TACLOBAN CITY - Eastern Visayas' coconut industry players are working hard to supply the 100,000 metric tons annual coconut-based fiber demand of China.

Edilberto Nierva, Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) regional manager told Leyte Samar Daily Express that they have been inviting foreign investors to help develop the region's coco coir products by establishing processing plants in Leyte and Samar.

Their eagerness to attract more investors has started after Chinese businessmen expressed their interest to import coco coir from the Philippines during the recent visit of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to China.

Coconut fiber twines from coconut husks is used in producing erosion control geo-textile net.

"We are very aggressive in encouraging businessmen to invest in coco coir processing because of its good market potential," Nierva said.

As a result, he said a group of investors from China, Taiwan and Japan are now conducting feasibility studies in some areas of Region 8 for possible establishment of processing plants.

Nierva added that there's a huge advantage if these groups of foreign investors will operate in the region because they have a direct marketing agreement with big companies in China.

China is losing about 2,400 square kilometer of land to desertification each year and needs the same size of geo-textiles to control the devastation That figure is estimated to reach 260,000 sq. km. soon and concentrated mostly in the northern areas especially Beijing and Harbin among others.

The PCA official is optimistic that the region could provide at least 50% of the total China's demand for coconut-based geo-textiles being the second largest coconut producing area in the country.

"The region has enough raw materials but we need investors to develop its market potential," Nierva said.

Currently, Giant Export and Import Manufacturing Corporation based in Dagami, Leyte has tied up with a Chinese firm. Their commitment is to export 2,000 metric tons of coco coir monthly but its operating machine has a capacity to produce only 30 tons in a month.

Giant opened up its plant in March this year. They have been storing their producing for shipment to China until they will be able to meet the requirement.

Coco-coir production starts with the buying of husks, fresh or dried, from the coconut farmers which are either delivered directly to the production plant or collected at different pick-up points, usually at the roadside, where they are piled-up. In the region, processing plants buy coconut husks at P5 per piece. These husks become raw fiber (30%) or coco coir through a decorticating machine.

After the decorticating process, the coco-fibers are then compacted using a baling pressmachine and now ready to be sold in graded and standardized form.TACLOBAN CITY -- Church leaders and officials of the government of Samar and Leyte will be among those who will grace the commemorative 33rd Balyu-an Rites to be held at 10:00 in the morning today, June 29, at the Balyu-an Park, Magsaysay Boulevard, this city.

The event, which reenacts the historical exchange of the Sto. Niño images between Barrio Buscada in Basey, Samar and Tacloban City, will bring back  to the people the fervor that the devotees of the Holy Child had as early as the 18th century when  Tacloban, which was then called Kankabatok, used to be a  prosperous barrio of Basey, Samar.

The holding of the 33rd  Balyu-an Rites is made possible through the joint efforts of the City Government of Tacloban and the Parish of St. Michael  the Archangel in Basey, Samar.

To lend color to the commemorative event, there would be a performance by the Pintados Street Dancers, showering of flowers and music played by the City Band.

Upon arrival of the image of the Sto. Niño from Basey at the shores of Cancabato Bay, specifically at the Balyu-an Park, the turn-over ceremony will proceed where the Mayors  of Tacloban and Basey as well as the involved parish priests will deliver their respective commemorative remarks.

The government officials as well as the representatives of the Department of Tourism led by Regional Director Karen Tiopes along with some guests, will give floral offering to the two Sto. Niño images and will release balloons and doves at the end of the commemorative program.

Mayor Alfredo Romualdez of Tacloban and Mayor Vicente Labuac of Basey, Samar  together with Rev. Msgr. Benjamin Bacierra, parish priest of Sto. Niño and Rev. Fr. Dionesio Calderon and Rev. Fr. Neceas Abejuela, parish priest of Basey, will place welcome and farewell leis to the two Sto. Niño images at the altar. Afterwards, Rev. Msgr. Bacierra will incense and bless the two images.

This year's Hermano Mayor, Alex Montejo, as well as the 1999, 2005, and 2006 hermanos pasados will have active participation in the commemorative program. A concelebrated mass at the Sto. Niño Church will immediately follow after the ceremony.

At around 1:00 pm, the parishioners of the Sto. Niño Parish  and officials  of Tacloban City will send-off the Basey delegates bringing their Sto. Niño image back to Basey.

On June 28, a day before the holding of the Balyu-an Rites, delegates of Sto. Niño Parish  will go to Buscada, bringing  the Sto. Niño Parish's image of the Holy Child. The Tacloban delegation will be in Basey to get the Sto. Niño image in Buscada. There will be a motorcade and procession around the municipality of Basey, Samar with street dancers. This will be followed by a mass at the old church at Brgy. Buscada, Basey.

The Taclobanons are enjoined to witness the 33rd Balyu-an Rites and join the procession from the Balyu-an Park to the Sto. Niño Church for the Concelebrated Mass at 12:00 noon of June 29, 2207.