BI-MONTHLY PUBLICATION OF ARmm inDUSTRY cluSTER capacity EnhancEMEnt PROJEct (aiccEP) Malaysia eyeing ARMM ARMM industry clusters for big “very grateful” to JICA investments COTABATO CITY -- sector and guiding us to projects and activities to - Industry cluster teams of become stronger as an in- promote the growth of the MALAYSIA is looking the ARMM Industry Clus- dustry” says abaca cluster palm oil industry, accord- keenly at Mindanao as one ter Capacity Enhancement chair Pundato Alug. ing to the cluster chairman of its investment destina- Project all came out in full Alug said all the team Suharto Ibay. “Since we’re tions here in the Asia-Pa- force to express their grati- members are wishing that still in the early stages of cific region in the coming tude to Japan International this project could be ex- production, we’re all hop- years. Cooperation Agency for tended and even expanded ing JICA could extend the Nyaee Ayup, Malay- its unwavering support to to include other industries project,” Ibay said. sian Trade Commissioner of industrial growth in the re- such as coconut and cacao, Coconut cluster chair- the Malaysia External Trade gion during a recent cluster because land in Lanao del man Tanggote Panganda Development Corp, one of meeting in Davao. Sur “is very fertile for many said coconut farmers need the delegates of this year’s “We’re very thankful industrial crops”. to know more about earn- Brunei Darussalam-Indo- to JICA for this industry The palm oil cluster ing additional income from nesia-Malaysia-Philippines cluster project, for bringing team was “very grateful” to the coconut by-products East Asean Growth Area us along on this journey JICA for supporting the oil since most of the farmers (BIMP-Eaga) Strategic Plan- to promote the growth of palm growers and farmers in Maguindanao belong to the abaca industry, how to in Maguindanao by guid- the “poorest of the poor” deal with the government ing and funding all their turn to page 6 turn to page 6 JICA project coordinator Shu Nishimaru (left) listens intently to reports from the six AICCEP industry cluster teams together with ARMM DTI Asst. Regional Secretary Abubacar Datumanong (center) and ARMM DTI Regional Secretary Sakiran Hajan (right) during a recent Davao meeting. PHILIPPINE Hajan cites impact of AICCEP on ARMM economy, farmers COTABATO CITY -- and consultants of Japan Cluster Bulletin - Regional Secretary Saki- International Cooperation ran Hajan of the ARMM Agency during a meeting VOL. IV NO. 5 JAN-FEB-MARCH 2016 PHILIPPINES Department of Trade and in Davao recently. Industry cited the strong Hajan attributed the impact of the ARMM In- success of the AICCEP dustry Cluster Capacity En- these past months to “all hancement Project or AIC- the hardworking DTI pro- JICA extends AICCEP CEP on the lives of farmers vincial directors” in the in the Autonomous Region ARMM who coordinated for Muslim Mindanao. all the projects and activities for one more year “I’m so impressed by of pilot industry clusters in how the AICCEP is improv- their provinces covering DAVAO CITY ---- A one year extension for the Mr. Mishima Kenji of JICA’s ing the lives of farmers and Sulu, Tawi-Tawi, Basilan, Govt eyeing ARMM Industry Cluster Capacity Enhancement Private Sector Development Group and Industrial improving the economy in Maguindanao and Lanao 1-million Project (AICCEP) has been approved recently by Development and Public the ARMM region. I’m so del Sur. “I’ve seen how hard the Tokyo headquarters of Japan International Policy Department. thankful to all those who they worked to make this hectares Cooperation Agency. Kenji said he contributed to the success project succeed all these palm oil A JICA high official who handles and supports was concerned by the of this project,” Hajan told months and I’m so thank- reviewed the project early the six pilot industries -- “sustainability” of the a gathering of industry ful for what they’ve done to nationwide this year said he had been - seaweed, coffee, rubber, project so that the industry cluster teams, provincial “amazed and impressed” palm oil, coconut and abaca. clusters could reduce their turn to page 6 dependence on JICA over directors of ARMM- DTI PALM OIL plantations by the early outcome of The three-year program time and rely on local and all over the country are ex- the AICCEP program is one of the components national resources that are pected to reach one million after observing how the under the Comprehensive Laguna trade mission sees government, private sector, Capacity Development available among national hectares in the years ahead government offices and once government plans for academe, coops, had been Project (CCDP) for the working closely together ARMM region. local governments. vast US export potentials this commodity are set into on various projects and “We’re so impressed by “I’m convinced there’s motion. STA ROSA, LAGUNA neurs, industry stakehold- activities to boost the how the various