FPRI Highlights

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Part of Forestry Leaves

Title: FPRI Highlights
Language: English
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Fulltext: FPRI FPRI ANNUAL SYMPOSIUM: The November 12 symposium on "Forest products research, its status and role in our national economy," held in the FPRI conference room was a success. Technical Consultant Eugenio de la Cruz delivered the welcome address and Director Manuel R. Monsalud briefed the visitors on the activitiei of the Institute with the aid of colored slides, exhibits and other visual aides. Commissioner Faustino Sy-Changco of the budget office was the guest speaker. The five technical divisions presented papers on their accomplishments touching the problems met in the different aspects of wood utilization and what the Institute is doing to solve them. The papers read were as follows: Chemical Investigations Division - "tanning-bearing materials for wood adhesives," Industrial Investigations Division - "veneer & plywood, secondary wood use and saw-milling," Wood Preservation Division - "wood preservation," Timber Physics and Engineering Division - "timber-engineering" and Wood Technology Division- "wood technology." Delegates from various government agencies, representatives of wood-using industries, lumber manufacturers and exporters, professors and students in forestry and private parties interested in the subjects actively participated during the panel di5· cussion. The Director and staff played host to the delegates in the lunch that followed. In his address, Honorable Sy-Changco averred that while other government entities receive cuts in their respective budgets, the FPRI has continuously received increases. He added that ::iithough the budget commission is willing to give the best support to the Institute, nevertheless what the Institute receives may not be sufficient to carry out its plans for expansion due to the unfavorable circumstances now affecting the nation's economy. However, since wood research is invaluable to the socio-economic prgoram of the present administration, he assured that the Institute will always be given top priority in the budget office. The symposium was a success. All committee chairmen and members deserve that "hit" on the hands. Thanks are due to Cafe Puro, Cocoa-Ricoa, Page 92 Highlights and Fibisco for the merienda. Grateful acknowledgment also goes to the Plywood Manufacturing Association of the Philippines, PACWOOD, Inc., Paper Industries Corporation of the Philippines, \ietro Sawmill, Inc., Phil. Lumber Producers' Association of the Philippines and Chamber of Wood Industries for sponsoring the luncheon. MODEL ACCOUNTANT OF THE YEAR: Cristobal H. Mamaril, Jr., FPRI accounting officer, addeu more prestige to the Institute when he brought home on December 18, 1964, the honor of being chosen as the "Model Accountant of the Year 1964." The Association of Government Accountants of the Philippines (AGAP) conferred him the honor during its traditional Christmas Ball and A warding Ceremonies held this year at the D & E Polar Room in Quezon City. Our warmest congratulations Cris, and more power to you and your unit. SPECIAL COMMUNICATION COURSE: A twoweek special course on communication methods and techniques, participated by various forestry agencies was held DecembeT 7-19, 1964 at the DANR building, Diliman, Quezon City. The training course was a Joint venture of the General Forestry Committee and the Joint Committee on Public Information and Education in Forestry, in their efforts to carry out a more extensive forestry informational work. Chosen experts gave lectures and practical exercises in audio-visual, news and radio reporting, script writing, feature article writing, photography and public speaking. The trainees received their certificates during the graduation exercises held December 19 at the Aristocrat Gold Room, Cubao, Quezon City. Prof. Francisco Arcellana of the University of the Philippines was the guest speaker. Prof. Jose Blando of the U. P. College ul Forestry awarded prizes in public speaking. OJ the 26 participants, FPRI's Santos A. Matibag and Corazon L. Bondoc copped the 2nd and 4th prizes, respectively. First place went to Pacifico CanFORESTRY LEAVES Senator Gerardo Roxas, Chairman of the U.P. Alumni Association Board of Directors. listens attentively to Director Manuel R. Monsalud of the Forest Products Research Institute who briefed him and his oany on the activities of the Institute, on wood seasoning in this particular instance, durlnit their recent visit there. Looking on are FPRI technologists. Some members of the Pulp and Paper Manufacturers A-ssociation, FPRI representatives and other industrialists interested in pulp and paper manufacture. attendine: the meeting at the FPRI presided over by Director M. R. Monsalud to thresh out the problems of the puln and oaner induslry and to collaborate efforts for the promotion of an active in dnstrial development in the Philippines. Clinic coordinators D. G. Faustino (inset. left) and M. J. Sagrado (inset. ri1dll) said thal the response of the