LOS BAǸOS, Laguna -- Key players of the special “makapuno” coconut industry from the academe, government and private sector have met to identify value chain actors, review some constraints, and provide inputs for the development of the Makapuno Feasibility Study at the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) center here.
According to DTI Calabarzon PIO Mia Angeline V. Cortez on Thursday, top officials from the Calabarzon regional offices of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and DOST, in collaboration with the local government of Alabat, Quezon and the Philippine Coconut Research and Development Foundation (PCRDF), embarked on their Planning Workshop from April 3 to 4 as part of the Makapuno Island Project.
The convergence aims to revitalize the makapuno industry in the Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon) with DTI’s support on the makapuno product value chain and product promotions strategies.
The event focused on the DTI Foreign Trade Service Corps’ (FTSC) project titled “Transforming Overseas Filipinos (OFs) to Overseas Filipino Investors (OFIs): Philippine Makapuno Industry and Agribusiness Investment Promotion Program.”
The project will be piloted in the Alabat Island in Quezon Province.
During the said planning forum, DTI Calabarzon Regional Director Marilou Q. Toledo enjoined participants to “double our efforts to develop a brand for Philippine makapuno” as this will encourage more investments and exports.
Toledo said the project, in particular, would benefit overseas Filipinos, as well as those at the grassroots level such as farmers and micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs).
She also highlighted the importance of applying the 7Ms strategy for enterprise such as mindset change, mastery, mentoring, money, machine, market access and models of business in developing and promoting Calabarzon’s makapuno.
DOST Calabarzon Regional Director Dr. Alexander R. Madrigal, lead agency official for the science and technology (S&T) application on the Makapuno Island project in Alabat, hopes to revive the makapuno industry through the multi-agency support.
Madrigal also acknowledged several agencies that have been continuously working hard for the development of makapuno and paved the way for the development of products like the makapuno powder, makapuno flakes and makgum or galactomannan.
At the conference, he also expressed optimism for the makapuno industry stakeholders to commercialize these products along with the Embryo Cultured Makapuno technology which is developed in the Calabarzon, the region which pioneers the technology.
The multi-agency representatives also mapped out the Makapuno Value Chain and provided their respective inputs to the Makapuno Feasibility Study including the next steps/concrete action plans in their drawing board.
Participating agencies in the two-day event include the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) Albay Research Center; PCA Region 4-A; Department of Agriculture-Lipa Agricultural Research and Experiment Station; Board of Investments; Landbank of the Philippines; National Economic and Development Authority 4-A; Pasciolco Agriventures; Southern Luzon State University and Batangas State University. (PNA)
