Monday, April 09, 2007 Agency to hold 1st performance review
THE Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Northern Luzon Cluster would be holding its first cluster performance review next week highlighting the best practices of each region.
Northern Luzon Cluster head and DOST Regional Director Ben Ladilad said the review, to be held from April 10-15 at the Hotel Supreme, is in response to the mega-region concept aimed to spur agri-business development in the area. The Northern Luzon Cluster is composed of Regions 1 and 2 and the Cordillera region.
Ladilad said this is effective as there would be focus on priorities allowing the development of projects in areas with sustainable indigenous resources for micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs).
One of the aims of the activity to be attended by DOST regional directors is to identify areas in which the cluster can complement each other or where it can have an integrated science and technology plan.
DOST Undersecretary Maripaz Perez would deliver a message during its opening program on April 12. Success stories on the best practices of MSMEs of each region would be presented.
Sharing of success stories on technologies excelled in by respective regions would serve as learning from each other, Ladilad said.
The success stories, which are under the Small Enterprise Technology Upgrading Program (Set-Up) is the banner program of the DOST where the agency extends funding for needed equipment.
Set-Up projects would be showcased through an exhibit during the weeklong activity. Products for display would be food, gift holiday décor, metals and engineering, aqua and horticulture.
The launching of tropical wines and distilled spirits, a high impact program of the agency, would also take place on April 11.
Ladilad said the resources of these abound in the region but the processing still needs quality standardization to ensure its competitiveness. He said the DOST would extend technical assistance to further help in improving the packaging of wines and distilled spirits.
