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Although the Bicol region, specifically the province of Catanduanes, remains as the top producer of abaca or Manila hemp with 52,493 hectares devoted to it, Lagonglong, Misamis Oriental is aspiring to capitalize on the huge market potential of abaca that has both domestic and international demand.

According to the Antique Provincial Planning and Development Office (PDDO), Antique is already identified as the province in Western Visayas with the highest malnutrition incidence at 26% in 2015.  This has worsened since the pandemic because of the limited access to healthy foods because of the strict implementation of border restrictions and travel ban.

Dr. Franz Asunta de Leon, an associate professor from the Electrical and Electronics Engineering Institute of the University of the Philippines Diliman, was appointed as the new director of the Department of Science and Technology-Advanced Science and Technology Institute (DOST-ASTI).

Dr. de Leon replaced now Philippine Space Agency (PhilSA) Director General Joel Joseph Marciano. He took his oath in front of DOST Secretary Fortunato T. de la Peña and DOST Undersecretary for Research and Development Dr. Rowena Cristina L. Guevara on 15 April 2021 at the DOST-ASTI Office in Diliman, Quezon City. He will be the ninth director to take the role at the DOST-ASTI.