By EDD K. USMAN
Twitter: @edd1819, Instagram: @bluestar0910, Facebook: Science, Digital & Current Affairs
(SDN) — Php1,840,000 prizes in cash.
That’s the total of cash prizes that winners of the 2020 National Invention Contest and Exhibition (NICE) will take home today, March 5.
The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) through its Technology Application and Promotion Institute (TAPI) organized the invention and innovation as well as research competition, giving Filipinos a chance to prove their mettle in the realm of creativity, innovation, and passion.
It is not only the cash prizes that are at stake in the NICE, which DOST-TAPI conducts annually. DOST is lead by Secretary Fortunato T. de la Pena; TAPI is headed by Director Edgar I. Garcia.
Bragging rights! Winners will be able to brag their feats among their peers and be seen as somebody in the community inventors and innovators and researchers.
Cash prizes are important — more so — for it provides winners a budget to continue their pursuit of their creations, or start with something new.
Judgment day is this afternoon.
From Garcia, here are the prizes for the six categories awaiting winners , which will be announced at the SM Aura Premier’s SMX Convention Center, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City, Metro Manila.
- Tuklas (Invention): Winner, Php300,00; Second Place, P200,000; Third Place, Php100,000.
- Utility Model, winner, Php200,000; Second Place, Php100,000; Third Place, Php50,000.
- ID, winner, Php200,000; Second Place, Php100,000; Third Place, P50,000.
- Likha, winner, Php100,000; Second Place, Php50,000; Third Place, Php30,000.
- Sibol (High School), winner, Php100,000; Second Place, Php50,000; Third Place, Php30,000.
- Sibol (College), winner, Php100,000; Second Place, Php50,000; Third Place, Php30,000.
De la Pena described NICE as DOST’s celebration of the creativity of Filipino inventors and innovators as they come up with technologies with potentials to create significant improvements in the Filipino society.
“With our extensive programs in invention development, NICE is one of the Department’s premier initiatives in constantly looking for the most outstanding invention, innovation, and creative researches in the country,” the science chief emphasized.
He expressed “full confidence” that Filipinos would make the Philippines the place for “the next big thing in innovation,” adding that “we have always believed in the imaginative and pioneering capability of the Filipino.”
DOST Undersecretary Renato U. Solidum, Jr. read de la Pena’s keynote speech at the NICE opening on March 3.
The science chief said the significant role of inventions and innovations could not be emphasized more particularly the past and current regional qualifiers of NICE from the DOST’s Regional Invention Contest and Exhibits (RICE) in 2019 in creating a sustainable, self-reliant development.
“Science, technology, and innovation (STI) is recognized as the ‘key driver of the long-term growth and an economy’ as explicitly stated in the Philippine Development Plan, or PDP 2017-2022,” said de la Peña.
He also reiterated to the NICE participants and guests the Philippines’ “very huge leap” in the Global Innovation Index or GII.
De la Peña said big improvement indicates from 73 in 2018 to 54 in 2019, resulting in the Philippines breaking into the Top 55 among 129 participating countries across the world.
He said the feat marks the first time the country was included in the group of innovation achievers, the reason being the remarkable performance in “knowledge diffusion” and “knowledge absorption.”
The science chief said the Philippines scoring above average in almost all innovation dimensions “can be roughly attributed from the various DOST activities from the inclusive innovation of ‘Filinnovation’ to the signing of the Philippine Innovation Act.”
De la Peña lauded TAPI from gathering together the major players, particularly among the government agencies on February 18-19 this year in a single venue as the DOST seeks to create an innovative ecosystem to further push forward the country’s innovation initiatives.
Also present at the event included DOST Assistant Secretary Diana Ignacio and Director Richard P. Burgoz, head of the Science and Technology Information Institute (DOST-STII).
Burgoz’s helmship of STII has brought many awards, including three new Anvil Awards for DOSTV. (SDN)