By Stewart C. Ocampo

Committed to advancing indigenous knowledge systems for high-quality learning and community development, the Mariano Marcos State University is currently hosting an international conference on prairie and indigenous knowledge in agriculture, education, culture and the arts, and health (PIKAECAH) that opened yesterday, May 16, at the Teatro Ilocandia.

Led by the Indigenous Knowledge System and Cultural Management program committee of MMSU, the activity gathered over a hundred participants from the member-institutions of PhilCan EduCon Magic 7+ (Philippine-Canada Education Consortium for International Collaborative Partnerships - Magic 7+). It is in collaboration with the Commission on Higher Education - International Affairs Staff, the Embassy of Canada in the Philippines, through its Trade Commission on Education, Agriculture, and Beverages.

Dr. Marlowe Aquino, IKSCM program head, said the three-day blended conference (a combination of online and in-person presentations) facilitates knowledge exchange in research and community engagement documentation. Particularly, it focuses on indigenous knowledge in agriculture and fisheries, research for development in education, agriculture, forestry, climate and environment, health, culture, and the arts. Research studies on these fields are being presented in the plenary and parallel sessions.

Plenary speakers from Canada include Dir. Gail Boehme, executive director of All Nations Healing Hospital and File Hills Qu’Appelle Tribal Council (ANHH & FHQTC) Health Services who discussed indigenous healthcare management yesterday; and Prof. Tim Molnar and Dr. Tim Sharbel from University of Saskatchewan, who will tackle cultural education, and agriculture, environment, and natural resources management, respectively, today.

During the opening program, Senior Trade Commissioner and Commercial Counsellor Guy Boileau, who represented Canadian Ambassador to the Philippines David Hartman, expressed high hopes for the continued partnership between the Embassy and the Philippine schools. He further emphasized the value of cooperative engagements toward sustainable knowledge sharing and growth.

For MMSU’s part, Dr. Oscar Agpaoa, vice president for administration, finance, and business, said, “We [in MMSU] are excited to learn from the best practices employed by like-minded institutions. May this conference intensify our commitment to advance sustainable development and respond to the evolving needs of our respective institutions,” he remarked.

Gracing the event are Dr. Danilo Bose, OIC CHED Region I, ANHH & FHQTC officials, MMSU administrative council members, and IKSCM project leaders.

Participating higher education institutions include Benguet State University, Central Luzon State University, Central Mindanao University, Don Mariano Marcos Memorial State University, Mountain Province State Polytechnic College, University of Southeastern Philippines, Cagayan State University, Isabela State University, Nueva Vizcaya State University, Quirino State University, Kalinga State University, Bulacan State University, Eulogio Amang Rodriguez Institute of Science and Technology, and Trimex Colleges.

Completing the list are Bicol State College of Applied Sciences and Technology, Bohol Island State University, Bukidnon State University, Aklan State University, Capiz State University, St. Peters College, Northwestern Mindanao State College of Science and Technology, University of Antique, Mindanao State University, Sultan Kudarat State University, and Zamboanga State College.

In 2022, MMSU also led an IKSCM international webinar series on agriculture and food systems, cultural education, health and medicine, and, culture and arts. (HLY/JVBT, StratCom)