This is the reason why our oid folks boil the shoots to evaporate or eliminate the cyanide toxins. This common practice has been demonstrated during the many local trips in the different regions of the country CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS Bamboo resources in the Philippines are still abundant especially for the most common species that are found in the countryside. Though under-utilized as a food source, the common species are edible and they have great potential as vegetables. ‘Kawayang tinik’ of B. blumeana is the most predominant species and found in 95% of all the regions followed by B. vulgaris. The bamboo shoot industry as pictured in the survey is stil at its infancy stage. Bamboo shoot harvesting and processing are done manually. There are no commercial bamboo shoot farms and no bamboo shoot farmers during the survey and this has limited the marketing potential and consumption of this commodity. With its innumerable uses, bamboo around the country can be a source of food. However, natural stands of bamboo are already dwindling in urban 67areas and this will eventually affect the supply of bamboo shoots in the local markets. The over-harvesting and diminishing old bamboo stands are the obvious reason behind the decline in bamboo shoot supply and uitiization. The increasing awareness to shift to nutritious, and healthy food today may encourage Filipinos to consume bamboo shoots in the future. Therefore, there is @ need to conduct a country-wide inventory of bamboo resources for the different bamboo species which is important in assessing the status of bamboo shoot, industry. It is strongly recommended that planting of bamboo in barren and abandoned lands will add to the hectarage needed to produce shoots for local consumption. Rehabilitation also of existing natural stands of bamboo will encourage new growth of shoots. Basic studies on bamboo shoot research and development should also be conducted especially if we venture into large scale commercial production in the future. Studies on enhancing shoot production through silvicultural management to include harvesting schemes should be conducted. Post harvest studies to develop efficient bamboo shoot processing not only for local consumption. as well as for export processing to other countries are needed. In addition, the role of the goverment is very vital especially the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and their regional offices. They must pursue a feasible program and encourage the Filipino citizens to embark on replanting and reforestation of denuded lands by using the different bamboo species with great vegetable shoot potential. This will have great benefits on environmental protection and_tivelinood program for many Filipinos in the rural areas especially in this era of climate change. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT ‘The authors would like to thank the following: Financial support for the project entitled "Bamboo shoots as substitute vegetable during La Nia’ funded by UPLB- PCARRD under the ‘Funds for El Nifio R and D Program and the Agricultural Research Management Division and, the UPLB Basic Research Project entitled ‘Arthropod Pests of Philippine Bamboos: Taxonomy, Biology, natural Enemies and Host Plant Resistance’, Dr. Romulo T. Aggangan and Mr. Marcelino U. Siladan of FERD-PCARRD for endorsing this project, the Ecosystems Research Development Service (ERDS) offices at Regions IV, X and XI for assistance in visiting La Nifa-affected regions; Ecosystem Research and Development Bureau for the data on bamboo resources; Los Bafios Experimental Station (LBES)-ERDB; Ms. Cristina A. Brifias-Candelaria, for assistance in identifying bamboo species along the river banks, Ms. Jacqui Safranca (Crops Statistics Division, Vegetables and Root Crops Section, Bureau of Agricultural Statistics, Department of Agriculture) provided the bamboo shoot statistics data for 2002-2007; Dr. Dolores ‘A. Ramirez and Dr. Affinetta B. Zamora, for their 68 encouraging support for Dr. CaasiLit's work on bamboo R and D and Dr. Ireneo L. Lit, Jr. and the reviewers for their comments and suggestions, LITERATURE CITED [BAS] Bureau of Agricultural Statistics. 2007. Performance of Philippine Agriculture. Bamboo ‘Shoots 2002-2007. hitp:/hwww.bas.gov.ph. Batugal P. 1975. Non-conventional food sources. Depthnews. Permafor Forest and Farms 8(1):8 Caasi MC. 1998. Terminal Report for the project "Kawayan: Yaman ng Laguna’. 22 pp. Caasi-Lit MT. 1999. Bamboo as Food, pp 42-65 In Bamboo + Coconut [Kawayan + Lubi]. Philippine Coconut Research and Development Foundation, Inc. Pasig City, vi + 82 pp. Caas-Lit MT, RG Maghirang, LB Mabesa. 1999. Potential of bamboo shoots as food for the new millennium. Plenary paper presented during the 3° National Bamboo Conference held in Cadlan Pil Camarines Sur, June 25-26 Caasi-Lit MT. 1998. Bamboo as a promising food source. Paper presented during a Seminar Workshop on ‘Bamboo Culture as a Monocrop or Intercrop for Coconut,’ Visayas State College of Agriculture (VISCA) Baybay Leyte. 14 pp. October 28-29. Dransfield S, EA Widjaja (Editors), 1995. Plant Resources of South-East Asia No 7. Bamboos. Backhuys Publishers, Leiden. 189 pp. (DENR] Department of Environment and Natural Resources. 2002. Information on bamboo. Spp with several annexes. Pancho JV, SR Obien. New records of bamboo for the Philippines. Philippine Agriculturist 71(2): 199-228. Rivera MCN. 2009, Economics and market potential of bamboo for shoots and engineered products in the Philippines In. Silvicuttural management of bamboo in the Philippines and Australia for shoots and timber. Proceedings of a workshop held in Los Bafos, the Philippines, 22-23 November 2006. Midmore D.J. (ed) 2009. ACIAR Proceedings No.129, 139 pp. Rojo JP, CA Roxas, FC Pitargue Jr, CA Brifias. 2000. Philippine Erect Bamboos: A’ Field Identification Guide. Los Batios, Laguna, Philippines: Forest Products Research andDevelopment Institute. xii+ 162 pp. Santos MW. 2007. Marketing of bamboo shoots in selected municipalities in Laguna. BS Thesis. Available at the University Library. University of the Philippines Los Bafios, College, Laguna. 67 pp. Virtucio FD, CA Roxas. 2003. Bamboo Production in the Philippines. Ecosystems Research and Development Bureau, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, College, Laguna. 202 pp. ines