malaysiangMANILA: The Department of Agriculture (DA) on Tuesday said there is an ongoing review of the distribution of coffee seedlings nationwide following reports from the Philippine Chamber of Agriculture and Food Inc. (PCAFI) that millions have gone missing.
In an earlier report, the PCAFI said that each seedling costs PHP100.
DA Assistant Secretary Arnel de Mesa said in an interview Tuesday there is no formal order yet but a review has already started, including looking into the inventory of the Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI), which is in charge of the seedlings’ distribution.
“Bagamat mayroon talagang ibinigay na sumbong ang PCAFI at ito ay i-rereview na, sinisiyasat na ng kagawaran (Although the PCAFI has submitted a complaint, and this is under review, the agency is already looking into it),” he added.
De Mesa also insisted on the need to revitalize the coffee industry, considering the high demand locally.
‘Malaki kasi ang demand for coffee. Malaki rin iyong ini-import natin, so kung magkakaroon tayo ng ma
gandang production, so import substitution iyon (The demand for coffee is huge. We are also importing a huge volume, so if we come up with a good production, that’s an import substitution),” he said.
He mentioned good quality coffee produce in the country including Arabica, Robusta, and Excelsa, among other varieties.
“Sa ngayon karamihan ng coffee natin is being produced in Mindanao, especially in Region XII, sa Sultan Kudarat (For now, most of our coffee is being produced in Mindanao, especially in Region XII [Soccsksargen], in Sultan Kudarat),” De Mesa added.
Besides this, local coffee is also being sourced from the Cordillera Administrative Region, Southern Luzon, and Visayas.
The local production, however, only covers 20 percent of the demand.
Source: Philippines News Agency
Hanoi: In a move to bolster engineering and technology education, Vietnam National University (VNU), Hanoi and Hyundai Motor Company (HMC) on March 19 signed a cooperation agreement on human resources development.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, VNU-Hanoi Director Le Quan expressed his belief that the deal will significantly enhance the quality of engineering and technology education and research at the university. This, he said, will directly address the growing demand for skilled workers in the automotive industry and related sectors, ultimately contributing to the economic and scientific-technological development of both Vietnam and the Republic of Korea (RoK).
Head of business unit at Hyundai Vietnam Gi Baek Lee highlighted the existing relationship between the two sides. He pointed to a 2020 memorandum of understanding signed with VNU-Hanoi’s University of Languages and International Studies (ULIS) for volunteer education activities in the Hyundai-Jump School programme.
Over the past four years, Hyu
ndai Motor has assisted about 200 students from the VNU-Hanoi, primarily those from ULIS, he added.
Under the new agreement, both sides will establish the VNU-HMC cooperation office located in Hoa Lac to facilitate joint activities, including internship opportunities for VNU-Hanoi’s top talents at Hyundai Motor Group headquarters, lectures by esteemed international scholars, and collaborative research projects fostering mutual benefit.
The VNU-Hanoi has a history of successful partnerships in education and scientific research with leading Korean institutions like Seoul National University and technological giants such as Samsung, LG, Hyundai, and SK. Its graduates in sci-tech and engineering disciplines have garnered recognition and secured prestigious positions in Korean technology and industrial conglomerates operating in Vietnam./.
Source: Vietnam News Agency
