GOVPH

Sa pangunguna ng Department of Science and Technology-Forest Products Research and Development Institute (DOST-FPRDI), nasolusyunan ang isa sa mga hinaing ng mga lokal na abaca farmers: ang pagkakaroon ng fiber-extracting machine na ligtas at epektibo rin. 

“For a long time, many of our abaca farmers have had no choice but to use very hazardous fiber-extracting machines that expose them to moving blades. With the Institute’s abaca decorticating machine, this hazard has been removed while still giving them high fiber quality and yield. This is an important development, especially since abaca is one of the country’s most vital cash crops and top export earners,” paliwanag ni Engr. Edward Paul S. Marasigan ng DOST-FPRDI.

Kilala bilang isa sa pinakamatibay na natural fiber, ang abaca ay nagbibigay-kita sa halos 76,000 magsasaka at libu-libo pang mga Pilipino na nagtatrabaho sa trading post at mga processing plant. Dagdag pa rito, aabot sa halos $ 97 M kada taon ang kita mula sa mga fiber export at produksyon ng abaca cordage, yarns, fabrics at fiber crafts, maging ang mga pulp at raw fiber.

“Coming up with a safe and effective fiber-extracting device has been a long-time challenge for the country’s abaca industry. Available technologies are typically labor-intensive, unsafe to use, and unable to yield fibers of consistent quality. We are glad we have been able to develop a machine that solves these concerns. At a fabrication cost of PhP 165,000 and a fiber recovery of 3.79%, our innovation is at par with the abaca decorticating devices available in the market,” ayon pa kay Engr. Marasigan.

Pinondohan ng DOST-FPRDI ang proyektong ito na output mismo ng thesis ni Engr. Marasigan para sa kaniyang masteral degree sa Agricultural Engineering sa University of the Philippines Los Baños. Kasama niya sa rito sina Dr. Fernando O. Paras Jr., For. Victor G. Revilleza, at Engr. Alvin F. Vardeleon. (Impormasyon mula kay Rizalina K. Araral, DOST-FPRDI)