Republic of the Philippines
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Philippine Center for Postharvest
Development and Mechanization
CLSU Compound, Science City of Muñoz, Nueva Ecija

NEWS STORIES

PHilMech, Korea Partners kick off TASK program
by Don Miguel C. Capari??ño (July 31, 2022)
The Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization (DA-PHilMech) alongside its Korean partners launched the Technology Advice and Solutions from Korea (TASK) Program for the agricultural machinery industry in the Philippines.

Both the Korea Association of Machinery Industry (KOAMI) and Korea Agriculture Machinery Industry Cooperative (KAMICO) are part of the implementing agencies who spearheaded the TASK program from July 26 to 29, 2022.

An interview was conducted between the implementing agencies and 20 recommended local manufacturing companies. Out of the 20, only half will be selected to take part in the program that would be trained under this program.

The program aims to transfer Korean agricultural machinery technology to support resolution of technical difficulties and assist machine improvement, process improvement, prototyping support for Philippine local agricultural machinery and smart-farm related companies.

TASK’s courtesy call with the Director III, Ronaldo Sebastian R. Reyes, a welcome program with 13 manufacturing companies was held at the PHilMech Training Hall on the first day.

This was led by the Technology Management and Training Division (TMTD) headed by Chief Helen R. Calica and Agricultural Mechanization Division (AMD) headed by the Acting Chief, Arlene C. Joaquin, and Romualdo C. Martinez, Ph.D.

TASK experts conducted its face-to-face interview with the attending companies including well-known manufacturers in the Philippines like Metalworking Industries Association of the Philippines headed by Virgilio F. Lanzuela.

Day two and three was allotted for the visitation of manufacturing plants in the provinces of Isabela and Nueva Ecija. Also, virtual interviews among 6 other manufacturers who were not able to make it face-to-face was also conducted by the Korean experts and PHilMech TASK team.

PHilMech Director, Dr. Dionisio G. Alvindia, graced the final day’s wrap-up meeting and expressed his gratitude and support to TASK experts; commending their efforts and interest in helping the Philippine agriculture.

“I would like to congratulate the TASK group for a job well done! For a very short state of time, you have accomplished a lot so that’s an exemplary performance. This initiative would really improve how the manufacturing process of Filipinos and counterparts enrolled in advancement of agricultural machinery,” Alvindia said.

TASK experts then expressed their gratitude as well for PHilMech, being the key for the success of their program implementation.

TASK experts who are subjected in consulting and technical advising for local manufacturing companies were Park Chang Hyun, CEO of Tae Kwang Industry Co.; Lee Sek Jin, CEO of Leehwa Co.; An Yong Bum, CEO of Joonwoo Tech Co., LTD; Jang Young Yoon, CEO of Sung Boo Ind., LTD; Nam Young Jo, CEO of Bulls Co., LTD; Kim Hyun Oh, CEO of Sambu Co.; and Philip King, FIT COREA Representative. They are tasked to provide technical guidance, technical advice and introduce the latest agricultural machinery technologies and products from Korea.