participants in the discussion session is a good gauge to anpraise the needs of the peoplr in the lumber industry in their desire to coordinate efforts with the FPRI to improve their sawmillin~ techniques. The imoortance and fundamental principle~ of log and lumber grading were emphasized to I.he participants to pro. duce l!:OOd quality lum. her. Sawyers, edgermen and trimmermen must be well versed so that optimum volume and quality of logs can be recovered. The Hon. Jose San\•ictores of the Forest Products Research ·Board is shown p:ivlng the closing remarks during the November 12 symposium sponsored by the Forest Producrs Research Insthure. Hon. Faustino Sy-Changco or the Budget Commission, who was the guest speaker during the FPRJ November 12 symposium, was led to the conference room by Dir. Mon•Alnd (lefl) nnd Te!'h. Consnh. E. de la Cruz (right). A part of the audience who attended the November 12 symposium sponsored by thr FPRI on. "Forest products research, its status and role in our national economy." Tech. Consultant E. dt" la Cruz is shown above delivering the welcome address. l\fartin Lagrimas of the wood technology division, FPRI, is shown above talkinit on "Wood identification", at the Log Producers and Wood Processors' Convention held at the Col· lege of Forestry auditorium on April 9, 1965. Mamerto L. Garcia of the wood preservation division. FPRI, is shown above answering inqui· ries from delgates to the L o ii: Producres and Wood Processors Con· vention after presentinir; his paper on, "Econo· mic significance or beetle infestations 011 logs and lumber." las of the Bureau of Agricultural Economics, DANR, third place to Carlos Glori of Reforestation Administration and fifth place to Luz M. Castro of Parks and Wildlife Office. The theme of the extemporaneous speech was, "What my agency is doing for the socio-economic program of the present administration." FPRI PLEDGES SUPPORT TO PAETE WOOD INDUSTRIES: Director Manuel R. Monsalud promised technical assistance, the best way the FPR I could give to remedy the sad plight of small wood manufacturers of Paete, Laguna. He pledged that the wood techonologists of the Institute would assist the wood workers in exploiting fair stands of unidentified wood species in the nearby hills of Paete as possible substitutes for the vanishing varieties. He also assured to furnish the wood industrialists a list of loggers and concessionaires from the different areas of the island from whvm the Paete wood workers may be able to get their raw materials. This was in answer to the many problems presented by the wood carving sector of the place in a meeting held at the Paete municipal hall. They pointed out the fast dwinding wood supply in their vicinities. They also bewailed the allegedly strict rules of the Bureau of Forestry on cutting of logs from alienable and disposable lands nearby, and the harassments from supposedly government agents imposing unnecessary "fines" along the highway, while the wood workers transport their products from Paete to Manila. Present during the meeting were representatives from the FPRI, Bureau of Forestry, U.P. Land Grant in Laguna, the Eastern Plywood Company and Paete municipal officials, sawmill operators, wood carvers, woodenshoe-makers, etc. Upon invitation of Director Monsalud, a delegation of wood workers led by the Paete mayor and the municipal secretary later visited the Institute. They conferred with the technical staff and were shown the phyisical plants and laboratories of the Institute. Before them and forestry agents of Laguna, Mr. Monsalud reiterated : "This sad plight of the wood workers of Paete needs immediate government attention and help from i:ll agencies concerned. All forestry agencies, private loggers and concessionaires should join their forces to remedy this situation." PGEA OFFICIALS ELEC.:1'ED: The Philippine Government Employees Association (PGEA) FPRI chapter, held an election of officers, November 3, at the conference room. Elected were: D.G. Faustino,· chairman; F.V. Oamar, vice chairman; J.S. Gonzales, secretary; F.R. Lopez, treasurer; C.HI MOVING-UP DAY ISSUE - 1965 Mamaril, Jr., auditor; S.B. Bellosillo, F.V. Oamar, J.S. Gonzales, F.M. Lauricio, delegates. Chairman Faustino is also a delegate de officio. PACE CODE COMMITEE: The Philippine Association of Civil Engineers (PACE) recently designated Dr. A.N. Ramos, Jr. and Engr. J.O. Siopongco to assist in the organization of the Timber Design Standard section of its code committee. Headed by Chief S.B. Bellosillo of the timber physics and engineering division, the section constitutes a working group in the association. The ditferent working groups are assigned to brief the committee everytime they meet on the progress of their work. During their last meeting, the section prepared a code based on the latest development in engineering design and construction of timber structures. It included among others, standard specification for glue-laminated construction, standards for utility poles and a provmon for strength grouping nf our construction lumber. PPMAP Conference A conference with officials and members