DAVAO CITY—A Davao Occidental marine- and aquatic-resources school signed another research partnership with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), a month after the former also entered into an agreement with Turkey for an international academic-exchange program.
The Southern Philippines Agri-Business and Marine and Aquatic School of Technology (SPAMAST) signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) in November for a collaboration on research studies covering environment and natural resources in the said province.
The partnership involves “collaboration on research studies on the vast natural resources in the province which will be used as a tool to manage and ensure [their survival and sustainability,]” the Philippine Information Agency said, as it cited a SPAMAST post on social media.
DENR-XI Regional Director Bagani Fidel A. Evasco said it would engage the academe on research studies.
“Just recently, we forged a very strong partnership with state universities in [the region’s] other provinces…to strengthen relevant and useful information derived from these studies,” he said.
The partnership would require “merging of personnel and resources in conducting research inventory on the conservation status of the province,” SPAMAST stated.
The two parties also signed a separate MOA “which agrees to designate the DENR-PENRO [Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office of] Davao Occidental as the center for on-the-job training and practicum studies for graduating SPAMAST students.
The agreement applies to students enrolled in environment- and natural resources-related courses “to guarantee that [they complement]…industry demand, ecosystem management, and development programs.”