Due to the favorable condition of the agriculture and tourism sectors in the province, Ilocos Norte was reportedly being eyed as a production site by Taiwanese companies, which would pave the way for the entry of Taiwanese investors in the province. Ilocos Norte Governor Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. made this announcement on March 1, during his regular press briefing at the Capitol, as he said that the entry of Taiwanese investors would result in a transfer of technology with the products to be manufactured in the province to be supplied to the Taiwanese market. Marcos was coming off a successful visit to Taipei and Kao Shiung, Taiwan last week where he discussed and negotiated the matter while trying to position the province and the whole Northern Luzon as a production site for Taiwanese agricultural products in consonance with the Taiwanese government’s policies of moving its agricultural production out of Taiwan. With the opening of free trade in a global scale, Marcos said Taiwan has been moving its agricultural production out of the country due to the high cost of labor and several other problems encountered by their agricultural industries in their area. While taking advantage of this opportunity, Marcos said the province, considering its diplomatic relations to the People’s Republic of China, is readying itself to become one of the recipients of technology transfer from Taiwan. Since the province has no direct government-to-government tie to Taiwan, Marcos explained that the province’s private sector would be in the forefront in the business dealings. “Ang iniisip namin, ang ibang private sector na kompanya (What we are thinking is that private sector companies) that are food producing and food processing companies will come to Ilocos Norte and Northern Luzon and maybe with the transfer of technology, either put up contract farming here in Ilocos Norte or a joint venture with the Taiwanese and Ilocos corporations. And between them do some production that we can sell back to Taiwan,” Marcos said. If plans don’t miscarry, Marcos added, local farmers here would be directly benefited as there would be a ready market for their produce and an increase in employment would be realized. Marcos also recognizes that the transfer of technology should come in the soonest possible time to meet for the locals to understand the needs as well as the preferences of the Taiwanese market. Leilanie G. Adriano
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