Bamboo vs plastic — Mark Gersava on innovating solutions

Social entrepreneur Mark Gersava became a TOYM awardee on the strength of his out-of-the-box ideas, including bamboo straws and toothbrushes.

A vocal advocate of bamboo, he credits eating bamboo shoots as a child with developing his brain and enabling him to rise from poverty.

Read and listen to Part 1 of the interview here: From upland farmer to TOYM awardee — Mark Gersava on overcoming poverty

HOWIE: Magandang araw, podmates! This is Part 2 of our conversation with Mark Gersava, bamboo advocate, social entrepreneur, and 2023 TOYM awardee.

Okay, of all the things you could be doing as an entrepreneur or social entrepreneur, bakit bamboo? Bakit kawayan 'yung tinutukan mo?

MARK: Nu'ng na-discover ko all about bamboo, that it is regenerative. Kasi nga, you're just going to plant it once and it will grow forever. Hindi ka na magre-replant. After three years, tuloy-tuloy na 'yung ano mo, tuloy-tuloy na 'yung harvest mo.

Basically, I think that is very personal also to me. Kasi nu'ng mga bata pa nga kami, ginagamit namin 'yung sumpak, solpot, alam mo 'yung kawayan. So nu'ng nag-start pa lang kami sa Bambuhay, doon namin nakuha, doon ko nakuha 'yung idea. Kasi nga, hindi namin kayang bumili ng mga toy. So ginagamit namin 'yun na parang baril-barilan. Then, 'pag nauuhaw kami, sini-sip namin doon sa river. So doon nagkaroon ng idea.

It's a poverty story. From that sumpak in my childhood, ginawa ko siyang bamboo straw. Okay, 'yun 'yung start ng kompanya. So and then, nalaman ko rin that bamboo is really good for brain development. Kaya nga, sabi ko, kahit malnourished kami, kahit wala masyadong kaming kinakain, during bamboo season, breakfast, lunch, dinner, 'yun lang 'yung kinakain namin. Bamboo shoot. Okay, labong.

And then we discovered, it is really good for brain development. So kaya pala nasabi ko na nagkaroon ako ng gift all about being, should I say na medyo matalino, katalinuhan na nabigyan ng opportunity. It's because na-develop nang maayos 'yung brain ko. It's because of the component in the bamboo shoots. So ganu'n 'yung istorya roon.

It is now the symbol of sustainability, kasi nga, it captures more carbon dioxide, 30% more than the ordinary trees. It produces 30% more oxygen than ordinary trees. And it can thrive together with the trees, like hindi mo na kailangan magputol ng puno in order to grow a bamboo. So I think it is really good. And of course, it provide food. Okay. It is the best material also for our daily na ginagawa natin.

And I think we have that symbolic, our bahay kubo in the Philippines. Sabi kasi nila 'pag nakatira ka sa bahay kubo is mahirap ka. Gusto ko rin tanggalin 'yung perspektibo na 'yun. And then maganda rin siya sa soil erosion. I know you're a fan of bamboo, Howie. Okay, halos lahat ng kailangan mo, nasa kawayan. Kasi ngayon, 'yung dahon niya puwedeng gawing bamboo tea. Okay, and it's very healthy.

So almost complete na siya bilang isang produkto. And basically, it's all about, it's environmental, ano talaga, it's environmental aspect, 'yun talaga 'yung pinakamalaking consideration.

HOWIE: Okay, Mark. Well, you and I have been using bamboo for a long time. I don't have the same childhood experience as you, ano, but 'yung isang nalaman natin tungkol dito sa kawayan, 'yung contradiction nga na sa kabila ng usefulness nito, you know, the creation myths of Filipinos is in bamboo, du'n nanggaling 'yung Malakas at Maganda, et cetera, the Philippines produces so little bamboo, 'di ba?

MARK: Yes.

HOWIE: Compared to other Asian countries. If you go to China, Japan, Hong Kong, iba 'yung status ng kawayan doon, ano?

