Dr. Emil Javier, President - Philippine Academy of Science visited Libacao, Aklan to see the status of abaca production in that municipality. He is shown (left) with Gov. Carlito S. Marquez and Libacao Mayor Charito Navarosa during the exit interview held in the Provincial Guest House on Monday morning, August 13.
Dr. Emil Javier, President - Philippine Academy of Science visited Libacao, Aklan to see the status of abaca production in Libacao, Aklan. He is shown (left) with Gov. Carlito S. Marquez and Libacao Mayor Charito Navarosa during the exit interview held in the Provincial Guest House on Monday morning, August 13. Dr. Javier is very much enthusiastic about the very good prospect of abaca production in the Philippines, parti-cularly in Aklan.
According to him, there is the Maganhup tree which serves as shade and fertilizer for abaca. Maganhup tree is a legumenous tree with soft woody stem that maybe indigenous to Aklan as there is no scientific study about it. Moreover, he also found the bamboos growing luxuriantly not only in Libacao, but all over Aklan. This bamboo plants are good materials for furniture, for export and mate-rial for houses.
He found Aklan abaca that are yet free of any virus disease such as Bunchy Top and mossaic. He recommends strict quarentine practices to prevent the entry of any musa diseases in Aklan. According to Javier, the demand for abaca is icreasing at the rate of 3 to 4 percent annually and its price has doubled for the last three years.
Dr. Javier is commissioned to prepare the 2020 agricultural development plan of the Philippines and one of the high value crops included in that plan is abaca. While Aklan is suited for abaca with soil and climates favorable, Javier sugges-ted however, to develop man labor, fertilizer and equipment studies like stripping machines to increase fiber yeild.
Dr. Javier was the former UP System President and Chancelor of UP Los Baños. /MP
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