REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES

OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENTIAL ASSISTANT

FOR FOOD SECURITY AND AGRICULTURAL MODERNIZATION
PHILIPPINE COCONUT AUTHORITY
ZAMBOANGA RESEARCH CENTER
San Ramon, Zamboanga City 7000 Tel. /Fax No. (062) 982-0302
P.O. Box 356 TIN: 000724616
E-mail: pca_zrc@yahoo.com

NON-FOOD PRODUCTS DEVELOPMENT DIVISION

Tel. No. (062) 926-7356 E-mail: nfpdd_zrc@yahoo.com

MONTHLY ACCOMPLISHMENT REPORT

For the period ending DECEMBER 10, 2015


1) AR/NFPD 05/20. Piloting and Commercialization of Coconut Husk Decorticating
Machine, Baling Machine and Twining Machine. L.J. Peamora, N.J.
Melencion , R. L. Lumata, C. M. Tagactac, and L. G. Baya. (20052016)

The fabrication of coconut husk and coir processing equipment for KEDP Projects of PCA
Regional Offices was continued. During this month, 9 units of looming machine were
delivered to PCA Region XI last December 9, 2015.





















Photo 1. Loading of various coir processing machineries for PCA Regional Office XI.

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 The summary of the orders for coir and charcoal processing equipment at ZRC can be
seen at the following table:


Requisitioner Amount per Qty/Unit Description Status
Unit
1 Region XII 350,000.00 3 Decorticating Under fabrication with
(2014) Machine blade but lack of hub,
stand, and engine is being
procured
650,000.00 1 Decorticating Materials and engine are
Machine 1.5T being procured
2 Region XIII 370,000.00 11 Decorticating Under fabrication with
(2014) Machine blade but lack of hub,
stand, and engine is being
procured
3 Region VI 250,000.00 1 Decorticating Under fabrication with
Machine blade but lack of hub,
stand, and engine is being
procured
4 Region I-IVB 300,000.00 2 Decorticating Under fabrication with
Machine blade but lack of hub,
stand, and engine is being
procured
5 Region IX 410,000.00 5 Decorticating Under fabrication with
(Villar) Machine blade but lack of hub,
stand, and engine is being
procured
6 Region XI 325,000.00 5 Decorticating Under Fabrication (blade,
Machine stand, and hub); painted;
engine is being procured
7 PCA X 300,000.00 1 Decorticating Under Fabrication (blade,
Machine stand, and hub); painted;
engine is being procured
2,000.00 106 Twining Under Fabrication
Machine
11,000.00 20 Looming Under Fabrication
Machine
8 PCA IX 25,000.00 5 Briquetting For delivery
Machine
5,000.00 9 Briquettor, Delivered
manual
63,168.75 5 Briquetting 05 units Grinder for
Processor delivery
(Mixer & 02 units Mixer for delivery
Grinder) 3 units Mixer under
fabrication
3,000.00 5 Twining, pedal Delivered
100,000.00 2 Wood chipper Under fabrication (lacks
Hertz-meter for electric
motor)
9 PCA XI 1,500.00 35 Twining Under fabrication (lacks
machine bicycle hub)
10 PCA XII 35,000.00 15 Looming Under fabrication
machine, steel
5,000.00 82 Twining Under fabrication
machine, steel
25,000.00 3 Rotary sieve Under fabrication

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Photo 2. Units of decorticating machines under fabrication.












Photo 3. Fabricated items for PCA Region XI






















Photo 4. Fabricated twining and looming machines for PCA Region XII

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2) AR/TU 06/25. Pilot Scale Production and Marketing of Handicrafts, Novelty Items
and Wares from Coconut Wood, Fruit Residues, Husks and other
Parts of Coconut. L.J. Peamora, N.J. Melencion, R.L. Lumata, C.M.
Tagactac and L.G. Baya. (20062015)

The production of novelty items and handicrafts is being continued. For this month, 32
pieces of novelty items were displayed at the 81st Rural Improvement Club of the Philippines
(RIC) National Convention at Garden Orchid Hotel. 5 novelty items were given to trainees
during a Small Coconut Furniture and Handicraft Production Training sponsored by DTIR9
to CARP ARBs.


3) AR/TU 10/26. Production, Utilization and Marketing of CocowoodAcacia Wood
Composite Furniture products (Revenue generating project).L.J.
Peamora, N.J. Melencion, R.L. Lumata, C.M. Tagactac and L.G.
Baya.(20102020)

The production of various handicrafts was continued. Ten (10) office tables are currently
being produced by the woodworking shop using Bagalunga (Malambuaya) for the newly
hired Research Assistants (pictured below).
















Photo 5. Various furniture being fabricated at NFPDD.


