The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) – Regional Operations Group (ROG) headed by Undersecretary Mary Jane T. Pacheco together with DTI Region 1 Director Grace Falgui-Baluyan, La Union Provincial Director Merlie D. Membrere, Pangasinan Provincial Director Natalia Dalaten and DTI – La Union focal persons visited the Sericulture Research and Development Institute (SRDI) on March 9, 2024.
The DTI-ROG is responsible for the field operations of the DTI in the regions and provinces. It also initiates programs to ensure the efficient delivery of business development services, including the formulation and implementation of policies, plans, and projects that can benefit micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs).
A ROG Learning and Planning Convention was held from March 5 to 8 in Santiago, Ilocos Sur, to discuss strategies and operationalize programs, projects, and activities of DTI, and part of the strategy session for industry development is the conduct of an onsite visit to priority industries such as digital fabrication, silk and salt industries, among others.
Relative to this, a visit to the SRDI Silk facilities was scheduled to assess the status of the silk industry. Dr. Cristeta F. Gapuz, the Executive Director of SRDI, along with other SRDI officials and staff, accommodated the DTI team through an informative guided tour from the newly launched SSF silk processing machinery to the Filature Cocoon Processing and Weaving Center and concluded at the One-Stop-Shop of silk and silk-allied products.
Usec Pacheco admired the intricate evolution of silk from larvae spun into cocoons, unwound into silk yarns and hand-woven into high quality, beautiful, and elegant hand-silk fabric for wearables; its potential of silk products diversity; and competitiveness in local and global market, creating impact to its clientele through employment and income generation in the rural areas.
Usec Pacheco was optimistic that the SSF Project, through its provision of basic tools and equipment and high-end machinery, will address the silk processing gap caused by the low capacity of time-worn facility/machinery and will significantly increase silk production. Further, she ascertained more collaborative projects in the future for the sustainability of sericulture in the country. (By JPangayen & JQHigoy)
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