TACLOBAN CITY - The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) has called on State Universities and Colleges (SUCs) in the region to put more effort in research in the bid to address the concerns of industries and the community.
In an interview in the sidelines of the Science and Technology week celebration, DOST Assistant Secretary Carol Yorobe said that she held a dialogue with school officials in the region to solicit their support in this initiative.
“We asked them to submit research proposals. The Office of the President gave us considerable fund this year to undertake research activities and intensify the promotion of technology,” Yorobe told the media.
Among those who were present in a brief meeting with DOST officials this week are Leyte Normal University President Dr. Evelyn Cruzada, president of the Philippine Association of State Universities and Colleges and Visayas State University President Dr. Jose Bacusmo.
“We have a list of existing proposals that we will submit to DOST for funding support. We will not just focus on agriculture. We will be spending more time on energy and industry needs,” Bacusmo said.
Under the scheme, the school will turn in research proposals to the DOST with endorsement from the SUC consortiums in Eastern Visayas. Once approved, the science department will grant funding of the project.
“I think this initiative will work better in Region 8 considering the strong consortium among academic institutions here,” Yorobe added.
In order to encourage researchers to pursue their project, the DOST official said that the government has been doing measures to bring study results “from the laboratory to the market.”
Yorobe said that they are hopeful that House Bill 3270 and its counterpart Senate Bill 1721 will be passed. The bills outline the framework and support system for ownership, management, use and commercialization of intellectual property rights derived from research and development funded by the government.
“This will encourage our scientists to carry put or implement their own technologies. They can immediately apply their inventions so they could help industries,” the DOST assistant secretary pointed out.
The bill, which was endorsed by many national government agencies, will accelerate linkage of investors with firms that could adapt the new technologies once approved.
Edgar Garcia, chief of the science research specialist of the DOST-attached Technology Application and Promotion Institute, said that they are now giving priority to researchers that would help solve the current food and energy crisis.
“Our promotion is centered in these two areas considering the high prices of food and fuel,” Garcia said in a separate interview.
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