AR/TU 11/01. Utilization of coconutbased biomass for bioethanol production. N.J.
Melencion, R.L. Lumata, and L.J. Peamora. (20112016)

1.1 First Generation Ethanol Production from Coconut Sap and Saps of Other Palms.
N.J. Melencion, R.L. Lumata, and L.J. Peamora. (20112012)

Bioethanol yield from coconut sap was evaluated based on the set parameters (pH,
Brix, and harvesting time) per AROD sample palms. Additional parameter now
includes spathe temperature using infrared. So far the data revealed that there is a
distinct difference in terms of the volume collected in between the AM and PM harvests.
However, continuous evaluation has been conducted to corroborate the data.
Meanwhile, the lyophilized S. cerrvisiae procured from the UPLBBIOTECH was also
cultured in various types of media (standard growth mold medium and the LM
medium). It has been shown that mold is both suitable to the standard and to the newly
developed coconutbased medium (LM medium, developed by R.L. Lumata and N.J.

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 Melencion). Media for ethanologenic bacteria, Zymomonas mobilis (also from UPLB
BIOTECH), were also prepared as preparation for mass culturing.











Photo 6. S. cerrvisiae being culture at Biomass and Biofuels Laboratory.

Improvement on the scent and packaging material of coconut hand sanitizers were also
conducted.














Photo 7. Newer packaging containers being tested for cocobioethanol
hand sanitizers.

4) AR/TU 15/01. Comprehensive R&D in the Production of Communitybased
Competitive Coconutbased Products. L.J. Peamora, N.J. Melencio, C.M.
Tagactac, R.L. Lumata, L.G. Baya, and E.C. Manohar. (20152018)

1. Commercialization of Cococoir Processing Technologies and Machineries in
CALABARZON

A. Fabrication, Demonstration, Monitoring, and Evaluation of the Field
Performance of Machines. L.J. Peamora, N. J. Melencion, C.M. Tagactac, R.L. Lumata,
L.G. Baya, and E.C. Manohar.(20152018)

A training on coir processing on enhanced biologs and other products for the
women of Silangang Dalitiwan, Majayjay, Laguna on November 1620, 2015. The said
products is planned to be showcased for the upcoming National Organic Agricultural
Convention.
The following coir processing machines are bound to be delivered to
CALABARZON: 1 unit 1.5Tcapacity decorticating machine, 3 units mobile
decorticating machine, 45 units twining machine, and 3 units looming machine.

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Photo 8. Fabricated items for delivery to CALABARZON.


B. (1). CoirCocoshellAcrylic Product Development. N.J. Melencion, R.L. Lumata, C.M.
Tagactac, and L.J. Peamora. (20152018)

The acrylic project was continued for the month utilizing the available
coconut waste materials (coconut male and female flowers, spikelets, coconut
shell, coir, etc). Materials for this project were also requested e.g. resins, catalysts,
dyes, encapsulation materials, plaster of Paris, liquid rubber, etc. Moreover,
preliminary art designs (flower bases) using various coconut wastes were
conducted and optimization procedure for fiber coloring was also initiated to get
the right combination ratio of dye, vinegar, coir.

Photo 9. Art works from coconut biomass being prepared for embedment in acrylic resin.

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Bleaching of fiber using various concentrations of sodium hypochlorite was also evaluated.

Photo 10. Results of bleaching coir using Sodium hypochlorite solution


Furthermore, procedure optimization for the processing of tapestry using
various starches (cornstarch and cassava starch) as binders was also evaluated to
substitute commercial glue which is costly. The picture below shows the different
results obtained using various starches and their corresponding concentrations.


Coir characterization of different coconut cultivars was resumed. Five nuts
from three (3) coconut varieties were used as initial samples. These varieties are
Baguer, Banga, and Kinabalan. More varieties will be used for sampling later. The
number and length of the coir per sample will be determined to classify them.












Photo 11. Samples using different starches as binder in varying concentrations

Photo 12. Extraction of coir per sample is conducted manually after retting. Fabrication of a
machine is considered to ease the work.

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(2). Application of Biotechnology for the Production of Biosynthetic Products.
R.L. Lumata, N.J. Melencion, C.M. Tagactac, and L.J. Peamora. (20152018)

Development of novel coconutbased medium and substrates for mushroom
cultivation and green muscardine fungus production

Medium optimization of culture medium for mushroom (Figure 1),

Metharhizium anosipliae or GMF (Figure 2), and coconutbased medium as
substitute to the Shigeru yamanaka medium (Figure 3) was continued. Mycelial
growth of mushroom were examined particularly using Lentinus edodos
(Shiitake) in RLL 01 medium and the GMF isolates cultures were also evaluated
using RLL 02 medium. Meanwhile, comparable responses were observed in the
newly developed medium (RLL 03) for Acetobacter xylinum were distinct
formation of bacterial cellulose appeared both in Shigeru yamanaka and the coco
based medium (RLL 03). Furthermore, Trichoderma harzianum isolate was also
recently procured from the Bureau of Soils Region IX where this will also be
masscultured for application on degradation of coco biomass. Innoculum
preparation for GMF and Vesicular arbuscular mycorrhizae is also currently being
facilitated.

