PSU President Dr. Dexter R. Buted, VP for Academic and Research Dr. Gloria Domantay, VP for Finance and Resource Generation Mrs. Maria Corazon Puzon, Director for Income Generating Projects Dr. Honorio Cascolan and researchers attended the Higher Education Summit on Academe-Industry-LGU Linkage for Coffee at Benguet State University in Baguio.
The three-day seminar was also participated by several state universities in Region 1 wherein resource speakers in the Philippines believed that the coffee industry can reduce poverty (Brillantes 2016, Tabanda, and Fongwan, 2016) and ensure food security (R. Rodolfo and Saguibo, 2016). Several agencies present during the summit included Regional Development Council (RDC), DOST, CAPE, DENR, LANDBANK and the SUCs who were the key implementers of the coffee programs to support the region’s Coffee Development Plan. The academe agreed to use their expertise and their resources for research to generate knowledge about coffee.
Dr. Alex B. Brillantes Jr., Commissioner of CHED was the keynote speaker of the said summit and was also the active moderator during the seminar-workshop. Interesting topics were discussed by the coffee researchers, head of industries and SUC presidents. Topics on Development of the Coffee Industry (State of Coffee Industry) and the Role of Private Sector (Nestle and Rocky Mountain Coffee Arabica) were comprehensively discussed.
The summit was highlighted by coffee planting at Mt. Bektey, Brgy. Puguis Benguet. Key government and private officials, researchers, students, farmers, and other participants planted coffee as a symbol of participation to the National Coffee Roadmap.
Moreover, PSU representatives – Dr. Gloria Domantay, Ms. Corazon Puzon, Dr. Raquel Pambid and Ms. Veronica C. Austria planted coffee together with Dr. Alex Brilliantes. This experience brought PSU in strategic alliance to strengthen Philippine Coffee Industry. It also placed the country in the world of coffee industry.
By Dr. Raquel Pambid (PSU Bayambang)