The DOST-Forest Products and Development Institute (DOST-FPRDI) recently showcased its innovations on bamboo musical instruments (BMI) during the Tagkawayan Quezon’s Kaway Festival.

Among the bamboo instruments played and demonstrated during the activity were tongatong (bamboo stamping tubes), bungkaka (bamboo buzzer), patteteg (bamboo plate/bar), gabbang (bamboo xylophone), saggeypo (panpipe), tongali (nose flute), and kubing (jaw harp). Highlight of the event was the interactive community playing of BMIs with the participants.

Thru a technology demonstration, DOST FPRDI also featured how locally available bamboo could be crafted into high-quality musical instruments to support sustainable livelihood and cultural preservation.

“We at DOST are fully supportive on the development of the bamboo sector throughout the country. We hope to see an invigorated bamboo farming and processing industry that will create more jobs for the rural communities, artisans and manufacturers,” DOST Secretary Renato U. Solidum, Jr. expressed.

“This is just the beginning of our collaboration with the LGU of Tagkawayan, Quezon. Thru our R&D and technology transfer activities, the Institute will support Tagkawayan in establishing a bamboo industry, and also help them realize their vision of making their town the “bamboo mecca” of Quezon province,” said DOST-FPRDI Director Rico J. Cabangon.

The event was initiated by DOST-FPRDI, Tagkawayan LGU led by Mayor Carlo Eleazar, and Tagkawayan’s Local Economic Development and Investments Promotion (LEDIP) Section; with support from the DOST Provincial Science and Technology Office of Quezon. It was attended by weavers, teachers, students and LGU employees.

DOST-FPRDI is the research and development arm of the DOST and is part of the Philippine government’s efforts to build a strong science and technology ecosystem in the country. It remains at the forefront of scientific research on wood and non-wood utilization and conservation, pioneering initiatives that promote the responsible use of forest resources while safeguarding the biodiversity. For more information, please visit https://fprdi.dost.gov.ph/ or collaborate with DOST-FPRDI thru This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

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(Margie B. Dizon & Joseph R. Lapis, 19 February 2025) 

DOST-FPRDI’s Engr. Stud Jader explained how bamboo could be crafted into BMIs.

Participants were able to try the BMIs thru community playing of instruments