MARK: Vietnam.

HOWIE: You go to Hong Kong, ginagamit siya sa construction scaffolding. Dito sa atin, puro bakal pa rin, ano? Why is that? Totoo nga 'yung itong mga sinasabi mo na 'yung symbolism ng kawayan is so strong in the Philippines. It's associated with the creation of, you know, the creation myth in the Philippines, and yet, sa kabila ng lahat ng 'yan, napakahina ng production natin.

MARK: I think 'yung isang contributing factor talaga rito is policy. Kasi right now, with the DENR [Department of Environment and Natural Resources], ang daming policy. Like, tayo lang ang nag-consider na 'yung kawayan ay kahoy. Only Philippines, and there's another country in the world. Dalawang bansa lang na nagco-consider siya na a lot of regulations. I think that's one thing, kasi ang hirap talaga. Ang hirap mag-comply with all those regulations.

So isa 'yun sa ngayon, kasi siguro ngayon, kung medyo nag-mainstream na siya since 2017, it's because of that medyo niluluwagan na 'yung mga policy. So I think isa 'yun sa mga contributing factor.

And I think 'yung fanaticism natin ng mga Pinoy, nandu'n pa rin kasi 'yung love na love natin 'yung mga imported product. I think tayo lang na bansa 'yung ganu'n. Which is, I think naintindihan naman natin 'yun, kasi nga ang daming bansa na sumakop sa atin. So I think that's one thing, that kind of mentality na 'pag galing China ay mura 'yung produkto. But it's not really, kasi sabihin nga, sabihin natin na 'yung mga produkto na 'yung mura, but still it's not that healthy or eco-friendly.

So I think 'yun 'yung mga contributing factor. And of course, I think it's because of those regulations, it's because of those policies na sobrang hirap kaya na-discourage 'yung mga tao na magnegosyo on this kasi kailangan mo pa ng transport permit, if you are going to transport na kawayan from this place to another place. Ang dami-daming kailangan mong i-register. 'Yun 'yung pinakamalaking contributing factor talaga, policy.

NATIONAL INNOVATION COUNCIL

HOWIE: Okay, because of all these enterprises you've been involved in, Mark, na-appoint ka sa itong bagong government agency, National Innovation Council. For many of our listeners, this might be the first time they're hearing about this. So what is the mission of the National Innovation Council, of which you are now a member?

MARK: Yeah, basically, National Innovation Council, this is the highest government policy body of the Philippines for national development and innovation. The main vision for this council is basically to use innovation in order to address, to solve those social and environmental issues that we have here in the Philippines, and to support our MSMEs to go global.

A social innovation as a platform to uplift the millions of Filipino to be out of poverty, and basically to use also the creativity of Filipino to boost the creativity of the Filipino, kasi alam natin 'yung lumabas sa PISA ngayon na isa tayo sa mga pinakamababa in terms of creativity. So we want to mainstream that, the innovation, to every Filipino. So 'yun 'yung scope niya.

Beyond the policy making na ginagawa namin is we are also supporting our MSMEs through, like this year, we're going to launch the Philippine Innovation Award. So this is a presidential or we call it also a Nobel Peace Prize Award for Philippine innovator na sobrang laki ng premyo. We will launch it this October.

So isa 'yun sa mga platform din namin na ginagawa sa mga mission namin para matulungan 'yung mga Filipino innovator is for them to be recognized and for them to be supported with not just a moral support, but basically a capital in order to boost their innovation, not just here in the Philippines, but basically worldwide. So 'yun 'yung mission ng National Innovation Council.

And it was led by President Marcos, and some of the members are cabinet secretaries who are also part of the National Innovation Council. Our president is gusto niya na there is innovation sa lahat ng serbisyo na gagawin ng gobyerno, it should be innovative in order na mapabilis natin 'yung paglago or pag-unlad ng ating bansa.

HOWIE: Okay, nabanggit mo, Mark — so the National Innovation Council will support initiatives, innovations that will help solve, among other problems, environmental problems.

