New normal economic and business opportunities were recently tackled in the webinar, “Future Proof CEM: Harnessing Business and Economic Opportunities in the New Normal.”
The webinar was organized by the College of Economics and Management of the University of the Philippines Los Baños (CEM-UPLB) in partnership with the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST-PCAARRD). It was held on July 27, 2021, in commemoration of CEM-UPLB’s founding anniversary.
The webinar engaged more than 390 participants, including industry practitioners, regulators, consumers, and researchers, in exploring further actions to be taken by the economy and businesses despite the COVID-19 pandemic. It also featured four speakers who imparted their experiences and strategies in adapting businesses and communities to the new normal.
CEM-UPLB Dean Agham C. Cuevas highlighted the importance of future-proofing businesses, organizations, and communities to overcome the risks and uncertainties that lie ahead. Cuevas envisioned the webinar to inspire all the participants to build back better.
One of the presenters, Iskaparate.com CEO Joey Bermudez, shared how micro-entrepreneurs outdo the challenges imposed by the lockdowns brought by the pandemic. Bermudez highlighted how Iskaparate facilitated employment for Filipino women by establishing a digital tiangge and adopting a strategic marketing plan.
Accentuating the modernization and transformation of agricultural value chains, Dr. Thomas Reardon, Michigan State University professor, discussed the changes in the rise of e-commerce in the food systems.
Moreover,, Mayani PH CEO and founder JT Solis focused his discussion on his experiences in operating a start-up agricultural e-commerce company. Finally, Bureau of Plant Industry assistant director and Urban Agriculture Program national director Gerald Glenn Panganiban tackled the status and prospects of the urban agriculture program of the Department of Agriculture. Panganiban underscored in his discussion how the adoption of urban agriculture among Filipino households accelerated during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The strategic partnership of DOST-PCAARRD with CEM-UPLB supports the priorities of the Council on socio-economics and policy research agenda under the Harmonized National Research and Development Agenda (HNRDA) for the AANR sector. The Council provides augmentation funds to qualified professional/scientific and academic organizations that pursue activities supporting the Council’s advocacies, banner programs, and goals.