The Philippine Fiber Industry Development (PhilFIDA) initiated the holding of the Sericulture Stakeholders’ Meeting on 14 October 2015 at Hotel Supreme, Baguio City. The meeting aimed to assess the current situation of cocoon production and the prospects of pushing through with the development of silk production in the Philippines.

Representatives from the local government units (LGUs), non-government organizations (NGOs), national government agencies in the Cordillera Autonomous Region (CAR), academe, silk processors/buyers, cooperatives/associations of cocoon producers and officials and staff of PhilFIDA convened for the event.

           In his message, Executive Director Clarito M. Barron emphasized the need to develop the silk production in order to meet the demands of the industry.  

     “With the present situation of the sericulture industry, there is a need to do a lot of work from increasing cocoon production to raw silk production,” Barron said. He challenged everyone to work together and face all existing challenges in the industry to boost the development of sericulture in the Philippines.

              Participants from the national agencies, the academe and one of the NGOs involved in sericulture activities in the Philippines presented their specific roles in uplifting the industry. Stakeholders particularly farmers, buyers, processors and even LGUs discussed prevailing industry problems and suggested possible interventions and strategies to address the issues.  They aim to focus mainly on the construction of additional rearing houses, provision of rearing inputs, commercial production of silkworm eggs, cocoon market cum warehouse establishment and the operationalization of the PhilFIDA Silk Processing Center in Wangal, Benguet.

        The joint efforts and commitments of the PhilFIDA, government agencies in CAR, the academe and LGUs together with the private sector are expected to improve the development of the sericulture industry in the region.  The PhilFIDA is looking forward to help the industry propagate cocoon production in CAR and eventually to other areas in the country.  The industry players agreed to initially solve the gap in the local supply of silk.

          A visit to the Provincial Sericulture Center at the PhilFIDA Regional Satellite Office in Wangal, La Trinidad, Benguet was also held after the meeting. The group were able to observe silkworm rearing, cocoon production and raw silk processing.  This facility will become the demonstration/training center for silk production and will serve as an incubation area for silkworms intended for private business ventures that will spearhead the development of sericulture industry in northern Luzon. The PhilFIDA will continue to provide technical support to the sericulture farmers through the center as part of its contribution to the local economic development of CAR. 

The participants to the 2015 Sericulture Stakeholders’ Meeting held at Hotel Supreme, Baguio City

The Egg Production and Multiplication Center in PhilFIDA Regional Satellite Office I in Wangal, Benguet

Young- age silkworm rearing in the Egg Production and Multiplication Center in PhilFIDA Regional Satellite Office I in Wangal, Benguet

Visit of the participants to the Cocoon Processing Center in PhilFIDA Regional Satellite Office I in Wangal, Benguet

The process of cocoon reeling in PhilFIDA Regional Satellite Office I in Wangal, Benguet

The cocoon reeling machine on its operation during the visit of the participants in the 2015 Sericulture Stakeholders’ Meeting

The cocoon re-reeling machine on its operation during the visit of the participants in the 2015 Sericulture Stakeholders’ Meeting

Briefing regarding the functions of the machines in the Raw Silk Production Center in  PhilFIDA Regional Satellite Office I in Wangal, Benguet