November 2008

The project aimed to increase the commercial value and industrial applications of almaciga resin by improving resin quality through refining and chemical modifications to produce higher value-added products from the refined almaciga resin.

The project was successful in implementing the envisaged activities that lead to the outputs of its two specific objectives. With regard to the achievement of specific objective 1 "To study the techno-economics of refining crude almaciga resin in a pilot scale and develop some industrial chemicals from refined almaciga resins", the following outputs have been delivered:

• A pilot-plant for refining the crude almaciga resin was designed, fabricated, commissioned, installed and tested at FPRDI (which was later transferred to the cooperator). Several modifications were also made to the original design to improve the performance of the pilot equipment.
• The equipment has an estimated production capacity of eight tons per month of refined resin.
• A feasibility study of the technology, market acceptability, industrial compatibility, and a financial analysis, which showed favorable financial returns (internal rate of return of 36.88%). Laboratory scale processing of the refined almaciga resin to produce value-added products like: paper size, cation exchange resins for heavy metal removal from industrial wastewater, and resins for coatings.

The commercialization of the resin refining technology is being carried out with a private investor, as FPRDI's partner, to achieve the project's long term development objective. He was selected from among previously identified possible cooperators who signified their interest to the project. The cooperator was chosen, with ITTO approval, based on technical and financial capabilities, and linkages to the target market and almaciga forest community.

The project management recognized the importance of a tri-sectoral partnership framework to ensure the sustainability of the technology - a lesson learned during the project implementation. The tri-sectoral partners involved were (a) FPRDI, DENR and concerned regulatory government agencies in the local and national level, (b) industry partners and users, and (c) almaciga-producing forest community.

With regard to the achievement of specific objective 2 "To conduct techno-transfer on improved tapping techniques for almaciga resin", training was conducted on resin tapping in the Provinces of Samar and Palawan.

The last PTC meeting was held in March 2008, and the members of the Technical Committee were able to see the pilot-scale plant for refining crude almaciga resin in operation.

The project faced delays due to identification of the private cooperator and acquisition of legal permits for the pilot plant.

TheCommittee of Forest Industry declared the project completed in November 2008, pending the completion of final report and final audit, which were then being executed.

November 2007

During the reporting period, the Executing Agency requested an extension of 6 months period in order to cover all techno-transfer activities pertaining to commercialization of the technology for resin refining. A pilot plan for Almaciga resin refining was inaugurated on February 2007 and has already been transferred to the project collaborator. Production test runs at the site in order to gather final technical and financial data. The project is on the right track in achieving its objectives although delayed on its targeted completion date. The project shall end by the end of September 2007.

November 2005

The project has promoted and transfered improved tapping techniques for almaciga resin and is carrying out development work for the increased and further processing of almaciga resin into value-added products in order to promote development opportunities and income in almaciga-producing forest communities. Typical value-added products from almaciga resin includes refined resin, paper size, varnish and cation exchange materials for removal of heavy metal from industrial wastewater. Under the project, a village–based refining system for crude resin was designed, fabricated, installed and tested at the FPRDI campus. The technologies and economics of refining crude almaciga resin on a pilot-scale have been determined. Establishing a pilot refining system will be instrumental in replicating the outcome of the project in other almaciga-producing forest communities. Additional outputs from the project will be training on improved methods of harvesting for resin tapers.

Most of the activities related to Objective 1 have been implemented: a pilot plant for refining almaciga resin has been build and is operational. Resin from the Palawan province has been first used, which is the greatest producing province after which the project envisaged to use then resin from Samar province. The resin has been refined and chemically modified in order to obtain the various expected products: paper size resins; resins for varnish manufacturing and resins for cation exchange to remove heavy metals. These products have been analyzed and compared to commercial resins. The plant is now being transferred to a local community of resin gatherers in the Palawan Procince. Test running, performance evaluation and study of costs of production will be conducted there.
Activities related to specific Objective 2 have been initiated with the assessment of tapping techniques used by the communities trained under the previous project PD 15/96 Rev.2 (M,I) "Utilization, Collection and Trade of Tropical Non-Wood Forest Products in the Philippines". Field visits to different areas where the people tap almaciga trees were conducted for actual inspection and verification purposes. It was observed that about 65% of the previously trained tapers are now following the proper tapping techniques. Data collected are being analyzed with the view to providing training on improved methods of harvesting.

A Project Steering Committee Meeting was held in April 2005 and found that the project is on track and its activities are well implemented. The project will have a wide variety of useful outputs, exceeding by far what was provisioned in the project document. In order to enhance the results of the project, and to incorporate all additional activities, including the transfer and functioning of the resin pilot distillation plant to the Palawan province with the corresponding capacity training of the local community of resin gatherers an extension of the project until April 2005 without additional funding, was approved.