industry a real need to continue this ---- A recent trade delega- ers and officers of the De- Francisco “Kiko” Pang- growth and development clusters were able to gather industry cluster approach to get maximum impact tion here who arrived re- partment of Trade and In- ilinan, head of the govern- of the six pilot industries in together representatives on the economy of your cently after weeklong trade dustry (DTI) had one goal ment’s food security pro- the Autonomous Region in from government, private gram said one of the keys Muslim Mindanao. sector, coops, academe region,” Kenji told members and study mission to Cali- in mind: to test the USA as and officers of cluster teams fornia, USA, revealed that a potential market for Cala- to reducing poverty in the AICCEP is the joint to actively work together Philippines is the mass em- project of JICA and the to develop their local of the six AICCEP industry vast export opportunities barzon products. (Calabar- clusters gathered at a hotel are waiting for small and zon stands for Cavite, La- ployment and livelihood ARMM-Department of industries,” says the Trade and Industry that deputy assistant director turn to page 6 medium-scale enterpris- guna, Batangas, Rizal and programs that come out of es (SME) in the US West Quezon economic zone) a growing, robust palm oil Coast. DTI Calabarzon Re- industry . The mission delega- gional Director Marilou The government is tion composed of entrepre- Quinco-Toledo disclosed expected to add some P50 that the “Pistahan sa Yerba million budget for palm oil Buena Gardens” at How- industry development this ard Street in downtown year, which is fifty-times San Francisco was the best more than the previous site for test selling sev- year’s budget at only P1 eral Calabarzon products million. This budget, ac- since the trade fair coin- cording to Pangilinan, will cided with the 21st Annual be utilized as assistance ARmm inDUSTRY to farmers, for fertilizers, cluSTER capacity Pistahan Festival, an event EnhancEMEnt PROJEct organized by the Filipino seedlings, research and de- A PROJECT OF American Arts Exposition velopment. that drew over 60,000 peo- “This will be benefi- ple daily. cial to our country because Food items (coffee, presently, the Philippines is banana chips), health and importing a total of 350,000 to 400,000 metric tons (MT) Japan INTERnational wellness preparations (tur- COOPERation AGENCY meric, lemon grass tea) as of palm oil amounting to ARMM well as fashion accessories, P35 billion annually. If we footwear, and rice bran- can produce our own big supply of palm oil, we based beauty products MAGUINDANAO PALM OIL NURSERY. This one-hectare oil palm nursery (above) at Brgy. don’t have to import any- DEPARTMENT OF were brought to the fair Sarmiento, Parang, Maguindanao was launched last March by the palm oil cluster team TRADE & INDUSTRY more and spending such P H ILIPPIN E S supported by JICA executives and officials of ARMM Department of Trade and Industry. The turn to page 6 turn to page 7 nursery will provide quality oil palm seedlings to Maguindanao farmers. PHILIPPINE CLUSTER BULLETIN JAN-FEB-MARCH 2016 PROJECTS Coco cluster sees need to put up coconut mill COTABATO CITY ---- The coconut cluster Coconut farmers in Magu- team is mulling over plans Coco cluster indanao, after undergoing a to have a number of decor- to set up series of training programs ticating machines in Ma- in farm management, pro- guindanao to help coconut solar dryer, duction and quality control, farmer turn all their big are thinking of the possibil- piles of coconut husks into warehouse ity of putting up their own two profitable by-products village-type coconut mill which can earn them more COTABATO CITY --- plant and get some units of money than copra itself--- - Despite the huge tracts decorticating machines in coco fiber and coco peat, ac- of farmland planted to co- the province. SEAWEEDS TURNOVER. Seaweed seedlings (cultivars) were turned over recently by the cording to Panganda. conuts, farmers in the prov- seaweed cluster team to a seaweed farmers federation group in Buan, Sulu in a wide-ranging “This is what we have Coco fibers can be pro- ince of Maguindanao are effort to improve the quality of seaweeds produced in the southernmost province. in mind when thinking of cessed by hand into twines still producing low-qual- ways to sustain the growth which are used to weave ity copra and getting lower and development of the co- into anti-erosion nets called buying prices for them from Abaca cluster conut industry in this prov- “geonets” which has a huge traders. Seaweed cluster wants ince in the coming years demand among engineer- “It’s time for coconut even after the end of the ing projects worldwide to farmers in Maguindanao to now moving to expand project areas clustering project of JICA prevent erosion in high- earn more income from their TAWI-TAWI --- Ex- 200 kilos of the seedlings and the DTI ,” coconut ways, rivers, bridges, etc.