FROM 2011 to 2022, the government through the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) and its banner programs has funded nearly P27 million in community development through science and technology projects through partner local governments and organizations.
Bohol Provincial Science and Technology Center Chief and DOST Provincial Director Vina Antopina bared this during the Appreciation Night hosted by the agency to honor their partners as well as pay tribute to outgoing DOST secretary Fortunato dela Pena.
Sec de la Pena was in Bohol to survey DOST funded projects and meet the partners before he bows out of service at the helm of the country’s premier science and technology department after serving six years.
In her presentation delivered before partners and DOST national, regional and provincial officials as well as science and technology research and development stakeholders, Antopina bared the department’s key programs as Grants in Aid (DOST-GIA), Small Enterprise Technology Upgrading Program (DOST SET-UP), and the Community Enhancement through Science and Technology (DOST CEST).
DOST GIA program aims to harness the country’s scientific and technological capabilities by funding relevant science and technology undertakings to spur and to attain a sustainable economic growth and development through strengthened participation, technology transfer and utilization, human resources development, information dissemination, advocacy, and linkages.
Since 2011 to present, the DOST has been partnering with non-government organization called Participatory Research, Organization of Communities and Education towards Struggle for Self-Reliance (PROCESS)-Bohol, Inc. in their community empowerment and women development and empowerment and environment projects for climate change mitigation, with a total fund of 4,927,780 to date.
For Central Visayan Institute Foundation in Jagna, the DOST GIA funded P2,823,000.00 for the pioneering research in the creation of a mollusk gene bank in Bohol, and the effects of water quality in the local mollusks of Jagna Bay.
Another DOST GIA recipient is the Philippine Information Agency in using a province-wide and worldwide information dissemination of science and technology using simplified terms for easy understanding by equipping the office with a broadcast studio.
For the DOST GIA project, DOST has since spent P8,492,780.00 for the three beneficiaries.
Another banner project, DOST SET UP has been helping micro, small and medium enterprises by funding their upgrading programs.
SET-UP is a nationwide strategy to encourage and assist SMEs to adopt technological innovations to improve their operations and thus boost their productivity and competitiveness.
In Bohol, DOST PSTC has partnered with Bread’s Edge Corporation in their cooking forming technology, creating new variants for increased production volume and improved product quality funding P3,472,000 for two phases of the program.
Another bake shop, JM Fanny got two cycles of funds worth P1,552,680 for baking technology upgrades in preparing Boholano delicacies.
For a cacao farm up in the hills of Buenavista Loboc, the DOST helped the SETUP beneficiary in their cacao products processing technologies to improve product quality for P1,855,000.
A total of P6,879,680 is now currently being infused in equipment that has made jobs easier, faster and safer.
For the DOST, the package of science and technology interventions to communities, would build progressive, empowered and resilient rural communities.
The program focuses on empowering the poor and most depressed communities in the country, through interventions in health and nutrition, water and sanitation, basic education and literacy, livelihood and economic enterprise development, and disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation.
Beneficiaries of the DOST CEST include Alburquerque’s Asin Tibuk, the artisanal drip salt factory with P1,445,800 and the geographically isolated and disadvantage areas of Bohol hinterland in the Integrated Natural Resources and Environment Management Project of the Eskaya communities and people living in the protected areas systems with P2,348,100.
Also funded is LGU Candijay’s human resource development for Candijay High School and the establishment of wastewater treatment facility worth P2,715,000.
DOST CEST also partnered with LGU Jagna for science and technology based livelihood enhancement and cutflower farmers empowerment for a total of P1,801,500.
With LGU Alicia, DOST CEST also funded the development of resilient communities at P580,000.00.
In Danao, DOST CEST also partnered with the LGU on root-crop based livelihood worth P608,780.
For LGU Carlos P Garcia, in 2018 and 2019, DOST CEST through GIA funds provided for the sustainable and resilient communities in the town for the project worth P1,500,000, while for another CEST project, DOST funded for LGU San Miguel’s P618,000 women empowerment and cacao industry hub. (rahc/PIA_7/Bohol)
