15 November 2016 – Secretary Emmanuel Piñol of the Philippine Department of Agriculture (DA) met with the Filipino American community of Los Angeles during a reception held at the community hall of the Consulate General on November 03.
Secretary Piñol headed a delegation that attended the 3rd Annual Southern California International Trade and Agricultural Summit in Palm Springs, California on November 02.
In his remarks, Secretary Piñol shared DA’s signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) in Palm Springs with Generic Manufacturing Corp. to design and to 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.
An MOU was also signed with BELCO Packaging Systems for the development of a packaging line for fishery products and potentially for fishery products.
Philippine food products, particularly the Cordillera heirloom rice was also introduced and promoted during the reception.
Heirloom rice was prepared by the caterer White Rabbit during the reception.
Secretary Piñol shared his vision on the importance of modernizing the agricultural sector for efficient production and to re-establish the Philippines as one of the top producers of agricultural products in the world. END
