13/03/2026
ICYMI: Yesterday, March 12, 2026, the Office of Innovation and Business Development (OIBD) of Tarlac State University, through its Technology Licensing Department (OIBD-TLD) and Technology Business Incubation Department (OIBD-TBID), in collaboration with the Center for Food Technology & Research (CFTR), held a coordination meeting with Mrs. Rachel Corpus-Peralta and Mr. Vincent Keonee Peralta regarding the establishment of a soon-to-open café at the former ASLAGAN Conference Room/Co-Working Space located on the ground floor of the CFTR Building, TSU Villa Lucinda Campus. The meeting was conducted at the CFTR Audio-Visual Room (AVR).
Present during the meeting were Atty. Jayriz D. Dungca, OIBD Director and concurrent Department Head of OIBD-TBID; Engr. Yvy Clydylynn T. Rabara, Department Head of OIBD-TLD; Engr. Dick S. Tuazon, Department Head of Production and Technical Advisory Services of CFTR; Engr. Jayson M. Llarves, Technical Staff of OIBD-TLD; Mr. Samuel S. Saroza, Project Development Officer I of OIBD; & Ms. Pauline O. Esguerra, MBA, Technical Staff, both from OIBD-TBID; and Ms. Jennalyn P. Carlos of CFTR.
The meeting focused on presenting the results of the feasibility study conducted by OIBD, led by Ms. Esguerra and Engr. Llarves with the assistance of Mr. Saroza. The study assessed the level of interest and demand within the TSU community, including students, faculty members, and non-teaching personnel, to determine the viability of establishing a café within the university, particularly at the ground floor of the CFTR Building. The findings of the survey were presented by Engr. Llarves, highlighting the potential demand for a café that would serve both the campus community and visitors.
Following this, Mr. Saroza presented the proposed incubation program, as the café venture will be considered a startup under the ASLAGAN Technology Business Incubator (TBI). Beyond serving as a dining space, the café is envisioned to function as a “launchpad” for selected TSU-developed technologies, where market-ready products developed by the university may be introduced and commercialized through technology transfer and licensing. The initiative aims to create an accessible platform for promoting and marketing university-developed innovations to the TSU community and other stakeholders.
Among the technologies identified for initial commercialization is “Muscobites,” a carbohydrate-rich snack bar made with muscovado tinaklob, which is being considered as one of the initial products to be offered in the café. The meeting also discussed the preparation of a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) and a Technology Licensing Agreement (TLA) to formalize the incubation engagement and the commercialization of Muscobites. In addition, plans for the lease of the café space were discussed, which will be formalized through a Lease Agreement, as the initiative will operate as an Income-Generating Project (IGP) of the university. The project is expected to generate institutional income through space rental fees and royalty fees from licensed technologies.
The meeting likewise covered the toll processing arrangements and the use of CFTR facilities, including the center’s bakery, which may be utilized for the production of pastries and other baked products to be sold at the café.
