MANILA – The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) MIMAROPA organized the first Coco Colloquium and Technology Forum with the aim of revitalizing the coconut industry in the region.
Held last September 12 in Calapan City, Oriental Mindoro, the event championed collaboration and innovation within the sector to ultimately forge a more prosperous future for coconut farmers and stakeholders, the DTI said in a news release.
According to the DTI, the event gathered stakeholders and beneficiaries of the Coconut Farmers and Industry Development Plan (CFID), from the across the MIMAROPA region.
“The forum leveraged the program's information dissemination, bolstered marketing strategies, and fostered innovation in coconut by-products,” the DTI stated.
The two-day event also coincided with the 38th National Coconut Week, which featured knowledge-sharing sessions, cooking demonstrations, and product exhibition.
Participants also did on-site visits to selected CFID beneficiaries in Oriental Mindoro, the DTI said.
DTI MIMAROPA Regional Director Rodolfo Mariposque led the event alongside the provincial directors: Provincial Director Noel Flores of Occidental Mindoro, Provincial Director Arnel Hutalla of Oriental Mindoro, Provincial Director Roniel Macatol of Marinduque, Provincial Director Orville Mallorca of Romblon, and Provincial Director Hazel Salvador of Palawan.
The forum received strong support from various government representatives and financial institutions, including the Cooperative Development Authority, Commission on Higher Education, Technical Education And Skills Development Authority, National Dairy Authority, Bureau of Animal Industry, Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization, Department of Public Works and Highways, Development Bank of the Philippines, and Land Bank of the Philippines.
The event was spearheaded by the DTI, in partnership with the Philippine Coconut Authority and the Agricultural Training Institute (ATI).
