Story & photos by Ma. Carissa O. Quirante | Special to the BusinessMirror
THE venue was packed. So full you would think you were attending a premiere night of a Hollywood movie or a Taylor Swift concert. You can see on the people’s faces that they were happy to be there. Guests and visitors, students and participants were all excited.
Such was the scene at the Puerto Princesa City Coliseum for the 2015 Southern Luzon Cluster (SLC) Science and Technology Fair and Exhibits of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST). The DOST regional offices of the National Capital Region, Central Luzon, Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon), Mimaropa (Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon and Palawan) and the Bicol region comprise the SLC.
The three-day event, held from August 17 to 19 in Puerto Princesa in Palawan, centered on the theme “Agham na Ramdam: Kaunlaran ang Ilalaan [Making Science Felt: Bringing Development],” and hosted by the DOST-Mimaropa, in cooperation with the provincial government of Palawan, the city government of Puerto Princesa, Palawan State University and Western Philippines University. Puerto Princesa Mayor Lucilo R. Bayron welcomed guests and participants to the fair and exhibits, while Dr. Josefina P. Abilay, regional director of the DOST-Mimaropa, opened the event with a challenge to everyone to be informed and engaged with the “beauty of science,” highlighting the role of science and technology (S&T) in making the country globally competitive.
“This year’s S&T fair is an attestation of the role of science and technology to the society, most especially in taking up the global competitive challenge…to showcase the latest in innovative technology…and opportunities for the general public to be informed and engaged with the beauty of science.”
Also present during the opening ceremonies were Science Undersecretary for Scientific and Technological Services Dr. Rowena Cristina Guevara, representing Science Secretary Mario G. Montejo; Raymund E. Liboro, assistant secretary for climate change and disaster risk reduction, and OIC-Science and Technology Information Institute; Dr. Urdujah A. Tejada, OIC-Office of the Assistant Secretary for Countryside Development and overseer of regional operations; and regional and provincial directors of the different regional offices.
Now on its seventh year, the SLC Fair and Exhibits elevated “Agham na Ramdam” by featuring scientific and technological developments and solutions through exhibits, fora and conferences, science quiz, invention contests, technology pitchings and a mobile-application contest, among other interactive activities spread in the three-day event.
According to Tejada, “The DOST has been advocating for a ‘Smarter Philippines,’ where we need to find something new or how to make things better will be ingrained in every Filipino. This year we have added a new advocacy—Agham na Ramdam [Making Science Felt]—to ensure that everyone, especially those in the countryside, benefits from the scientific and technological advances that are being made in the DOST and in the country’s various research and development institutions.” The S&T Fair and Exhibits is a major activity of the DOST. This highlights the science department’s new, continuing, and future projects and programs covering and focusing on the “8 DOST Outcomes,” which are (1) Science-based know-how and tools that enable the agriculture sector to raise productivity to world-class standards; (2) Innovative, cost-effective and appropriate technologies that enable micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to develop and produce competitive products that meet world-class standards; (3) State-of-the-art facilities and capabilities that enable local industries to move up the value chain and attain global competitiveness;
(4) The Philippines as a global leader in Information Technology-Business Process Management Services; (5) ICT-based transformation of governance broadening access to government services; (6) Improved quality health care and quality of life through science, technology and innovation; (7) Highly skilled and globally competitive S&T human resources in support of the national S&T programs; and (8) Science-based information on weather, climate change and geological hazards to ensure the country’s survival and future in an era of extreme and rapidly changing climate.
Regional offices are in charge of Outcome 2 and their flagship program is the Small Enterprise Technology Upgrading Program (SETUP). The program aims to boost the productivity of MSMEs by providing technology, product standard and testing, packaging and labeling, and market linkages and networking with a budget of P652 million in 2015.
The DOST-SETUP Program—in connection with the upcoming Asean integration, including the challenges and opportunities—was also tackled in a forum at the SLC Fair and Exhibits.
Coinciding with the fair was the Third Mimaropa Regional Invention Contests and Exhibits, which highlighted researches and inventions from the brightest young scientific minds from state universities and colleges all over the Mimaropa region.