Government agencies forge MOA for further dev't of industries

VARIOUS government agencies signed on Thursday a memorandum of agreement (MOA) in a bid to further develop the region's priority industry clusters.

Headed by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI)-Davao, the MOA-signing at its office was also joined by the regional offices of Department of Agriculture (DA), Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA), Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), Department of Tourism (DOT), Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB), Department of Science and Technology (DOST), National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), and Southern Philippines Agri-Business and Marine and Aquatic School of Technology (Spamast).

The MOA is for the upgrading of the Davao Industry Cluster Capacity Enhancement Project (Diccep) which is now being adopted nationwide as a development strategy and carries the name Niccep (National Iccep).

DiccepP was started in Davao Region in 2007, with technical cooperation assistance from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (Jica).

Under the said MOA, the concerned agencies have vowed to collaboratively work together in implementing more relevant initiatives that will result to greater development in the eight priority industries of the region which include banana, mango, coconut, seaweeds, mining, tourism, wood, information and communications technology (ICT).

DTI 11 regional director Marizon S. Loreto said the MOA-signing is a "meaningful and significant" document for all the involved agencies, as collaborators for industry clusters.

"This will practically seal and concretize our commitment for industry clusters," she said. Loreto is also the project director of the Niccep Satellite Program Management Office in Davao.

With the MOA signed, Loreto is optimistic about generating and implementing more high impact activities and initiatives this time.

"We don't only put our resources and time but also our hearts and minds into the program," she said.

Meanwhile, Neda regional director and Regional Development Council (RDC) 11 vice chair Ma. Lourdes D. Lim said the cooperating agencies must look at the MOA as an embodiment of their commitment “to internalize the importance of this undertaking… to maximize its benefits”.

"In behalf of RDC 11, I commend DTI 11 for this effort," she said.