So 'yung halimbawa lang, itong bamboo products na ginagawa mo and other entrepreneurs, it's meant to be a solution to the plastic waste problem. And we know that the Philippines is one of the leading producers of plastic waste in the world's oceans, which have a widespread impact, way beyond the Philippines.

So sa pag-shift dito sa bamboo consumer products like bamboo straws and bamboo toothbrushes, it's meant to replace 'yung plastic products as well. So that would be highlighting the responsibility of consumers.

But I'm sure you also agree that the business sector also has a responsibility towards lessening plastic waste. Because a lot of this plastic waste comes from plastic products that are produced by the manufacturing and corporate sector. We're also big consumers of fast food products, et cetera.

So ano naman ang ginagawa ng gobyerno, ng mga katulad mo na nasa gobyerno ngayon about making the producers of plastic more accountable?

MARK: We have the Green Jobs Act already. So hopefully ma-implement this year. So for example, you are in this space. In the Green Jobs Act, kasi we want to encourage the big business sector also to support the Green Jobs Act, for them to become part of the Green Jobs Act. If they're going to shift into a more sustainable and eco-friendly product, it's basically have a lot of incentives. And right now, I think we have the APR Law also, that's also, hopefully, it will be properly implemented in order to provide also incentives. Like instead of CSR programs, they can use their CSR budget into the environment. We are still pushing a lot of policies in order to limit, in order to lessen, if not eliminate those unnecessary products.

Hindi ko naman sabihin na lahat ng plastic product ay bad. So it's all about the single use, 'yung mga regular natin na ginagamit. Paunti-unti na nagkakaroon ng klaro, ng direksyon in terms of addressing plastic pollution in order to protect our environment.

HOWIE: Okay, Mark, we get a lot of products from China, mga imports galing China, including a lot of plastic products, but also bamboo products, 'no?

MARK: Yeah.

HOWIE: Whenever I see bamboo products on the market, I mean, automatically, they draw my attention. Tapos 'pag nagtatanong ako, tinitingnan ko 'yung labeling, madalas gawa nga sa ibang bansa. So that's part of your competition.

MARK: Yes.

HOWIE: Are you advocating protection for local sustainable products like yours? Siyempre, 'yung mga bamboo product galing China, galing sa Vietnam, et cetera, ay ano na 'yan, may economies of scale na 'yan, established na 'yan, distribution systems.

Ang hirap makapasok, maka-compete, lumaban diyan sa mga produkto ng galing sa mga malalaking bansa na 'yan, ano? So ano naman ang solusyon diyan? Would you want your products, bamboo toothbrushes and straws and other locally made products to be protected by the government?

MARK: So that's one of the policy, actually, that I am pushing yet. 'Yung nabanggit mo na for example, mayroon tayong specific na innovation that was, na nakita natin na potential talaga na gawang Pilipino, is we are not, we are going to limit. Like, for example, right now, my proposal is it should be 40% of that kind of product in that industry. Like, for example, ayaw naman natin i-monopolize. For example lang, sa toothbrush industry, it should be 60% kung available na siya locally.

It should be 60% nu'ng supply chain na 'yun. Like, for example, we are around 70, 'yung gumagamit ng toothbrush sa Pilipinas is around, sabihin natin, around 80 million. So the 40% per quarter or around 360, around 280 million per annually, na ginagamit natin ng toothbrush sa Pilipinas. So we are lobbying also a 60-40, 60-40 na papasok dito sa Pilipinas.

For example, 280 million, only 40% of that will be imported and 60% should be locally made until such time those innovation in the Philippines can easily compete in the market and then such time puwede natin, alam mo 'yung parang sa bigas, mayroon tayong cap.

So 'yun 'yung isang mga policy na nilo-lobby natin ngayon in order to support Filipino innovation and so that they can mainstream it in the market. Kasi tama ka rin talaga, sobrang hirap mag-compete. With that kind of policy that we can have is basically we can control and we can really support our very own.

