The Provincial Government of Ilocos Norte (PGIN) partnered with the Mariano Marcos State University (MMSU) to launch “One Town One Technology” (OTOTech), an innovative approach in managing technologies for business entrepreneurship.
OTOTech aims to benefit local government units (LGUs) in Ilocos Norte through developing technologies for agro-entrepreneurship, agro-tourism, fisheries, education, and business. It is a revolutionized research project designed to develop measures to address community concerns and aims to institute techno-entrepreneurship excellence, strengthen local stakeholders for development, sustain production and profit, and address immediate development trends.
MMSU President Dr. Shirley Agrupis presented the OTOTech Action Development Plan at a meeting with the League of Munipalities in the Philippines (LMP)-Ilocos Norte last November 14 at the Sangguniang Panlalawigan Session Hall.
“The objective of the OTOTech is anchored on the paspas dur-as (“rapid development”) of Ilocos Norte,” said Dr. Agrupis.
She further added that MMSU will strengthen its efforts to contribute to the development of Ilocos Norte.
The OTOTech’s output includes appropriating techniques in producing and processing products, utilizing information and communication in the production, processing, commercialization and development of products.
Together with the municipal mayors, the MMSU research team identified community concerns of every municipality. General concerns raised included issues on tourism orientation, financial literacy and entrepreneurship, food processing and packaging, crops and soil management, fisheries and aquaculture technology, waste management, and innovation of existing products.
The assessment and development of technologies will be specialized based on the available natural resources and the existing industries such as fisheries, agriculture, and tourism.
Preliminary clustering of municipalities was also presented, namely agro-eco tourism cluster, industry and business enterprise cluster, fishery technology cluster, agricultural management cluster, based on geographical location and availability of resources.
Governor Imee R. Marcos expressed her support for OTOTech at the meeting: “We have to address these problems through new agriculture. We need to start trading on our own.”
Last May 22, PGIN held a Garlic Technology Forum and partnership meeting with Japanese garlic stakeholders at Batac City. The Provincial Government together with MMSU aim to establish an international research partnership and adapt advance research methods. The black garlic or “Ilocana Negra” is the first crop to be propagated in Ilocos Norte, with the help of Japanese-based crop growers and agriculturists.━Edison Justin B. Deus, PGIN-CMO
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