DOST assists coco coir and salabat granules production in Zamboanga del Sur
The Department of Science and Technology Regional Office IX (DOST-IX), through its Provincial S&T Center and in partnership with the Local Government Unit of Lakewood, Zamboanga Del Sur, recently turned over a Grant-In-Aid (GIA) assistance to Baking Small Coconut Association (BSCA) and Gasa ELCAC Women’s Association (GEWA), amounting to PhP1,320,959.00.
The fund assistance will be utilized for the establishment of the Coco Fiber Production Facility and the Salabat Granule Processing Facility. Included in the things to procure are tools and materials for the said facilities; machineries such as the Coco Husk decorticating, motorized twining, coconut coir twining steel and pedal type, weighing scale, ratchet-type looming, heavy duty juice extractor, cast iron, tables, strainer, stock pot, and the likes.
The services on physical, chemical and microbiological analyses are also included. In addition, interventions such as product development, execution of packaging and labeling, and the conduct of technology skills related training are being incorporated within the duration of project implementation.
BSCA is an association with 200 members, while the GEWA has 29 members. Both are startup associations engaged in coconut farming and ginger farming, respectively.
Coconut coir comes from the fibrous coconut husks inside the coconut shells, which is then processed into coco twine or coco geo-net. On the other hand, salabat granule is a product of processed ginger.
The said event was attended by Hon. Domingo V. Mirrar, Municipal Mayor of LGU-Lakewood; Hon. Irenia Pamugas and Hon. Ela L. Antubo, both Councilors from Barangay Baking and Gasa; Quinciano Dadulo, Baking Small Coconut Association president; and personnel from PSTC-ZDS headed by Engr. Gerardo F. Parot – Provincial S&T Director.
For more information about DOST’s GIA Program, and other programs and services, please call (062) 991-1024/ (062) 925-1838, or email us at dost9info@gmail.com or visit its Facebook page at www.facebook.com/DOSTRegion9 (Jan Melvin Vallejo/ DOST-IX- Press Release)