And one thing din na ginagawa namin ngayon is we have what we call sandbox. For example, may innovation ka na nagawang bamboo and then maraming regulation, for example, in FDA [Food and Drug Administration] or sa DENR, et cetera. Isa-sandbox namin na siya na with your first or one to three years of your operation, you will be exempted of those government regulations in order to move forward para 'yung focus mo na lang is really to scale your product.

Our goal also is to automate. Like what we are doing now in Bambuhay, we have around 5,000 square meter facility and we are automating all our processes so parang just to give way to our Philippine innovator na makapaghanda at saka makapag-focus in their scale kasi nga, it's because of those a lot of regulations kaya naha-hamper 'yung expansion or scale ng mga negosyo.

So we have that kind of policies in order that to move forward with National Innovation Council. We are rooting for that na hopefully, okay, and I think the President and the other members will really support it.

HOWIE: So walang pushback against that? Kasi siyempre, anytime you protect local products, that would go against the principles of free trade, 'di ba, the free flow of trade, pero gumagawa ka ng barriers to imports, in a way.

MARK: 'Yung tinitingnan natin dito is really to protect also our environment kasi the more you import, the higher the carbon emission. And I think it's not really a barrier, but basically, it is an opportunity for exporter and importer products. Because I think there's a lot of country pa rin naman talaga. For example, bamboo, hindi talaga siya naggo-grow nang maayos doon sa Europe.

So there's a lot of opportunity. So 'yung mga ganu'n. So I think, hindi ko siya matatawag na barrier, but it's all about protecting our economy so that we can provide more jobs and we can provide, kasi fair pa rin naman, e, okay. Fair pa rin naman 'yung ginagawa natin that we still have in order to reduce our carbon emissions to 60% locally and then 40% import.

Kasi hindi lang naman natin ito ginagawa in order to hamper the business, but basically, ginagawa natin 'to para protektahan 'yung kalikasan talaga natin. If wala tayo, wala 'yung planeta natin, we're nothing.

HOWIE: Yeah, kaya tinawag na fair trade, 'di ba, as opposed to just free trade, which is often unfair to smaller countries.

MARK: No, we really need to go for fair trade kasi nga, kawawa talaga. Kung mag-free trade tayo, kawawa 'yung mga hindi masyadong kapitalista o 'yung mga innovator natin, hindi talaga sila magsu-succeed. So we really need to protect our innovators.

PLASTIC WASTE

HOWIE: Okay. Mark, I know that you got your degree in food technology, ano? Much of the food in the Philippines is sold in plastic packaging, 'di ba? You go to a supermarket, lahat 'yan, naka-plastic. Kahit bumili ka sa palengke, babalutin 'yan sa plastic. Ano naman ang solution diyan? That's a huge source of plastic waste.

MARK: What we are doing in Bambuhay right now, that's part of our product innovation. We are also developing a transparent bamboo product. We call it a transparent plant-based material to replace plastic. Okay, ayoko siyang tawagin na eco-friendly plastic because there's no such thing as eco-friendly plastic. Okay, it is a plant-based packaging.

So we're looking for a way we can launch it in two to three years time. The bamboo has napakaganda nu'ng starts component niya and it's really possible to utilize it as a packaging that's in our personal, that's in our company as our capacity.

We are pushing also, like for example, what I said a while ago that we have Philippine Innovation Awards to encourage more Filipino to innovate something for us to support.

'Yung premyo nu'n, ng Philippine Innovation Award, is around P5 to 10 million. Okay, pina-finalize lang namin kung magkano talaga 'yung ibibigay namin na grant price. Grant 'yun. So meaning, magamit nila 'yun para lang palaguin sa negosyo nila kaya hindi na nila kailangan ibalik 'yun sa kompanya.
So I think that's one way also to encourage more innovator in the Philippines to really address the problem in the plastic sector.