of the Pulp and Paper Manufacturers' Association of the Philippines and other representatives of the local pulp and paper industry was held by the FPRI staff last Saturday, February 26, at the Institute. Director Monsalud, who presided over the meeting; appraised the group of the need of the Institute to conduct a more intensive research program on pulp and paper studies and solicited their cooperation to support the request of the Institute with the U.N. Special Fund Assistance, in putting up a Pulp and Paper Research and Training center. This can be considered when there is sufficient interest and collaborative support coming from the local pulp and paper industry in this country. In this way the U.N. could justifiably release some funds and assured of the promotion of an active industrial development in the Philippines. The director further requested the members · ann non-members of the association to review the Institute's reports on the pulp and paper studies contained in the annual and semi-annual research programs and other reports sent to them. He said that the Institute will appreciate their sending in comments and suggestions regarding any particular line of study which is relevant to their interest. He defined the stand of the Institute in terms d technical services being rendered to the pulp and paper manufacturers. Dr. Amando Clemente, president of the Pulp ibid Paper Manufacturers' Association endorsed the proposal of the director and suggested that the pulp Page 93 and paper industries consolidate their purposes and bring their specific problems to the FPRI so that it will be in a position to help them. He said that a committee should be formed to sit down with the PFRI staff to discuss and thresh out problems of our infant pulp and paper industry. The FPRI entertained the guests with a luncheon at the International House, U.P.C.A. MONSALUD TO CAIRO CONFAB Dir. Manuel R. Monsalud of the Forest Products Research Institute, College, Laguna enplaned for Cairo, U.A.R., March 6. He attended the Pulp and Paper Development conference held there from March 8-20, 1965 under the sponsorship of FAO Rome and the Economic Commission for African Bureau of Technical Assistance Operations. Monsalud, who was invited in a consultative capacity, presented a technical paper. He represented the FPRI and the National Research Council of the Philippines. FPRI PUBLIC SERVICE SCHEME: According to numerous unsolicited letters, the Forest Products Research Institute has been winning public acclaim for the countless services it has been rendering to wood-using industries, sawrnillers, woodworkers, lumbermen and the general public. "Techonoligists R.F. Casin and T.G. Cuaresma, were recently delegated by the Director to determine the suitability of the copra dryer of the Thermal Industries, Inc. for lumber drying. The team found that a number of changes should be undertaken to regulate supply and control of the humidity inside the dryer; heat exchange systl"m should be altered to ·attain a uniform temperature throughout the whole length of the dryer. "The problem on drying materials for shoe manufacture at the Precision Last Company in Barangka, Marikina, Rizal was tackled by the same technologists whom Director Monsalud sent them for the purpose. The duo recommended that the company should use a conventional steam heated kiln instead of the chamber that they presently use. The use of chemical seasoning was also recommended. '"The Director commissioned a group consisting of Dr. A.N. Ramos, Jr. of the timber physics anu engineering division and Engineers R.P. Saraos, l.M. Laroya and P.M. Manzo of the industrial investigations division to survey the laminating practices of Durabilt Structures, Inc. to appraise the company of innovations to improve their laminating plant. The group found that with the Page 94 present condition of the glue spreader, it is hard to maintain a uniform glue spread on botl1 sides of the laminate. They therefore recommended to match the bottom and top rolls of the spreader by making both rolls steel-built or better still, to use rubber-covered steel. '"Director Monsalud promised to give technical assistance to the NACIDA to improve their outmoded process of hand stripping rafia or "saguran" by mechanizing the process in order to increase output to cope with the public demand for these materials. The Director sent D.G. Faustino and D. Micosa to Bohol to observe the stripping procedures in the locality so as to adopt ideas to design a mechanical stripper for the NACIDA. '"In a conference called by the Abaca Development Board for the purpose of boosting the pulp and papermaking industry by providing raw materials from abaca fibers, Chairman Teodoro de Vera announced that there are several industrialists willing to invest in pulp and papermaking of abaca, provided it can be shown that the venture would be economically feasible. He also advocated the establishment of abaca plantations to support the pulp and paper mills. Director Monsalud made clear during the conference that the Institute is being requested to undertake research projects on the