15 November 2016 – Secretary Emmanuel Piñol of the Department of Agricultre led a delegation to attend the 3rd Annual Southern California International Trade and Agricultural Summit held in Palm Springs, California on November 02.
The Philippine delegation to the summit was composed of officials and leaders of the private sector headed by EDL Group of Companies Chairman, President & CEO Dr. Eulalio D. Lorenzo, a leading agri-business and animal health conglomerate, and COO Emmanuel Berbano, and Melandrew T. Velasco, president and CEO of Media Touchstone Ventures Inc. accompanied by Undersecretary Evelyn Laviña, BFAR Undersecretary and Director Eduardo Gongona, Ifugao Governor Pedro Mayam-o, DA Cordiller Director Lorenzo, Vice Mayor Lito Piñol and other delegates from the private sector.
In his remarks, Secretary Piñol spoke about his book, “Feeding Millions – President Duterte’s Blueprint on How to Feed 105 Million Filipinos.” He also saw the need for improvement through modern machines for harvesting of coconuts since this is the Philippines’ No. 1 export commodity, as existing methods are primitive using manual labor.
Secretary Piñol signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Generic Manufacturing Corp. to design and develop an automated machine that would make the husking and processing a faster procedure while at the same time turning what otherwise are discarded by-products – husk, water and shells – into additional income sources for the coconut farmers.
“This is a development which I hope would finally lift the Filipino coconut farmers from poverty and realize President Duterte’s dream of giving Filipinos in the rural areas a better life,” concluded the Secretary.
The MOU stated that Generic Manufacturing Corp. will start designing the Automated Coconut Processing Machine for the Department of Agriculture of the Philippines without cost to the government. In January next year, Belts and two of his technical experts will visit the Philippines for one week to study the situation of the coconut industry.
Secretary Piñol also signed another Memorandum of Understanding with BELCO Packaging Systems for the development of a packaging line for fishery products. END
