TACLOBAN CITY, Philippines—Samar State University (SSU) and the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), together with their partners, led the official launch of the USWAG Eastern Visayas Consortium & Ceremonial MOA Signing yesterday, May 6, at the Ballroom Hall of Leyte Normal University (LNU), Tacloban City.
Led by SSU President Dr. Redentor S. Palencia, the gathering highlighted a linkage with a total of 27 partners comprising of higher education institutions (HEI), regional line agencies, local government units (LGU), and private sectors who signified their commitment and support to the implementation of the USWAG Eastern Visayas Consortium, an initiative that aims to cultivate a vibrant entrepreneurial ecosystem in Eastern Visayas through collective efforts of the academia and partner sectors.
Dr. John Glenn D. Ocana, Regional Director of DOST Region VIII, graced the activity, together with representatives from various regional line agencies and private sectors, including the Department of Information and Communication Technology Region VIII, Department of Interior and Local Government Region VIII, Department of Trade and Industry Region VIII, National Economic and Development Authority Region VIII, Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Catbalogan & Tacloban-Leyte Inc.), BBCS Data Systems, and Mare e Monte Restaurant.
Also present and showed support were LGU representatives from Baybay City, Calbayog City, Catbalogan City, Ormoc City, Tacloban City, and Samar provincial government. Moreover, a total of 13 HEIs demonstrated their support, including Biliran Province State University, Catbalogan City Community College, Eastern Samar State University, Eastern Visayas State University, Leyte Normal University, Northwest Samar State University, Palompon Institute of Technology, Samar Colleges, Inc., Saint Paul School of Professional Studies, St. Scholastica’s College of Tacloban, Inc. University of Eastern Philippines, University of the Philippines (Tacloban), and Visayas State University.
The USWAG program is funded by DOST and implemented by SSU’s Technology Business Incubator-Local Alliance of Marine-based Businesses and Food Technology (TBI-LAMBAT), headed by Dr. Vivian L. Moya.