I ATTENDED the second anniversary of PhilFIDA, the government agency that emerged after the merger of the Fiber Industry Development Agency and the Cotton Authority, a rationalization move made to simplify overlapping matters between the two agencies. Both of them are decades old. They both deal with natural fibers; and cotton is one though it had its own agency. Aside from cotton, there are 15 other natural fibers that the Philippines has, which include abaca.

We are still the leading provider of abaca -- our premiere natural fiber -- which gives us millions in return for its export. The other fabrics are piña, the iconic pineapple fiber, maguey, buri, bamboo, waterlily, sisal and salago, a short fiber found in the wild and used for paper money.