2. Coconut Shell Carbonization, Wood Vinegar and Solid Biofuels (Village Processing
of Coconut Shell Carbonization). L.G. Baya, L.J. Peamora, C.M. Tagactac, and R.L.
Lumata, and N.J. Melencion. (20152018)

The Division continued the fabrication of charcoal processing equipment for KEDP of
PCA Regional Offices. Last October 28, 2015, 1 unit of smoke trap was delivered to
Manukan, Zamboanga del Norte. Three (3) units of charcoal kiln are being constructed
now at Venus, Sergio Osmea, Zamboanga del Norte (KEDP site).
The construction of twin charcoal kiln with waste heat utilization unit (WHU) is still
ongoing. A heat exchanger system is currently being fabricated. This will house the
ignition chamber. Airflow will be heated by the ignition of kiln gas which will provide heat
input for the dryer systems.















Photo 13. The twin charcoal kiln at its current state of
fabrication. The heat exchanger system is the
compartment at the center where the pipes
meet.

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 3. Coir Processing and Coir Products Development. C.M. Tagactac, L.G. Baya, R.L. Lumata,
N.J. Melencion, and L.J. Peamora.(20152018)

The construction of a prototype molder for the biotray is ongoing. Collection of raw
materials for sample was done.
4. Other Research Activities
A. Fermenter design and coconut water utilization
After six (6) months of refrigeration of the beverage mixtures, one mixture stood out
by physical observation with no change in color and no sediments, the mixture that
was boiled and with the additive.
B. Two new machines (Coir carding machine and Cocopeat compactor) are under
development as part of the project to generate technology for processing cocopeat
and coconut fiber. The designs of the said machineries were already made using
VeriCAD, a 3D version of the AutoCAD software. At the other extreme, the available
carding machine was also repaired where the electric motor was changed from 0.5
HP to 2 HP for a faster run. Meanwhile the drum of carding machine was also changed
into a metal drum to sustain a more efficient operation.







Photo 14. Compaction of coconut peat being experimented (left) and coir carding machine being
rehabilitated and enhanced.

C. As part of nonfood product development, preliminary experiments on producing a

costeffective egg tray were conducted where the base material is coir. This intends
to strengthen the tray and to make it into something more flexible and durable
version of egg tray.








Photo 15. Various coconut biomass treatment being experimented for egg
tray material.

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 5. Conferences/Seminars Attended/Other Activities

A. On November 26, 2015, NFPDD personnel attended the 81st Rural Improvement Club
of the Philippines (RIC) National Convention. They conducted demonstrations on
coconut products at Garden Orchid Hotel, Zamboanga City. Likewise, Dr. Neil J.
Melencion presented a lecture on coir processing and other coconut utilization
technologies.








Photo 16. NFPDD staff demonstrated the production of cocoethanol hand sanitizer (left) and Dr.
Melencion giving a lecture presentation on coir processing and other coconut product
utilization technologies.


B. The Technical Staff of the Division attended a research forum sponsored by the
Department of Science and Technology Regional Office No. IX. The topic was In the
Specific Case of Research, are Colleges and Universities Relevant? conducted by De
La Salle University Vice Chancellor for Research, Mr. Arnulfo Azcaraga. The forum was
attended by University/College presidents, decisionmakers, leader of selected
government agencies and researchers.

C. The rehabilitation of the kiln dryer was continued this month. The electric motor was
already installed and the furnace was completed.








Photo 17. Kiln dryer with steamheating elements being tested.

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 D. Six (6) dining set (2seater) were already started. These items pertain to the request
of Secretary Fredelina Guiza. The coco lumber used was kilndried in the newly
rehabilitated kiln dryer. A sample unit was already finished. The rest of the volume is
currently produced.








Photo 18. Sample unit of cocowood table for Secretary Edel Guiza, showing details of knit
rattan








Photo 19. These coco lumbers will be used for the tables.

E. Four (4) coconut farmers and four (4) PCA Lanao del Norte Provincial Office
personnel attended training on cocowood processing at NFPDD. The training was
conducted last November 10, 2015. This training was conducted as requested by PCA
Regional Office X.

F. Last December 13, 2015, ten (10) Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries (ARBs) conducted
a 3day Training on Small Coconut Furniture and Handicraft Production at the
Division.



Submitted by:


NEIL J. MELENCION, PhD.
Sr. Sci Res Spec /OICDivision Chief III

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