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Building Bridges with the Coconut Industry
As a follow-through to the initial discussions on the Coconut Farmers and Industry Development Plan (CFIDP) last May 2, 2025, the UP Mindanao Technology Transfer and Business Development Office (TTBDO) conducted an industry insights visit to Franklin Baker on May 20, 2025, and to BF Industries on May 28, 2025โindustries where UP Mindanao may engage through possible partnership, collaboration, and knowledge exchange to help address identified needs and gaps.
๐๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ป๐ธ๐น๐ถ๐ป ๐๐ฎ๐ธ๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐๐ผ๐บ๐ฝ๐ฎ๐ป๐ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฃ๐ต๐ถ๐น๐ถ๐ฝ๐ฝ๐ถ๐ป๐ฒ๐, ๐๐ป๐ฐ. is a globally recognized processor of coconut products, with decades of experience in delivering high-quality coconut-based ingredients to international markets.
๐๐ ๐๐ป๐ฑ๐๐๐๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฒ๐ ๐๐ป๐ฐ., located in Toril, Davao City, is a Filipino-owned enterprise that produces activated carbon, granulated charcoal, and charcoal briquettes from coconut by-products.
TTBDO Chief Researcher Melvin Pasaporte led the UP Mindanao team in pursuing these engagements to support UP Mindanaoโs continuing efforts to better understand the coconut industry landscape and identify areas for research, technology development, and collaborative innovation, in alignment with CFIDP.
Forging Partnerships and Collaboration
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The TTBDO also participated in a Focus Group Discussion (FGD) with Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) XI, and the UP Mindanao School of Management (SOM) on May 29, 2025, to contribute to the CFIDPโs long-term vision of sustainable coconut industry transformation. The FGD discussants had an in-depth discussion on elements for creating impactful projects and programs and motivating the inclusion and participation of industry players, to push the industry forward.
The FGD discussants included PCA XI Regional Manager Juvy Alayon, PCA Davao Research Center Manager Johana Orense, and PCA Governing Board Director Pepito Capangpangan, the SOM team of Asst. Prof Roxanne Aguinaldo, Assoc. Prof. Ligaya Leal, University Researcher Dr. Marilou Montiflor, and Research Associate Dave Laurence Dela Cruz, and the TTBDO team of Chief Researcher Dr. Melvin Pasaporte, and Business Development Officers Ms. Raissa Ling and Val Cimafranca.
This activity reinforces the universityโs commitment that its efforts and resources are collaborative, consultative, and adheres to the core principle of the 2030 Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) of โleaving no one behindโ.