Bamboost® App Now in Ilocos Norte: USTP, MMSU connect Local Bamboo MSMEs to Wider Markets
By Farah Sevilla, Communication Specialist and Ma. Nona Michelle T. Delada, Project Technical Assistant IV
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The Mariano Marcos State University (MMSU) held the first Bamboost® user experience workshop at the Center for Flexible Learning in Ilocos Norte on June 26, 2025. The event was participated in by Ilocos Norte bamboo farmers, cooperative members, and other industry representatives.
Co-led by Dr. Junar A. Landicho, Dean of the College of Information, Technology and Computing of the University of Science and Technology of Southern Philippines in Cagayan de Oro (USTP CDO), and Ms. Analiza C. Diaz of the Department of Science and Technology – Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development (DOST-PCAARRD), the user experience workshop is part of the Bamboost Philippines Team’s effort to mainstream the marketing app to Filipino bamboo farmers, craftsmakers/processors, and enterprises producing bamboo products. It also forms part of the implementation of the project, “Empowering S&T-Based Bamboo Enterprises Through Bamboost® Ecosystem Across Select Regions in the Philippines (Bamboost® Phase 2).”
Dr. Landicho introduced the Bamboost® app to seventy-six (76) participants, composed of bamboo farmers, craftsmakers/processors, micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), researchers, local government units, and government representatives. He expressed his enthusiasm for bringing the mobile app to Ilocos Norte, which is known for its government’s efforts to strengthen the bamboo industry as a sustainable resource and a driver of economic growth.
“We are happy to bring the Bamboost® app here and be part of the Ilocos Norte people’s effort toward sustainable economic development using bamboo, an eco-friendly and sustainable material. While we call this event a user experience workshop, the app is already available for use, and you can already post and sell your products. We will facilitate the marketing online for you,” said Dr. Landicho.
The Bamboost® app is currently accessible to bamboo product sellers for free under its freemium service while still in its post-development stage.
Ms. Diaz, project co-lead, expressed her hope that bamboo farmers and processors would begin using the app.
“Bamboo farmers are the inspiration for this project. We started developing Bamboost® in 2019, thinking of the bamboo farmers and craftsmen/processors here in the Philippines, because we know that we have good-quality products that we can sell not just to local tourists or a few people visiting the provinces with bamboo-based products. We wanted to bring the products to the homes of people everywhere through this mobile marketing app. So we hope you continue to use it, upload your products, and start selling online,” stated Ms. Diaz.
Dr. Charlie B. Batim, MMSU Program Leader of the Bamboo Research Training & Processing Center, emphasized the Bamboost® app as an innovative tool to promote Ilocos Norte bamboo products to a wider market, one of the ongoing challenges faced by bamboo enterprises in Region I. He also shared MMSU’s enthusiasm to continue collaborating with USTP CDO and the Department of Trade and Industry to further strengthen the province’s bamboo industry.
There is an ongoing effort to boost the bamboo industry in the Ilocos Region. In Ilocos Norte in particular, bamboo plantations are being expanded, and training has been conducted to enhance bamboo productivity and profitability through various technologies.
Mr. Jahmai Grande, a participant from the Provincial Government of Ilocos Norte, stated: “It is very good to know that there is an app like Lazada and Shopee that we can use to sell our bamboo products. While we only heard about Bamboost now, this is very timely in linking our bamboo farmers and processors to the market. We have good quality products, and we have training workshops to improve our products. The missing piece was linking it to the market — and Bamboost® is the answer.”
Mr. Hustler Garalde, also from the Provincial Government of Ilocos Norte, added that they plan to provide mobile phones to cooperatives for Bamboost® transactions. He also expressed interest in future engagements with the Bamboost team for bamboo product marketing and other initiatives.
The Bamboost® Phase 2 is a collaborative effort between USTP CDO and DOST-PCAARRD under the Enhancing the Adoption of Advanced Technologies in AANR through the DOST-PCAARRD-AIT Collaboration project. It is funded by DOST-PCAARRD to support sustainable and progressive bamboo farming and enterprise. The Bamboost® app is available on Google Play and online.
For more information, kindly visit the Bamboost website at https://bamboost.ph/. Alternatively, you may email Dr. Junar A. Landicho at [email protected].
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