August 4, 2025 - Romblon State University (RSU) and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Bureau of Philippine Standards (BPS) conducted a collaborative session aimed at strengthening product quality, safety, and innovation through national standards and technical education.
In a coordination meeting held at the RSU Board Room, RSU officials, deans, unit heads, and representatives from the DTI-BPS convened to advance the Standards, Technical Regulations, and Conformity Assessment Procedures (STRACAP) initiative.
The collaboration is part of the nationwide BPS STRACAP Caravan 2025 to bridge the knowledge gap among micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), manufacturers, and consumers regarding product standards and certification.
๐ ๐๐๐๐ฎ๐น ๐ฐ๐ผ๐บ๐บ๐ถ๐๐บ๐ฒ๐ป๐ ๐๐ผ ๐พ๐๐ฎ๐น๐ถ๐๐
RSU President Merian P. Mani welcomed the DTI delegation, expressing gratitude for the agencyโs proactive role in promoting quality assurance and innovation within the university.
โThis partnership is an opportunity to ensure that our students and stakeholders are equipped with the tools to meet global standards,โ Pres. Mani said.
DTI-BPS Director Neil P. Catajay acknowledged RSUโs support in hosting the caravan, emphasizing the importance of voluntary Philippine National Standards (PNS) as reference materials for industries and institutions.
Dr. Gianinna Elaine M. Labicane, Officer-in-Charge of the Vice President for Student Affairs and Services (OIC-VPSAS), extends her sincere appreciation to the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) for the trust and opportunity to collaborate with Romblon State University (RSU) in equipping students for industry readiness and bridging the gap between the academe and the professional sector.
Dr. Labicane also expressed enthusiasm for the forthcoming training sessions and affirmed her commitment to working closely with the organizing team to ensure the success of the initiative.
๐๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ๐-๐ผ๐ป ๐น๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ป๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐ณ๐๐๐๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐ฒ๐ป๐ด๐ถ๐ป๐ฒ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐
The proposed two-day caravan will feature a seminar-workshop titled STRACAP 101 for engineering students, to provide practical experiences in learning standards development, technical regulations, and conformity assessment procedures.
Led by DTI-BPS experts, the sessions will aim to enhance student understanding of how product testing and certification impact safety and performance.
Information-sharing sessions will also be conducted about BPS services, targeting a broader audience including manufacturers, importers, distributors, retailers, consumers, and government agencies.
The initiative is designed to empower stakeholders with knowledge on how standards influence market access and consumer protection.
๐๐ง๐-๐๐ฃ๐ฆ ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐น๐ฒ๐ด๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป
President Mani expresses her gratitude for the collaborative initiative of the DTI team:
โข Neil P. Catajay, Director, DTI Bureau of Philippine Standards
โข Ronaldo C. Corrales, Asst. Division Chief, Product Testing Division
โข Orville Mallorca, DTI Romblon Provincial Director
โข Ana Liza G. Grimares, Advocacy Officer, DTI Romblon
โข Camille G. Hemefes, Promotions and Marketing Section Head, DTI BPS
โข Hannah Rouie C. Tamayo, Technical Information and Dissemination Specialist, DTI BPS
๐ช๐ฎ๐๐ ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฑ ๐ฏ๐ฒ๐๐๐ฒ๐ฒ๐ป ๐ฅ๐ฆ๐จ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐๐ง๐-๐๐ฃ๐ฆ
Separate engagements are being planned for RSU faculty and students to deepen institutional understanding of STRACAP and its relevance to academic and industry practices.
President Mani has delegated the Office of Vice President for Student Affairs and Services to coordinate with DTI BPS in ensuring the seamless conduct of the Romblon STRACAP Caravan.
The partnership is expected to catalyze innovation and elevate the universityโs role in promoting quality-driven development in the region.
Source/Credits: RSU - Office of the Presidentย
