Piolo Pascual is DOST's ATBI ambassador
Actor-singer Piolo Pascual is now the ambassador of the Department of Science and Technology-Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development’s (DOST-PCAARRD) Agri-Aqua Technology Business Incubation (ATBI) program.
Dr. Pablo J. Rafael Jr., project leader of Central Luzon State University-Agri-Aqua Technology Business Incubation (CLSU-ATBI), awards the Certificate of Recognition to ATBI Ambassador Piolo Pascual. (DOST-PCAARRD)
The DOST-PCAARRD introduced Pascual as the official ATBI ambassador during the launch of its new ATBI initiatives last June 23-24, 2021 via Facebook Live and Zoom.
“As one of the most popular and influential celebrities in the Philippines, Pascual’s involvement in the ATBI program will help reinforce the advocacy of promoting the importance of agriprenueurship to encourage more Filipino agripreneurs and technology innovators to become incubatees,” it said in a statement. It was Dr. Pablo J. Rafael Jr., project leader of Central Luzon State University (CLSU)-ATBI, who gave the Certificate of Recognition to Pascual.
Among the initiatives launched were the Real-Time Monitoring System (RTMS) or the ATBI website and the Agri-Aqua Business Incubation Network of the Philippines Inc. (AABINPhil, Inc.).
DOST Secretary Fortunato T. de la Peña keynoted the first leg of the virtual conference with a theme “ATBI: A Celebration of Technology Innovation and Agripreneurship”, highlighting the agency’s all-out support to the startup community and startup enablers.
“We want our innovations to be available for anyone who needs them and we want interested individuals to know that there is support and they can come in many forms under the ATBI partner agencies,” de la Peña said in his message. The ATBI website or the RTMS was presented by CLSU-ATBI and Rafael.
The RTMS, which can be accessed at http://atbi.pcaarrd.dost.gov.ph, was developed to monitor the performance and growth of ATBIs and their incubatees, boost their online presence, improve their business credibility, and build a stronger relationship with their target market, the DOST-PCAARRD said.
“A one-stop source of information about the ATBI program, it contains profiles of ATBIs and incubatees, the services, products, and technologies provided by various ATBIs,” it said.
Meanwhile, during the launch of the AABINPhil, Inc., the memorandum of understanding (MOU) and usufruct agreement between AABINPhil, Inc. and DOST-PCAARRD were signed.
The officers of the AABINPhil, Inc likewise took oath before DOST-PCAARRD Deputy Executive Director Melvin B. Carlos.
"Through the initiative of Dr. Ruth C. Diego, project leader of the Benguet State University’s ATBI (BSU-ATBI), AABINPhil, Inc. was formed to foster the development and sustainability of ATBIs through networking, capacity building, policy development, and advocacy to increase entrepreneurial success and to build strong communities,” it said. During the conference, Lucy A. Lastimosa, who heads the commercialization section of the Technology Transfer and Promotion Division (TTPD) of DOST-PCAARRD, disclosed that “as of the first quarter of 2021, the total gross income of the incubatees’ enterprises amounted to P68.7 million and 93 technologies are now being incubated.” “Looking forward, the DOST-PCAARRD ATBI team plans the sustainability of the ATBIs and its current activities to ensure that the agriculture, aquatic, and natural resources (AANR) sector will keep up with—if not lead—the trends and paradigms of agribusinesses,” the DOST-PCAARRD said.