At ngayon, 'yung isang innovation ko, I think, we call it automated tubig machine, 'yun 'yung concept doon. But 'yung ginawa namin dito ngayon, 'yung ini-study namin, is ilalagay namin 'yung mga toyo or soy sauce, condiments, et cetera doon sa isang machine na kung saan you can refill. Similar with the concept of automated tubig machine, kung nakikita mo diyan sa mga palibot, especially in Cebu, maraming ganu'n na mag-refill ka lang.

So basically we can really provide a better alternative. But I think, for me, is we really need to bring back, I think, Howie, you experienced that nu'ng mga bata tayo, 'pag inuutusan tayo ng nanay natin na bumili ng mga toyo, et cetera, mayroon tayong dalang bote. So I think, may means of that puwede nating ma-reduce.

ADVICE TO OTHERS

HOWIE: Okay. I wanna shift gears a little bit. I watched one of your speeches at an international forum. You were wearing a salakot.

MARK: Yeah. Yeah, that's bamboo.

HOWIE: Oo. You were wearing a barong and a salakot. So tell us about that. What was the thinking behind deciding to wear a salakot in front of an international audience?

MARK: Yeah, basically, always ginagawa ko 'yan kahit saan. Okay. Kasi I think the symbolism, 'yun 'yung kaya na maipakita natin how great is bamboo. Sinasaulo talaga natin. 'Yun 'yung lagi ko siyang ginagawa talaga. I really want to represent with our farmer that we should value more with our farmer. And I think that kind of opportunity, that silent hat really represent me as a farmer and the millions of farmer here in the Philippines.

HOWIE: Okay. Obviously, you're not just a bamboo entrepreneur but you're also a communicator. You're trying to communicate all of these values and new ways of thinking. Gaano kaimportante 'yung branding, personal branding mo, 'yung online presence, you know, you're a millennial. What are your strategies?

MARK: I think that's really one of my advantage, my rags to riches story. For my branding, I think that's really innate to the people that as a farmer, ito na 'yung naabot. And I think, should I say, kapal ng mukha. Okay. 'Yun 'yung kailangan, na kailangan if you have something na mayroon kang idea, share it to the people, gawin mo.

And prove to the people that there is something with that kind of thing, with that innovation or with that product, with that idea that you have. And share it to the people, whoever they are, maniwala man sila o hindi sa 'yo, just share it.

HOWIE: Okay. Finally, Mark, advice for young people. What do you advise young people who go to you?

MARK: Huwag nating isipin lagi na may hadlang doon sa mga pangarap natin na for example, minsan ginagamit natin 'yung kahirapan para hindi tayo makapag-aral. So huwag nating gamitin 'yun.

But basically, we really need to move forward kung ano man 'yung sitwasyon mo. Nasa mayaman, nasa mahirap or saang sulok ka man ng mundo, gamitin mo 'yung talento mo sa tama at gawin mo kung ano 'yung dapat at simulan mo kung ano 'yung resources na mayroon ka. Kasi ganu'n talaga sa pagnenegosyo. We can get out from all of this, from this poverty thing or sa pagnenegosyo. Doon ko talaga nakita kasi being an employee is okay. Nakakatulong siya.

But if you really want to help other people, if you really want for your family to be out of poverty, I think pagnenegosyo talaga 'yung isa sa pinaka-solusyon.
Kasi nu'ng sinimulan ko 'yung kumpanya, I have only P10,000. And I grow up it now to millions of pesos. At maniwala kayo sa sarili n'yo. Maniwala kayo roon. Kung may idea kayo, showcase it. Kapalan ninyo 'yung mukha ninyo to tell the people that you have that great idea to show to the people and start doing it.

HOWIE: Maraming salamat, Mark sa iyong mga advocacy at sa iyong serbisyo publiko. Good luck on all your endeavors. Mark Gersava, social entrepreneur, TOYM awardee at bamboo advocate. Mabuhay ka.

MARK: Maraming salamat, Howie.

HOWIE: Thanks for listening, podmates! Download this episode, so you can listen to it anytime, anywhere! Stay safe, podmates.