CAGAYAN DE ORO City — The city government on Friday sought to attain a Guinness record for the most bamboo planted in one hour in observance of the Philippine Bamboo month last September.

The new record will complement the record of bamboo currently holding the record of the fastest growing plant in the world as of May 2024.

City Local Environment and Natural Resources Office (Cleanro) head  Alven Cuenca  announced that the mass bamboo planting activity has been launched by the Department of Science and Technology (DOST-10) together with provinces of Northern Mindanao — Bukidnon, Lanao del Norte, Misamis Occidental and Oriental and  Camiguin provinces including Cagayan de Oro City.

The bamboo planting activity is in accordance with annual observance of Philippine Bamboo Month last 8 September and World Bamboo Day on 18 September. 

“Our quota is 275 bamboo plants which can help contain soil erosion and provide livelihood for the people,” he said.

He said the bamboo planting activity will be carried out in 10 hectares of land in Sitio Pamalihi, in the hinterland barangay of Pagatpat.

Spearheading the activity in the city will be the City Agricultural Productivity Office and the City Local Environment and Natural Resources Office.  Partnering with City Hall are some of the city’s barangays and cooperatives such as the Kolago Farmers Cooperative and the City Farmers Confederation among others, he said.

Earlier, city administrator Roy Hilario Raagas said a portion of the river boulevard will be set aside for the program.

As of May this year, the Guinness book record listed bamboo as the fastest-growing plant with an average of 91 cm growth in a day.