NVSU partners with Gotemba City, Japan on Citrus Farming, Prod’n

Gotemba City, Shizuoka, Japan – August 20, 2024 – Nueva Vizcaya State University (NVSU), led by President Dr. Wilfredo A. Dumale, Jr., visited and held discussions with Mayor Katsumata Masami of Gotemba City, Shizuoka, Japan, regarding NVSU’s citrus research program.

The meeting, held at the Office of the Mayor, was facilitated by the Organization for Industrial, Spiritual, and Cultural Advancement (OISCA) International, a longstanding partner of NVSU.

Present at the meeting were NVSU Vice President for Administration and Finance, Dr. Cristina R. Salvosa; Director for CRRDC, Dr. Elbert A. Sana; Director for R&D, Dr. Jessie Pascual P. Bitog; Director for International Affairs, Atty. Regine Karla G. Tabas; and Commission on Higher Education Regional Director, Atty. Marco Cicero F. Domingo.

Key officials from OISCA International included Secretary General Nagaishi Yasuaki, OISCA Shizuoka Secretary General Uchiyama Emiko, OISCA Shizuoka Officer Masato Suzuki, and OISCA Division for Domestic Operations Senior Adviser Fujime Asaji. Representing Gotemba City were Mayor Katsumata Masami, Vice Mayor Rachi Junko, Economic Diplomacy Strategy Director Tatsua Takiguchi, and Shioya Masahiro from the Shizuoka Shimbun Shizuoka Broadcasting System.

The meeting began with a photo opportunity and an exchange of tokens between NVSU President Dr. Wilfredo A. Dumale, Jr., and Mayor Katsumata Masami. President Dumale presented a traditional handwoven table runner representing the indigenous culture of the Philippines, while Mayor Masami offered Gotemba City-made souvenirs in return.

Nagaishi Yasuaki introduced the delegates from the Philippines and explained the purpose of NVSU’s visit. He highlighted Shizuoka’s reputation as Japan’s leading producer of mikan (citrus) and shared an interesting piece of history: in February 1981, former Mayor Suzumi Katsumi of Shizuoka visited Nueva Vizcaya after his retirement and brought citrus planting materials, which contributed to the propagation of the Satsuma variety in Nueva Vizcaya.

President Dumale expressed his gratitude to OISCA for facilitating the meeting and to the Office of the Mayor for their warm hospitality. He noted that Nueva Vizcaya had recently been recognized as the citrus capital of Luzon and that NVSU had received increased funding for its citrus research program from the Philippine Government through the Department of Science and Technology. The visit aimed to learn from Shizuoka’s best practices in citrus farming and production, and President Dumale extended a personal invitation to Mayor Masami to visit Nueva Vizcaya.

The meeting concluded with discussions on a potential partnership between Gotemba City and NVSU for joint activities in citrus research and farming, marking a significant step toward enhancing agricultural collaboration between the Philippines and Japan.