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| (Top) The LWHPPAI was commissioned by SM City Calamba to make a flag using water hyacinth mats. (Bottom) Ms. Remy Adedoja with the flag which was displayed during the mall's Independence Day celebration in 2015. |
Using a dryer from the DOST-FPRDI, a 59-year-old entrepreneur from Los Baños, Laguna was able to turn a “public enemy” into a friend.
Gigantic amounts of water hyacinth (Eichornia crassipes) clogging huge parts of the Laguna Lake caused severe floods in Los Baños during the attack of typhoon Ondoy in 2009, displacing many families living in coastal areas.
“The flooding which was blamed on the water hyacinth plant made me think,” says Remia V. Adedoja, owner of Remdavies Enterprises. “Why not try to see if we can make money from all the water hyacinth in the lake?”
“I did not know anything about water hyacinth processing back then, but after attending seminars sponsored by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and the DOST-FPRDI, I learned how the stem of the plant could be used for making all kinds of woven handicrafts.”
Soon after, Remdavies Enterprises was born - and several months after that, the Laguna Water Hyacinth Handicraft Producers Association, Inc. (LWHHPAI).
“Our company started in 2009 with making placemats and bags,” she relates. “In 2012, we decided to adopt the water hyacinth dryer as it was hard to dry our raw materials during the rainy season. The funds were provided by the DOST- Grants-in-Aid (GIA). For four years now, the dryer has served the needs not only of Remdavies, but also those of the coop.”
Ms. Adedoja shares how her company has changed after using the dryer: “Because we can now dry the water hyacinth stalks properly even during the rainy months, we can now deliver our products on time. Our production doubled and our gross income grew from Php 25,000 to Php 50,000 per month.
“We likewise diversified our products to include trays, bags, baskets, floormats.To cope with the demand, we hired 45 contractual weavers in nearby towns. We have also acquired – again from the DOST-GIA - modern sewing, laminating and welding machines.
“While we used to have as much as 50% rejects on our raw materials and products, we now have zero rejects. With improved productivity and product quality, our markets have expanded to include the whole of CALABARZON, NCR, Cebu and Pangasinan.
“On the other hand, the LWHHPAI which consists of 15 members, now makes Php 85,000 a month from its previous Php 15,000. It also earns Php 2,000 to Php 3,000 from selling dried stalks. Its products have been exported to Japan, Singapore, the USA and the UK.”
“Both Remdavies and the association look forward to a bright future in the water hyacinth business,” Ms. Adedoja relates. “Ever since our company took part in the Manila Fame Exhibits a few years ago, our client base has grown. Our association’s membership has also increased as well as the spirit of unity within the group.
“In the coming years, we will certainly be needing more help from the DOST-FPRDI and the DOST itself, especially in upgrading our tools and equipment for faster production. With the kind of support we have received from them in the past, we are sure they will continue to be there to help us find the best solutions to our technical problems.” (Rizalina K. Araral and Anita A. Decena, June 28, 2017)#
