The Department of Science and Technology-Philippine Textile Research Institute (DOST-PTRI) has signed a memorandum of agreement with Villa Socorro Farm (VSF) in Pagsanjan, Laguna for the processing of saba trunks into textile material.
DOST Secretary Fortunato “Boy” T. de la Peña said the MOA was signed between the DOST-PTRI and the VSF on Aug. 17.
“The Institute is expanding the application of natural textile fibers to include outdoor and indoor cementitious and formworks through the CoBUILDTex (Constructions and Building Using Indigenous Locally-developed Natural Textiles) Program,” he said during his weekly report on Friday, Aug. 27.
He said under the CoBUILDTex Program, DOST-PTRI is tasked to provide VSF with knowledge and technical training on the conversion of banana pseudo stem to natural textile fiber.
“VSF, on the other hand, will process and make available to DOST-PTRI the banana fibers in the conduct of the CoBUILDTex projects,” he said.
A social enterprise based in Pagsanjan, Laguna, VSF has been producing banana chips since 2008.
“With DOST-PTRI and VSF partnership, all the banana trunks that are left to rot in the farm will now be utilized for textile manufacturing,” de la Peña said.