Taiwan envoy open to cooperation with MMSU

TAIWAN Ambassador to the Philippines Wallace Minn-Gan Chow led a delegation visiting the Ilocos Norte-based Mariano Marcos State University (MMSU) on February 22 to explore potential collaborations in agricultural development.

Chow, together with Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO) officials, was warmly welcomed by MMSU President Shirley Agrupis through a courtesy meeting at the MMSU Ferdinand E. Marcos Hall.

The MMSU Strategic Communication Office said the delegation from Taiwan and officials of the university discussed possible partnerships and inspected agricultural production sites and assessed innovations in agriculture products within Ilocos Norte.

Agrupis expressed interest in the collaboration, stating that Batac’s vast agricultural lands can be explored, while the university’s research-based food products such as black garlic, tomango (tomato and mango) ketchup and kamangeg (mountain potato) can be commercialized.

One of the MMSU agriculture initiatives that the university president presented was the agri-fishery aspect of the Promoting Research and Innovation to Strengthen Transformation of Industries and Enterprises, or Pristine.

Sheila Baquiran, MMSU university accommodation chief, said the TECO officials had the opportunity to visit the MMSU Food Innovation Center, National Bioenergy Research and Innovation Center and the university’s vegetation cover in front of the College of Agriculture, Food And Sustainable Development.

Chow also expressed his appreciation and support toward MMSU for future collaborative opportunities in education and agriculture.