ISUFST and Municipality of San Enrique Liga ng mga Barangay stamp MOA for Technology Transfer Initiative

San Enrique, Iloilo–A Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) was signed on the morning of Thursday, August 22, 2024, at the Municipal Hall of San Enrique. This marks a significant collaboration between the Iloilo State University of Fisheries Science and Technology (ISUFST) and the Liga ng Mga Barangay of San Enrique town. The partnership is set to drive the TechKnow Transfer Extension Program, a pioneering initiative aimed at enhancing the technological capabilities of the town’s barangay officials.

ISUFST President Dr. Nordy Siason, Jr., and Liga ng Mga Barangay-San Enrique President Hon. Gian Carlo Niño Fernandez formalized the MOA. Key officials and staff from ISUFST and the San Enrique Local Government Unit (LGU), including the 28 barangay captains of San Enrique, attended the ceremony.

Representing ISUFST at the event were TechKnow Transfer Extension Project Leader Prof. Wenda Panes, Legal Counsel Atty. Joey Mondero, PAMMCO Director Dr. Herman Lagon, International Affairs and Linkages Coordinator Dr. Analiza Gullos-Alingalan, and Chairperson of Instruction Dr. Genevieve Garrido, alongside faculty and staff from the San Enrique Campus.

Vice Mayor Ernesto Palomado, standing in for Mayor Rosario Mediatrix Fernandez, who happens to be on official travel, expressed the LGU’s strong support for the program. “This agreement is our legacy to the present and the next generation,” Hon. Palomado stated.

The TechKnow Transfer Extension Program includes the “Computer Utilization and Technology Transfer Endeavors (CompUTTE)” project, which seeks to address the digital literacy gap among barangay officials through ICT-related training sessions and technology transfers.

Prof. Wenda Panes, a leading professor from ISUFST’s College of Computer Studies (CCS), highlighted the program’s innovative components, including the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations (AICS) Management System, Barangay Information Management System (BIMS), TapME Android-based emergency alert application, Immunization Information System (IIS), Disaster Preparedness App “e-Bakwit,” and the Hands-free Attendance Archive Using QR Code.

Hon. Gian Carlo Niño Fernandez lauded ISUFST’s efforts: “Computerization and digitalization are the ways forward. We deeply appreciate ISUFST for responding to our call. We began with our secretaries, treasurers, and staff. We are extending these advancements to the rest of our community leaders, ensuring everyone is equipped for the digital present and networked future.”

Dr. Siason reaffirmed ISUFST’s commitment to the partnership: “We are committed to doing everything in our power to support the LGU of San Enrique. I will ensure that, by the end of my term, the San Enrique campus reaches its full potential to serve the municipality and its community.” He also underscored the ongoing development of multi-million peso projects at the San Enrique campus to serve the locality better and stressed that “all poor but deserving and qualified applicants from San Enrique and nearby areas must be taken care of by the ISUFST San Enrique campus.”

This partnership marks another first for ISUFST, showcasing the university’s dedication to fostering community collaboration and advancing technological literacy across the region. As Prof. Panes noted, this initiative is another first for the university; it is a unique and groundbreaking effort that sets a new standard for community engagement and technology transfer in the region.

The seven-year program aims to empower barangay officials with the necessary skills and tools to improve governance and service delivery through ICT. The long-term training and technology integration package will cover, among others, essential computer operations, word processing, electronic spreadsheets, database utilization, presentation software, and internet navigation, all tailored to the specific needs of the San Enrique barangays.

The signing ceremony concluded with a commitment from both ISUFST and the LGU to ensure the sustainability and continued success of the TechKnow Transfer Extension Program. Future collaborative projects are already in the planning stages. (Herman Lagon/PAMMCO)