THE Philippine Fiber Industry Development Authority (PhilFIDA) launched a digital platform to enhance market linkages and expand opportunities in the fiber sector.
PhilFIDA Executive Director Arnold Atienza led the launch of the e-market linkage platform, dubbed Natural Fiber Link PH, to digitally connect local fiber processors and producers with potential buyers.
The agency said this would help the domestic industry expand its market opportunities, strengthen market linkages, and promote fair and transparent trade in the country’s natural fiber products.
The launch brought together industry stakeholders who explored the developing platform and shared feedback on its accessibility and functionality.
For PhilFIDA, the feedback will contribute to the platform’s continuous improvement as it works toward a more accessible and responsive digital marketplace.
‘As Natural Fiber Link PH continues its development, PhilFIDA remains committed to advancing sustainable, eco-friendly, and inclusive digital solutions that create greater opportunities for Filipino fiber farmers, processors, and industry stakeholders.’
In a separate development, Atienza met with Carmina Jacob, Vice President of the Fashion Coalition.
They discussed potential collaborations that would promote sustainable fiber textiles and the use of locally produced cotton in textile manufacturing.
PhilFIDA added that the discussion also explored opportunities to support local fiber production, encourage the development of sustainable textile products, and bolster the patronage of locally sourced materials within the Philippine fashion industry.
Production bottlenecks
Last April, a unit of the University of Asia and the Pacific (UAandP) said sourcing constraints, weather-related shocks, and plant diseases hinder the domestic abaca industry’s growth. (See: https://businessmirror.com.ph/2026/04/13/typhoons-diseases-hamper-abaca-production-report/)
Despite the industry’s critical role in the global economy and environmental sustainability, UAandP Center for Food and Agribusiness (CFA) research assistant Cy P. Reyes said abaca production had been on a downtrend.
Citing government data, Reyes noted that abaca output steadily declined over a five-year period to 39,089 metric tons (MT) last year, from 58,943 MT in 2021.
Aside from natural calamities and persistent crop diseases, Reyes noted market coordination and sourcing gaps as a main concern.
‘Despite being the world’s leading exporter, the Philippines faces a ‘sourcing paradox,’ where local firms import abaca fiber largely from Ecuador, due to weak coordination in domestic supply chains.’
Thus, Reyes said there is a ‘strong potential’ to reduce the country’s reliance on imports by bolstering connections between local producers and domestic manufacturers.