DOST introduces sustainable material for school desks, chairs
A sustainable and competitive material may soon replace wood and plastic as school furniture. This, as the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) develops school tables and chairs from engineered bamboo.
Aptly called Silyang Pinoy, the school furniture will be mainly produced using engineered bamboo or e-bamboo, and other raw materials. They will also be multi-functional where chairs and tables can easily be transformed into other furniture. This is especially useful in a country where schools are usually converted into evacuation centers during disasters.
“The Silyang Pinoy is an important development in providing quality furniture in primary and secondary public schools in the country,” says DOST Secretary Renato U. Solidum, Jr. “Our country’s geographic location situates us in the pathway of destructive typhoons. This furniture technology will support our educational school system and at the same time, be a sturdier furniture for evacuees who seek shelter in schools during disasters.”
E-bamboo is made by binding together fibers, particles, strips or slats of bamboo with the right adhesive. Used worldwide to make attractive panels, floors, furniture and handicrafts, it is often stronger and less prone to warping than equivalent solid woods.
Through this project, the DOST-Forest Products Research and Development Institute (DOST-FPRDI) targets to comply with the price set by the Department of Education (DepEd) to be able to compete with school furniture in the market. Currently, the DepEd spends at least Php 116,000 for 1-table-1-chair sets for 45 students.
“The Institute has long realized the potential of bamboo and the need to mainstream its use to support the local industry. One of the most economically-important non-timber forest products, bamboo has excellent properties that make it an ideal substitute to wood for furniture, handicrafts, construction material, and chemical products,” explained DOST-FPRDI Director Romulo T. Aggangan.
He added, “Supporting bamboo production not only provides economic opportunities for local bamboo farmers and e-bamboo producers; It also helps address the country’s wood supply problems.”
As efforts pour in to develop technologies for e-bamboo production and promote its use, bamboo growers and users can look forward to better business opportunities in the years to come.
The "Design and Development of Multi-functional School Furniture" project led by Engr. Edward Paul Marasigan is funded by the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic, and Natural Resources Research and Development (DOST-PCAARRD). For more information on Silyang Pinoy and e-bamboo production, please email info@fprdi.dost.gov.ph. ### (Apple Jean C. Martin- de Leon, 30 January 2023)
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