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By EDD K. USMAN, SDN, Twitter @edd1819, Instagram @bluestar0910, Facebook: SDN — Science and Digital News
ZAMBOANGA CITY — “Let us together put science to work for the benefit of the Filipino nation.”
President Rodrigo R. Duterte made the call on the occasion of the Regional Science and Technology Week (RSTW) in Zamboanga Peninsula that opened Monday, September 9, here at Palacio del Sur, this City.
The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) IX headed by Regional Director Martin A. Wee organized the three-day event, a series of celebrations of the gains and breakthroughs of science, technology, and innovation (STI). The RSTW followed the National Science and Technology Week (NSTW) in July 2019 held in the National Capital Region (NCR).
DOST Secretary Fortunato T. de la Peña emphasized the significance of the celebration.
He said the NSTW this year is the DOST flagship event that gathered the country’s leading scientists, researchers, educators and stakeholders who interacted with investors, entrepreneurs, industry representatives and professionals as they opened partnerships and collaboration.
The President noted the RSTW’s theme, “Science for the People: Enabling Technologies for Sustainable Development,” which he pointed out matches his marching order to the DOST towards leveraging science for faster economic and inclusive development.
“I hold that science, technology, and innovation play a big role in my Administration;s agenda. It is through the collective brainpower of the country’s scientists and researchers that our production sector can meet the new and rising global standards and make our products more competitive and desirable in today’s border-less market,” Duterte said.
In relation with this, Wee said the region is proud to present the efforts of DOST in attaining the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations.
The DOST IX head said the RSTW features how science works. “We aspire that the various innovations will not only spark the interest of the science community, but even appreciation of each Filipino regardless of culture and standards.”
Along with the RSTW is the Regional Invention Contest and Exhibits (RICE), appropriately a vehicle for research among inventors that include professionals, college and high school students.
RICE is conducted every two years. It bestows recognition to Filipino inventors, researchers, and students in the Zamboanga Peninsula and other regions. Each of the 6 RICE categories has three winners who will represent the region in the 2020 National Invention Contests and Exhibits (NICE).
Qualified entries for the region’s 2019 RSTW, are:
Sibol (Outstanding Student Creative Research, High School
Zamboanga City — Flood Warning Device, Stir Fried Beef and Rice a la Gimbap, Utilization of Sansevierta trifasciata (Snake Plant) Fibers as an Alternative Pad for a Respirator Mask, Sea Lettuce ((Ulva lactuca) as Potential Substrate Conditioner in Oyster Mushroom (Pleurotus ostreatus) Cultivation, Game Fowl Chicke (Gallus gallus domesticus) Feather in Fortifying Cinder Blocks.
Zamboanga Sibugay Province — GOMAGAS: Feasibility Study of Rubber Seed Extract as an Alternative Source of Biogas, Diabetea: Blood Sugar Regulator, Superabsorbent Polymer out of Pomelo and Avocado Peelings, Plantable Paper, Duo-Vapor Exterminator: Organic Mosquito Killer.
Zamboanga del Sur — Ameliorating Savonius Vertical Axis Turbine via Magnet, Generating Electricity from a Microbial Fuel that Utilizes Sucrose-enriched Mud from Rice Fields, Creating a Remotely Operated Underwater Drone by Enhancing a Submarine, The General Acceptability of Malunggay Leaf Separator, Piezoelectric Transducer-embedded Incole for Charging Mobile Phone.
Zamboanga del Norte — The Effect of Different Ratios of Jackfruit and Rubber Tree (Latex Mixture as an Alternative Sealant, Chili-Pepper Fruit Extract as Biopesticide for Termite Control, Greencoal Briquette from Mahogany Seed Shell, The Application of Antipolo San Extract on Metal Roofing, Conversion of Biowaste (Banana Pseudstem) into Ecobags).
Sibol (Outstanding Student Creative Resesarch, College):
Solar Powered Mini Weather Station with Water Current and Level Monitoring System via Long Range Radio Communication, NYK (Arduino-based Remote Controlled Amphibious Drone Waste Collector), Smart Lock (Arduino-based RFID Door Lock System with Back-up Unlock Feature), Design, Development and Performance Evaluations of Village-Type Low Cost Palletizer, Development and Performance Evaluation of Eletric Motor Driver Coconut Dehusker, Solar Powered Remote Controlled Portable Lamp, Bamboo Waster as Tile Aggregates, Growth Performance of Swine in Response to Varied Levels of Native Taro Silage, Android-based Emergency Alert Information System, GP Evaluation and Formulation of T. Molitor (mealworm) Larvae Pellet for Nile Tilapia, Production of an Innovative Composite Board “Pulayboard”, A Portable Heat-Light Generator “Thermalight”.
Likha (Outstanding Creative Research):
Coconut Male Flower (CMF) from Hybridization Waste as Base Component for Pure Culture and Inoculum for Various Fungi Cultures (Commercial and Native Mushrooms and Biocontrol Agents), Inexpensive Nanostructured Filter for Separating Fish Oil from Sardine Canning Waste Water, Cytotoxic Properties of Two Varieties of Cariea Papaya leaf Extracts used in Treating Dengue Fever, Phytochemical Screening of Chromololaena adorate (Hagonoy) and Jacquemontia paniculata (Himag) Basis for Tropical Ointment Development, Production and Quality Evaluation of Banana Vinegar.
RICE categories include Outstanding Invention or Tuklas Award, Outstanding Utility Model, and Outstanding Industrial Design.
Dr. Agustin Fudolig, deputy executive director of the Metals Industry Research and Development Center (DOST-MIRDC), chairs the Panel of Judges; members are Mario Rodriguez, project leader, Ateneo de Zamboanga University (AdZU) Geo-SAFER, ZAMBUSULTA (Zamboanga, Basilan, Sulu, and Tawi-Tawi), and DOST IX Assistant Regional Director and Eng’r Mahmud L. Kingking.
The biennial RSTW, held across the 16 regions of the country, is a venue for the celebration of breakthroughs achieved in the science community in Region IX and across the country.
Within the RSTW are side activities, such as the turnover of the Solar Light System which the indigenous peoples (IP) assembled under the “I Love Sta. Cruz” project; the DRRM (disaster risk reduction management) with the Advanced Science and Technology Institute (DOST-ASTI) presenting technologies for commercialization and other science-based DRR innovations for natural hazards; the Basic Research Ethics Training by the Zamboanga Consortium Health Research Development (ZCHRD); the Technopreneurs Forum and WOMENtrepreneurship; the Orientation to Balik Scientist Program (BSP); the Intellectual Property Rights Forum; the People’s STore featuring DOST IX SETUP partners.
The Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHIL) is represented by Deputy Director General Atty. Teodoro C. Pascua. DOST and some of its attached agencies are partners with IPOPHIL with an eye to implementing the intellectual property law.
Featured image of DOST Secretary Fortunato T. de la Peña by SDN — Science and Digital News.