DoST-FPRDI hosts International Bamboo Congress
DEPARTMENT of Science and Technology Secretary Renato U. Solidum Jr. tours the Regional Coffee Innovation Center and Coffee Museum at Davao del Sur State College. The center, established through DoST support, provides local Arabica coffee growers with quality testing, sensory evaluation and post-harvest training to enhance farm livelihoods across the region.
Photograph courtesy of dost
The Department of Science and Technology-Forest Products Research and Development Institute (DoST-FPRDI) has invited global industry stakeholders, researchers, and policymakers to the International Bamboo Congress scheduled for 16 to 18 September 2027 in Clark, Pampanga.
Carrying the theme “Bamboo Beyond Boundaries: Ecology, Innovation, Impact,” the congress will serve as an international platform to exchange insights and highlight advances in bamboo research, industrial applications, and sustainable forest resource solutions.
DoST-FPRDI director Rico J. Cabangon noted that abstract submissions covering best practices in bamboo production, material innovations, industry stories, and community governance will open in November 2026.
Secretary Renato U. Solidum Jr. stressed that the initiative aims to advance bamboo for higher-value applications while strengthening industry competitiveness to drive economic growth. The event aligns with national climate action frameworks, including the Climate Change Act of 2009.
In a separate development in Mindanano, the Regional Coffee Innovation Center and Coffee Museum at Davao del Sur State College in Digos City continues to assist local coffee growers in producing higher-value Arabica coffee products.
Established with support from the DoST Community Engagement through Science and Technology program, the center evolved from a basic coffee cupping laboratory into a comprehensive processing and research facility.
RCIC director Regie A. Patagoc reported that the center has assisted over 1,000 coffee farmers from Davao del Sur and neighboring provinces since its official inauguration in February 2025.
Equipped with roasting and grinding machinery, roast color analyzers, and sensory evaluation tools, the center provides free technical training to help farmers improve harvest quality, roast consistency, and market value.
Davao del Sur remains a primary producer of Arabica coffee in the Davao Region, which produced 619.92 metric tons of coffee in the second quarter of 2023, making it the third-largest producing region in the country according to Philippine Statistics Authority data.
Science department officials inspected the facility during the Regional Science, Technology, and Innovation Week celebrations in the Davao Region held 15 to 17 October 2026.