Mabalacat City College (MCC) celebrated its first-ever Innovation Week on 31 May-2 June 2023 with the theme "Agora: Crossroads of Innovations and Ideas." The event showcased an array of products created by MCC students, faculty, and non-teaching personnel, promoting a vibrant culture of innovation.
The ribbon-cutting ceremony of the event marked the official commencement of the Innovation Week, highlighting the collective commitment to promote innovation and community development. The three-day event put into exhibit the products developed by MCC students from their research. These include Balakat tree products (tea, soap, and briquette), food products (moringa crepe, tofu kikiam, and camote tops kimchi), applications (Balangay, Kapampangan dictionary, and sign language), and other articles (speaker, multipurposed tray, and lampshade).
Mabalacat City Administrator Mr. Franco Alejo L. Madlangbayan commended MCC for its commitment and effort to better serve its students and community. “In our city, there are three major road networks that are [intersecting] each other. We have to rise up to the challenge and I’m very happy that MCC is really rising up to the challenge” he noted.
Different seminars were also conducted during the 3-day event, namely:
"Igniting Innovation: Transformative Approaches to Teaching and Learning" by Master Teacher I at Francisco G. Nepomuceno Memorial High School Mr. Alvin Louie E. Reyes;
"Technology Readiness Level Assessment and Technology Transfer" by Pampanga Provincial Science and Technology Director Ms. Mary Michelle M. Quiambao and DOST 3 ARD for Technical Operations Mr. Wilfredo F. Sibal; and
"The Power of Asking Questions: A Human-Centered Design Approach" by Committee Chair on Business Development of the Pampanga Business Development Coordinating Council Engr. Calvin Karl Garganta.
Vice President for Global Opportunities and Workforce Development Prof. Raymond John Vergara highlighted the importance of research and its materialization. “Let’s try to utilize our researches. Let’s communicate to the community especially that we are a community college. We respond to the needs of the community, to the industry needs”, he said.
This event showed the commitment and dedication of the college to provide areas for innovation that will enrich the students and community. Industry practitioners including President of JCI Mabalacat Malasa Mr. Jon Paul Galang, Department of Trade and Industries (DTI) Trade and Industry Development Specialist Mr. Joseph D. Pineda, Business Counselor from Negosyo Center Mabalacat Ms. Miah Minerva Gatbonton, and Division Chief in Business Development Ms. Ma. Cristina Evangelista were also present in the event.
