EnP. Lennie Alberto, representing PPDC Lydia Muneca S. Melgar, participated in the 2024 First Quarter RRDIC Regular Meeting. During the meeting, she presented on the Provincial Science, Technology, and Innovation Committee in the Province of Oriental Mindoro. EnP. Alberto highlighted several STI-related programs and projects that have been prioritized in the Provincial Government’s Executive-Legislative Agenda for 2023-2025.
Among these are:
Under administrative governance were the following:
- Upgrading of IT equipment for database management
- Development and implementation of localized system for electronic budget and financial tracking
- Tax mapping digitization
For social governance, we have:
- Operationalization of sectoral complex to strengthen the implementation of social welfare convergence programs
- Language Skills Institute to promote home-based digital jobs programs
- Book Nook Oriental Mindoro to promote book readership especially among the young and neo-literates, especially in the remote areas
- Mangyan Zero Illiteracy Program, now called Zero Illiteracy and Innumeracy Program
For economic governance:
- Value addition of agricultural and fishery commodities to increase farmers’ profitability through the establishment and operationalization of the Provincial Agriculture Center with the following features – upscaling of processing equipment, agri-business incubation, toll-processing services and sustainable agri-enterprise development. This will be complemented by the Trading and Consolidation Facility under the Philippine Rural Development Project or PRDP.
- Lakbay Oriental Mindoro mobile application and website enhancement as strategy for positioning and branding to establish a consistent and compelling tourism brand that clearly identifies the province’s tourism identity
- Sustainable operation of Botika ng Lalawigan ng Oriental Mindoro as an economic enterprise
For environmental management and disaster risk reduction and management
- Formulation and implementation of ridge to reef framework from forest development, protection to coastal resource management
Further, the PGOM, through the Provincial Agriculture Office, has already conducted roadmapping activities for the province’s priority commodities – calamansi, coconut, aquaculture (tilapia and milkfish), and banana. Following are some of the STI-related initiatives identified:
- Intensified R & D to enhance productivity
- Construction of food and water testing laboratory
- Conduct of research on tilapia disease management (MinSU, BFAR, PLGU, NFRDI, DOST)
- Establishment of production technology infohub for banana (MinSU Main Campus)
- Capacity building on direct and online marketing
- Establishment of market information system/database
The Provincial Agriculture Office also initiated and maintains the Agri-Info Hub in coordination with the City and Municipal Agricultural Offices. It can be accessed through its website, www.orminagri.com wherein relevant agricultural information such as agricultural profile, supplier-market information, climate smart agriculture technologies, training/activity announcement and schedules among others could now be readily accessed by the farmers, Agricultural Extension Workers (AEWs), researchers, potential investors and other stakeholders.
Next steps:
- Amendment of EO to update members
- Convening of the PSTIC to effectively carry out the duties and functions stipulated in the EO
With support from the management and partner agencies, particularly DOST and MinSU, we look forward to more STI-related outputs and sustained contribution of Oriental Mindoro to the regional GDP, and lead us closer to our vision of being a food base exporting high value agri-products, the preferred agritourism destination in MIMAROPA and with an environment conducive for investments by the year 2025.
