by Ferdinand Bulusan

 

 

The Batanes State College (BSC) and an Ivatan entrepreneur have inked the technology licensing agreement (TLA) of the “Ivatan Beer” today, January 15, through a virtual contract signing ceremony hosted by the Department of Science and Technology-Regional Office 02.
BSC President Cholo Simon and Mr. Dennis Lim of Tawsen Agri Ventures officially signed the TLA after Dir. Sancho Mabborang of the Department of Science and Technology 02 issued the fairness opinion report on the agreement’s terms and conditions.
Witnessing the signing of the TLA were Joy Ann Horlina of PSTC-Batanes, Prof. Leobert Banzali, product development training officer of BSC, former Research, Development, Extension, and Training (RDET) Director, Prof. Doreen Cariaso, current RDET Director, Dr. Ferdinand Bulusan, and Prof. Daryl Alva Batin, College Training Coordinator.
Aside from the Ivatan Beer, the DOST-R02 also witnessed the simultaneous signing of the TLAs of two more innovations developed by Cagayan State University and Isabela State University.
In his message, President Simon emphasized the significance of the Ivatan Beer to the Ivatan community.
“The fact that the Ivatan Beer is made of the locally-grown “wakay” or sweet potato, the product becomes more appealing to the locals of Batanes,” Simon said.
Mr. Lim, a BSC-instructor-turned entrepreneur, highlighted in his acceptance message that Ivatan Beer’s commercialization will immensely contribute to the flourishing of Batanes’ tourism industry.
“The development of this product will further enhance the primary industry of the province, which is tourism. This will not mean establishing support industry in the market but [also] generating employment, especially a market of raw materials for the [local] farmers,” Lim said.
In September 2020, Tawsen Agri Ventures and BSC inked the term sheet of the licensor and the licensee to agree with their conditions to push through the Ivatan Beer’s commercialization.
Collaboratively developed by BSC and PSTC Batanes through its chief, Nora Garcia, and staff, Ms. Horlina, the Ivatan Beer was primarily developed through Prof. Banzali, former RDET Director.
In an interview with Horlina, the Ivatan Beer’s development received a funding of 400 thousand pesos from DOST Regional Office 02 in 2018.
Meanwhile, in 2019, the Ivatan Beer made its public debut during the Science and Technology Caravan in Batanes. In that same year, the product won third place in the Regional Invention Contest and Exhibit.
Local production of every 330 ml of Ivatan Beer, the first and only locally brewed beer in the province, will commence anytime this year.