Fishing.--Philippine waters abound in food fishes of all
kinds. However, the amount of fish caught is not even enough to meet
the local demand. Fishing is mostly done in shallow water, the methods
employed not being adequate for deep-sea fishing. There is great need
for modern equipment for purposes of deep-sea fishing. The islands
are still a heavy importer of fish products. The City of Manila alone
consumes P4,000,000 worth of fresh fish a year.
There are various sea products of the islands, which can be profitably
exploited, such as oysters and other shell fish. Raw materials for
canning purposes are available. Oil and tomatoes could easily be
procured that possess good preserving qualities.
Alcohol.--For the manufacture of alcohol the Philippines offer an
abundant supply of raw materials. There is the nipa sap from nipa
palms which are found in extensive groves in water swamps. There is
the discarded molasses from the sugar mills amounting annually to
7,000,000 gallons. There are fruits, especially bananas, which could
be grown in unlimited quantities and manufactured into alcohol. To
these, may be added wood-waste and sawdust from the lumber mills.
Cordage.--The manufacture of cordage is another profitable Philippine
industry with the promise of a constant world demand. The islands
have all the natural advantages for the extensive development of
the industry. Abaca, sisal, and maguey affording strong fibers can
be grown in abundance. At present the islands are an exporter of
cordage. In 1915, 454,621 kilograms were exported; in 1918 the export
rose to 2,209,064 kilograms valued at P1,733,968, in 1921 the export
2,631,953 kilos valued at P1,099,378. Most of this was exported to
British East Indies, Hongkong and the United States.
Paper and paper pulp.--The industry which for some time has interested
the Government and private individuals, and for the development of
which nothing substantial so far has been accomplished, is the paper
and paper pulp industry. There is at present a large demand for
paper pulp in America, Europe, and Japan. According to authorities
on the subject, the spruce wood, which forms at least two-thirds of
all the woods converted into pulp, is being exhausted. Very recently
newspapers in the United States gave accounts of plans to develop the
forest resources of Alaska to supply paper pulp for the production of
paper. The world's annual paper production is about 8,000,000 tons,
and it is estimated that for every ten years there is an increase in
demand amounting to 25 per cent.
The Bureau of Science has made an exhaustive study of raw materials
available in the Philippines for the manufacture of paper pulp. The
investigation shows that there is an abundant supply of raw materials
for the manufacture of paper. Among these are bamboo (caña bojo
variety), cogon grass, and abaca waste. These materials contain all
the elements for the manufacture of an excellent pulp product. The
supply of bamboo and cogon grass is almost unlimited thruout the
Islands. Bamboo fiber is eminently fitted for the manufacture of pulp
used for the making of book papers and for certain grades of writing
and lithographic materials.
Cattle raising.--There are extensive grass lands suitable for cattle
raising in the islands. Seventy five per cent of the country is a
rolling expanse of upland territory to the foot-hills with an elevation
of 4,500 feet. Aside from forest areas, there are extensive pasture
lands such as the grass-covered hills of Nueva Vizcaya, the Mountain
Province, and the green plateaus of Bukidnon in Mindanao. There are
now cattle raising projects in those places but there is plenty of
room left elsewhere.
Embroidery.--Hand embroidery in the Philippine Islands has been known
for over four centuries, having been introduced by Spanish, French,
and Belgian nuns, who taught this artcraft to the Filipino women
in their convents where exquisitely fine work was done, mainly for
Church altars and tapestries used for decorations.
At the present time there are scattered over the Islands, but chiefly
in central Luzon, thousands of men, women and children engaged in
this enterprise, which is a means of adding to their income, but is
not considered the mainstay of their livelihood, as they work only
when they prefer to and not of necessity.
France and Belgium, where the embroidery industry was crippled by
the war, are coming back into the field, but it is a question whether
they will ever again be able to compete with the Philippine Islands
in the quality and price of goods. The Filipinos also excel in fine
art work done on piña (pineapple fabric) and silk.
In the Philippines, embroidery is a part of the curriculum of all the
schools, so that every girl student learns how to embroider from an
early age.
The demand for Philippine embroideries greatly exceeds the supply. At
present the greatest demand is for ladies' underwear, but there is also
a tremendous demand for infants' and children's underwear and fine
frocks. The making of children's dresses, especially in the larger
sizes, is probably the most complicated of all handmade merchandise,
not only in the fine embroidery stitchery but also in the cutting
and sewing. This class of workmanship is finding favor by leaps and
bounds in the United States.
[Embroidery Factories]
There are about forty embroidery factories in Manila, the entire output
of which is practically absorbed by the United States. Recently new
markets have opened up, notably India, Australia, and China, where
the dainty work of the Filipino women has been much admired.
The following figures show the growth of the embroidery industry of
the Philippines during the years indicated: