For winning the top plum in the regional search, Sugpon represented Region 1 in the national search for the Best Community Empowerment thru Science and Technology (CEST) of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), last year.

The CEST program aims to alleviate poverty in remote communities through the provision of livelihood programs.
In Sugpon, farmers in Brgy. Danac were trained to process the Municipality’s one-town-one-product (OTOP), the ube, to produce the best wine in the region and to provide alternative livelihood.

The regional award for Sugpon came after the Association of Danac Ube Processors has shown the

most remarkable progress of all the CEST communities in the Ilocos Region.

A cash prize of PhP200, 000.00 was given to the association which can be used to further develop the production of ube by-products, aside from the ube wine.
Though Sugpon fell short from winning the national award, the community has exemplified how science, technology, and innovation as powerful agents of sustainable growth and development.
Sugpon recieved the trophy and the cash prize last week through representatives from DOST Region 1.

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