Description

The FPRDI Bamboo-Framed Face Shield (BFFS) project is the agency’s response to address the need for additional PPEs amidst this Covid 19 outbreak.

It is a retractable PVC protective face shield that is framed with a solid biodegradable material, i.e. bamboo.

Since April, the Institute has been distributing the face shields for free to various public and private frontline agencies around the country.

In Laguna, the Cabuyao City government is the first adoptor of the technology. It was the same concept replicated by some bamboo farmers in Cotabato province in Mindanao.

Antimicrobial Bamboo Hand Soaps and Hand Mist

The antimicrobial bamboo charcoal hand soap is developed as antimicrobial products from forest-based materials, pursuant to the Republic Act 11469 or the “Bayanihan to Heal as One Act”, which can help contribute to the prevention and protection of people against the coronavirus. Maintaining personal hygiene, such as thorough washing and sanitizing of hands, is deemed an important step in preventing the spread of diseases. As COVID-19 cases continue to escalate in the country, more ways to help protect the public against this global pandemic should be observed.

Forest-based materials like the non-timber forest products such as bamboo has antimicrobial activity against Bacillus subtilis. Bamboo charcoal has strong decomposition and adsorption ability to deeply clean the dirt and other bacteria-causing germs. The rich minerals in bamboo charcoal penetrate into the cells and effectively restore the normal activities of cells.
Another class of antibacterial agents are the so called “natural” antibacterial actives, referred to as natural essential oils as source of fragrance from manila elemi resin, eucalyptus and citronella. An antimicrobial bamboo charcoal hand soap with manila elemi oil has bioactivity against Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli and Candida tropicalis.


Bamboo Musical Instruments

Any material that produces sound can be considered as an instrument. One of the best candidates for which is bamboo – the tallest grass in the world. According to Wengst as stated by Kusumaningtyas et al. (2016) “bamboo is the only material worldwide that simultaneously satisfies the design criteria and functional requirements of all classes of musical instruments”.

Bamboo musical instrument (BMI) is deeply rooted in the culture and tradition of the Philippines. In fact, 54 BMIs have been documented so far by the DOST-GIA funded program on “Bamboo Musical Instruments Innovation Research and Development Program”. BMIs are traditionally use during rituals, ceremonies, festivals and even as warning device. Some of musical instruments found in the Philippines are chordophones or stringed instruments like guitar and ukulele; aerophones or wind instrument like flute, tongali, saggeypo, bumbong (bamboo tube) and percussion (idiophones) like marimba and gabbang. Recognizing the need for a durable BMI for the K-12 curiculum and the creative arts industry, science and arts are fused to improve the quality and design of locally manufactured BMI.