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PH, Singapore eye collaboration on various concerns

The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) and the Singapore Cooperation Enterprise (SCE) are currently in talks for possible cooperation on food safety and security, and other areas

DOST Secretary Fortunato de la Peña said key officials of the two agencies, including DOST Undersecretary Renato Solidum, Jr. met recently and discussed areas of common interest and collaborative mechanisms that both institutions can jointly undertake.

Solidum said the meeting between DOST and SCE became an avenue to discuss possible collaboration mechanisms between the two agencies that involve cooperation areas on water and waste management, food safety and security, digital government, and aquaculture.

“The main focus of the discussion, however, centered on food safety and security where DOST and SCE both shared their insights and both agreed that food security and safety is a whole of government approach and that DOST and SCE can co-develop a framework or roadmap on how to implement an effective ecosystem on food safety,” he explained.

On food safety, Solidum said parameters such as production, distribution, and policy should be considered and that it is expected for both DOST and SCE to sign a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to formalize their collaboration, and for the Philippine Embassy in Singapore to further link DOST and SCE to other Philippine government agencies who will show interest in collaborating in similar areas initially identified.

De la Peña said the SCE leads Singapore’s public sector collaboration and partnerships with foreign governments and generates economic spin-offs from Singapore’s private sector.

The DOST Secretary said the PH-Singapore collaboration can “scope out and tailor possible solutions to match the the two countries’ needs and help meet their development objectives. 

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