Tarlac State University forged a partnership with the Department of Trade and Industry-Tarlac on Tuesday afternoon (March 10) at the Main AVR to promote financial literacy and empower Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Organizations (ARBOs).
The collaboration between TSU and DTI aims to cater to Sta. Maria Kapatanian Agricultural Cooperative, Fonacier Agrarian Reform Farmers, Mayantoc Bakir Farmers, Five Star MPC, Raniag Primary Multi-Purpose Cooperative, Mayantoc Sweet Potato Clean Planting Materials Producer Cooperative, and Ventinilla Marketing Cooperative.
This year, TSU and DTI will conduct learning sessions and workshops, including four marketing seminars, one on organizational and management, and one on finance.
DTI Tarlac is set to focus on product development-related activities and marketing seminars, following the DTI Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) Program Management Office, to promote entrepreneurship and empower Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) within the agrarian sector.
"We reaffirm our commitment to our duties and pledge to uphold every provision of this agreement with excellence and integrity. Our goal remains clear—to equip MSMEs with the tools they need to stay competitive. We recognize that our MSMEs are the backbone of the community," Ms. Florencia Balilo, acting provincial director of DTI, said in her message of commitment.
DTI, a long-time partner of TSU, will extend its partnership for the next four years.
"We are no longer serving alone, because this memorandum of agreement between TSU and DTI is a covenant. We share a promise that the resources of government, the expertise of our faculty, and the potential of our students will be moving together into something far greater than any one of us could accomplish on our own," Vice President for Academic Affairs Dr. Jasper Jay Mendoza said.
For the past three years, TSU has conducted 12 seminars for ARBOs, such as Entrepreneurial Mind-Setting, Basic Financial Management, Digital Marketing, Bookkeeping and Recording, and Strategic Business Planning.
Both parties trained more than 360 ARBs, hitting the 100% target for seminars and a "very satisfied" customer satisfaction feedback (CSF). (jlm-OPA)
Photo: John Michael D. Esteban
