House panel OKs bill declaring waling-waling as national orchid
Published Aug 29, 2019 07:56 pm
By Charissa Luci-Atienza
The House Committee on Basic Education and Culture has approved a bill seeking to declare waling-waling as the national orchid of the Philippines.
Waling waling orchids (Alexander D. Lopez / MANILA BULLETIN)
Pasig City Rep. Roman Romulo, committee chairman, disclosed that his panel passed the amended House Bill 3506, principally authored by Davao City Rep. Vincent Garcia.
“Since it is difficult to overturn Sampaguita as our national flower, the panel decided to declare waling-waling as our national orchid as agreed by the author himself,” he said.
Garcia's HB 3506 originally proposed that waling-waling be declared as the country's national flower.
“If waling-waling shall be saved, protected, regulated and its industry developed, it could be the single biggest dollar earner for the country and would contribute to the economic growth of the Filipinos,” Garcia said.
Scientifically known as Vanda sanderiana, waling-waling is the best orchid variety in the country and used to abound in the tropical forest of Mount Apo in Davao and Zamboanga del Sur. It is considered as the queen of Philippine flowers.
“Aside from having its origin in the Philippines, the waling-waling flower is truly symbolic of the Filipino traits and characteristics,” Garcia said.
He also noted that the ornamental value of waling-waling is “of national and international popularity.”
In 1882, Frederick Sander of London introduced the waling-waling to the orchid enthusiasts and lovers in London, he said.
“It was also propagated by orchid hobbyists and commercial orchid growers in other countries particularly Singapore, Thailand, Hongkong, and Hawaii,” Garcia said.
“Since then, the waling-waling hybrids have been one of the world’s multibillion-dollar orchid and cut-flower industry. This is symbolic of the adaptability of the Filipinos,” he said.
HB 3506 tasks the Secretary of Environment and Natural Resources to promulgate the rules and regulations that will govern the acquisition, care, and disposal of, and to protect, conserve and propagate the waling-waling.
Waling waling orchids (Alexander D. Lopez / MANILA BULLETIN)
Pasig City Rep. Roman Romulo, committee chairman, disclosed that his panel passed the amended House Bill 3506, principally authored by Davao City Rep. Vincent Garcia.
“Since it is difficult to overturn Sampaguita as our national flower, the panel decided to declare waling-waling as our national orchid as agreed by the author himself,” he said.
Garcia's HB 3506 originally proposed that waling-waling be declared as the country's national flower.
“If waling-waling shall be saved, protected, regulated and its industry developed, it could be the single biggest dollar earner for the country and would contribute to the economic growth of the Filipinos,” Garcia said.
Scientifically known as Vanda sanderiana, waling-waling is the best orchid variety in the country and used to abound in the tropical forest of Mount Apo in Davao and Zamboanga del Sur. It is considered as the queen of Philippine flowers.
“Aside from having its origin in the Philippines, the waling-waling flower is truly symbolic of the Filipino traits and characteristics,” Garcia said.
He also noted that the ornamental value of waling-waling is “of national and international popularity.”
In 1882, Frederick Sander of London introduced the waling-waling to the orchid enthusiasts and lovers in London, he said.
“It was also propagated by orchid hobbyists and commercial orchid growers in other countries particularly Singapore, Thailand, Hongkong, and Hawaii,” Garcia said.
“Since then, the waling-waling hybrids have been one of the world’s multibillion-dollar orchid and cut-flower industry. This is symbolic of the adaptability of the Filipinos,” he said.
HB 3506 tasks the Secretary of Environment and Natural Resources to promulgate the rules and regulations that will govern the acquisition, care, and disposal of, and to protect, conserve and propagate the waling-waling.