pulp and papermaking' of low grade abaca fibers, which undertaking would cost tile ABACACORP some 1"27.000. Over the objection of Director Eugenio E. Cruz of BPI as to the amount to be expended on the research projects, Chairman de Vera support<!d Director Monsalud on this score. He even planned to take Director Monsalud to see President Macapagal and the Cabinet on this proposal if h~ could make the proper arrangements. The conference was held at the Concord Room, Penthouse, Bayview Hotel, Manila. Otllers present were A. Garcia and T. Magnaye of BPI, B. Catbagan and V.C. Bustos of MDA, Industrialists J. Cabarrus and a Japanese companion, and Tech. Consult. E. de la Cruz. L.A. Ynalvez, P.V. Bawagan, E.C. Arnio, P.M. Nicolas, J.O. Escolano, J.V. Zerrudo and C.H. Mamaril, Jr. all of the FPRI. "Report on rotary-veneer cutting and drying of white lauan and tangile logs was given to Mr. Gaudencio Juan, forestry executive of the Palanan Logging Enterprises, Inc. and the Sierra Madre Project, Inc.. sister companies of tile Bueno Enterprises, Inc. of Butuan City. Mr. Juan discussed Jith the IID staff the results of the tests and (Continued on page 98) FORESTRY LEAVES ing in the direction. In 19Gl, with an appropriati.m of P'4 million, it was able to reforest more than 12,000 hectares. In 1962, despite a slightly smaller appropriation of a little over P'4 million, it increased its reforestation coverage by 14,000 hectares. In 1963, with an outlay of P'7.4 million pesos, it boosted its production by 35,000 hectares. "I understand that the accomplishments for the year 1964 promises to be more encouraging and for this, you deserve recognition because your task remains to be tremendous both in magnitude and importance," he said. FPRI Highlights (Continued from page 94) other information on veneer and plywood manufacture. It was gathered that the first two companies both located at Palanan, Isabela, have 50,000 hectares each of forest concessions bordering rhe Palanan Bay but located on the opposite sides of the Palanan river. Their present operations are confined to logging. Timber inventory in the two consessions is still in progress, although the timber stand appears very poor even in the so-called Palanan valley. Ninety per cent of the timber consist of red lauan, tangile and white lauan which are almost of the sinker type, especially red lauan. Actual survey of the locality revealed that most of the trees are cf noncommercial or of pulpwood sizes. Red and yellow narra and a small quantity <'f dao are in good stand on the low altitudes, along the Palanan river, and almaciga, on the higher altitudes and ridges. Timber inventory and further veneering and plywood manufacturing tests are necessary before the two companies could establish a processing plant as required of them by the Bureau of Forestry. This necessitated their seeking the Institute's service to conduct rotary veneer-cutting and drying studies as well as manufacturing tests. VISITORS: Foreigners who visited the Institute were impressed by the progress of the work as Page 98 In behalf of the agency, administrator Via,lo told the DANI;\ Secretary that given government and public support, the · Reforestation Administration will be able to restore the country's barren areas to forest vegetation. It is the goal of the agency to implement the five-year socio-economic program of the administration by hastening fore~t reclamation. We know only well that if we succeed in reforestation, agriculture, industrial projects and other enterprises dependent upon water and electricity will be boosted. With the progress along these endeavors, through reforestation, the country faces a better life economically and socially, he concluded. well as by the hospitality of Director Monsalud and his staff. Among them were: Dr. Richard Hine, head, department of plant pathology, University of Hawaii, Honolulu; Gertrude Lienkaemper of Kansas State University who inquired about woods for interior decoration; Mr. & Mrs. Ray Bennet, Dr. A.J. Grant, Mr. Henneth Max Hawkins, American missionaries of Bethany Hospital, who inquired about Philippine woods suitable for boatmaking; Drs. Kenneth Turk and Herbert Everett of Cornell University, on detail at UPCA who made observations on the progress of the work at the Institute; Sri Octavi Baron of Djakarta, Indonesia, Tai Hyung Min of Seoul, Korea, Yueh-Eh Chen of Taipei, Taiwan, C.J. Lee of Taipei, Republic of China, William Chee Fook Onn of Singapore, J. Arurnhinathan of Malaysia, and G.J. Thompson of Bangkok, Thailand, who made a general tour; Gunner Lofgren of Phya Thai Court who made inquiries on wood-base panel products; Mr. Robin Mackay of the American Hardwood C..ompany who made inquiries on the properties of the different wood species; J.W. Martin of Washington, D.C., Tatsuo Ohira, Katsuhiro Suzaki, Masaru Iwani of Tokyo University of Agriculture, Arnold Wexler, UNESCO Consultant, Washington, D.C., Mani! Foomfug, S. Choom Dunga, Tow Kumtake, 0. Lam Sannana of Thailand, Helen Charchill of Hollins College, Virginia, U.S.A., and Tanoo Vicharangsan of Bangkok, Thailand. FORESTRY LEAVES