The Industry Cluster Enhancement (ICE) Program is one of the Department of Trade and Industry’s flagship initiatives. This aims to promote and develop the eight priority industries that the agency supports, namely: cacao, coffee, processed fruits and nuts (PFN), bamboo, coconut, rubber, oil palm, and wearable and homestyle (W&H).
Through its ICE program, DTI builds alliances with relevant agencies and institutions to implement interventions for productivity and efficiency and create a conducive business-enabling environment.
Meanwhile, to set a clearer direction and improve the industry further, DTI 11, through its ICE program, spearheaded a Strategic Planning Workshop last May 18 to 19, the first since the PFN industry cluster’s inception in 2014.
"We truly appreciate that representatives from government agencies, processors, and traders from the region contributed to the strategic plan. And we are optimistic that this is only the beginning of our fruitful partnership," DTI 11 Regional Director Maria Belenda Q. Ambi said.
Collaborating efforts between and among national agencies and private sector organizations is one of the strategic planning workshop’s objectives for a coherent and rationalized implementation of projects and activities.
“Together with our partner agencies, we move towards the organization of the region’s processed fruits and nuts cluster to develop the industry and promote inclusive growth among value chain players,” the local trade chief added.
Meanwhile, DTI Davao City director Rachel S. Remitio, the agency’s regional coordinator for PFN, shared the direction of the industry for the next five years.
“As envisioned in the Davao Region Processed Fruits and Nuts Industry’s Strategic Plan, the stakeholders aspire to become one of the prime suppliers of best quality and market competitive PFN in the world. We are looking forward to the institutionalization of the Davao Region’s Processed Fruits and Nuts Industry Council,” Remitio shared.
Industry clustering requires the commitment and cooperation of government agencies, private sector businesses, and all the players along the value chain. “We, along with our partner agencies, will continue to strengthen our collaboration in order to ensure that all our programs are aligned and working effectively for the benefit of our stakeholders,” Remitio concluded. (PR-DTI11)