Gov’t interventions turn log supplier to international wood craft exporter

“Nagpapasalamat kami sa DOST (Department of Science and Technology) dahil mabilis ang kanilang serbisyo sa pag-assist sa amin on how to improve our production and processes.”

Mario Sebastian, Jr., chief executive officer of MARSSE Tropical Timber Plantation, said these words as he expressed gratitude to the government for all its interventions to help their plantation grow into a full-grown business that is now exporting manufactured wood products to United Kingdom, Germany, Switzerland, France, Italy and other European countries.

MARSSE Tropical Timber Plantation was started way back in 1992 by Mario Sebastian, Sr. who devoted his time planting mahogany seedlings in a 60-hectare farm lot in Umingan town.

After Sebastian Sr. died, the Sebastian siblings took over the plantation and turned their father’s passion and hobby into a business that supplies round and square logs to wood processing facilities.

“Mula 1992 puro tanim at alaga ng puno tapos nag-umpisa kami ng  production ng 2007 sa pamamagitan ng pagsusuplay ng troso sa wood processing facilities sa  La Union,  Valenzuela,  Cavite, at Manila kung saan puro logs lang ang mga sinu-supply namin tapos narealize namin na ang dami naming sinasayang na kahoy kaya nag-umpisa kaming mag-manufacture,” narrated Sebastian.

Armed with perseverance and some equipment, Mario and his brother Marco started manufacturing their logs into lumber which later became house floorings and other customized furniture.

“Nong una kaming dalawa lang ng kapatid kong si Marco ang gumagawa ng products, tapos nagkaroon kami ng maraming orders, nag-outsource na kami. So may mga kilala kaming mga factories, dinadala namin yong mga kahoy dun para gawing flooring at pintuan, pag natapos saka namin idi-deliver,” Sebastian said adding that they had hard times travelling to one place to another to manufacture their products because they do not have proper equipment to process their logs.

Then one time while surfing the internet, Sebastian encountered the Small Enterprise Technology Upgrading Program (SETUP) of the DOST.

“Nag-inquire kami kung qualified ba kami to avail of the program then after two weeks nagulat kami andyan na ang DOST para mag-inspect and assess,” he said stressing the swift action from the agency.

On February 2013, MARSSE Tropical Timber Plantations, Inc., completed all its requirements and became a beneficiary of DOST-SETUP.

DOST awarded to MARSSE their much needed equipment such as spindle moulder, thickness planer, jointer, belt sander, and kiln drier amounting to at least P913, 420.00.

“Nong dumating yong drier and other primary equipment, hindi na namin ginagawang mano-mano ang production at maghihintay na lang kami ng 16-25 days para mapatuyo yong kahoy na dati umaabot ng one to two years bago namin mai-produce,” disclosed Sebastian as he proudly said that through the DOST intervention, MARSSE also generated employment from two workers to 13 regular workers now.

“Because of the drier and the primary equipment provided by the DOST SETUP, naka-increase kami ng production at kinaya na namin ang magsupply sa mga malalaking companies. Pinasok na rin namin pati ‘yong mga give-aways and after three to four years, nag-start na kaming mag-export,” Sebastian shared.

Before the intervention, Sebastian said that their company only produces a few hundred pieces of wood products but through DOST’s assistance, over 30,000 pieces in a month are being produced by MARSSE which made their profit increase by one to two million pesos every year.

Sebastian also disclosed that “dahil sa tulong ng DOST, nakita kami ng DTI (Department of Trade and Industry) at pinapadala na rin kami sa international trade shows like Ambiente in Germany and Philippine Solo Exhibit in the ASEAN in Tokyo, Japan.”

Now, MARSSE advocates sustainable tree farming by conducting Sustainable Tree Farming Seminars to educate small to large scale farmers and land owners on sustainable tree farming and buys sustainably farmed logs from tree farmers at fair and competitive prices.

“Nagtuturo rin kami sa farmers na magtanim ng puno para eventually sa future pag lumaki nang lumaki ang production namin, ang supply  ng puno ay hindi mauubos kaya tuloy-tuloy pa rin yong pagtuturo namin sa mga farmers para as we grow, they will grow with us,” Sebastian said.

MARSSE was recognized as Likas Yaman Awardee for Environmental Protection in 2011 and Responsible Forestry in 2003 by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).

In 2017, DTI-Region 1 also recognized MARSSE Tropical Timber Plantation as One Town, One Product Next Generation (OTOP Next Gen) and Go Lokal Programs.

MARSSE has also availed the second phase of DOST-SETUP with a funding of at least P2 million pesos consisting of laser machine and wood mizer sawmill with blade setter and sharpener.

MARSSE’s goal for the next five years is to continue farming trees to help in preserving forests, support other local tree farmers and contribute to country’s economic prosperity. (JNPD/EMBS/PIA-1/Pangasinan)

via Philippine Information Agency / Elsha Marie B. Soriano