On June 15, 2018, the Agribusiness Support for Promotion and Investment in Regional Exposition (ASPIRE) was launched in Puerto Princesa City, Palawan during the official opening of the Baragatan sa Palawan Festival 2018.
This is spearheaded by the Department of Agriculture (DA) through the Agribusiness Marketing and Assistance Division (AMAD) in collaboration with Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) and other private sector industry groups.
As per Ms. Nida San Juan, AMAD Chief, ASPIRE aims to showcase the identified champion commodities of the region which are calamansi, cashew, saba banana, onion, garlic, cacao, brown and organic black rice, white corn, native pig and goat. Also, this activity is for the farmers, fisherfolk and micro small and medium entrepreneurs (MSMEs) to improve the opportunities in business, promote investment opportunities and to build linkages between government and private agencies.
The components of the program includes: production support, enterprise development and industry support, agribusiness investment and promotion and product market promotion and development.
PCCI Regional Governor Juan Martin G. Barredo said that this activity is also done to discuss the issues and solutions on how to collectively transform the agricultural sector into a competitive, dynamic and world class industry.
DA Assistant Secretary (ASec) for Agribusiness Dir. Andrew B. Villacorta graced the event. He said that they are looking for ways and means to improve local production and to effectively link farmers’ and fishers’ produced to market and investors for them to enjoy better prices and to avoid engaging with middlemen.
“We encourage our farmer producers and cooperatives, MSMEs and other industry players to actively engage our private partners through the PCCI and local chambers for more business and market matching”, he said.
He also shared that as part of the program a web-based database information system was developed through the help of DA-Information and Communication Technology Services to facilitate the efficient flow of information among partners in terms of available supply and demand of the agricultural commodities.
This activity maximized farmers and fishers opportunities not only in promoting their products but also in joining to different lectures on agribusiness opportunities, technical sessions and presentations from private sectors and practitioners held in Fersal Hotel, Puerto Princesa City, Palawan.
Also present during the launching was the DA-MiMaRoPa Regional Executive Director Antonio G. Gerundio, DTI Asst. Director Rodolfo Mariposque, Palawan Governor Jose Ch. Alvarez, Vice Governor Victorino Dennis M. Socrates and Ilocos Norte Governor Imee Marcos.
