QUEZON CITY — CIBAC Party-list Representative and House Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Chair Bro. Eddie Villanueva lauded the House of Representatives’ approval on third and final reading of a landmark bill that promotes bamboo as a key material for environmentally sustainable construction in the Philippines.

Villanueva is the principal author of House Bill No. 11394, also known as the “Bamboo for Sustainable Built Environment” bill, aims to institutionalize the use of bamboo in infrastructure projects by integrating it into the country’s national building standards. The proposed law mandates the creation of a Bamboo Structural Code (BSC) and a Bamboo Architectural Code (BAC), which will be adopted alongside existing national building codes.

If enacted, the bill sets an ambitious target: within three years, at least 50% of wood-based materials used in new government buildings must be sourced from bamboo. It also includes the incorporation of bamboo utilization in academic programs for architecture, engineering, and allied fields.

“With this bill, we are sowing seeds for a greener and more sustainable structures and buildings,” said Rep. Villanueva. “Bamboo is a gift from God—strong, renewable, locally-available and deeply rooted in Filipino culture. We must harness it not only for environmental consideration but also for economic empowerment.”

The legislation also provides both fiscal and non-fiscal incentives to farmer cooperatives and businesses involved in the bamboo supply chain, aiming to spur planting, propagation, and manufacturing of bamboo-based products across the country.

“As bamboo bends but does not break, so must our commitment to just and sustainable development remain unyielding,” Villanueva added. “This is a forward-looking, climate-aligned, and pro-poor legislation. I thank our colleagues for appreciating and approving this bill.”

📷 CIBAC