Japan Science and Technology (JST) Agency and DOST announced a combined Php10 million and 24 million yen funding for joint project proposals related to water security from Filipino and Japanese researchers. Accepted proposals give proponents three years to complete their research. DOST and JST Agency will jointly assess proposals for approval.
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(SDN) June 28, 2024 — The Philippine Council on Industry, Energy and Emerging Technology Research and Development (PCIEERD) today, Friday, showed off its notable achievements for over a decade, fueled by its Php6.5-billion total investments on research and development (R&D).
Headed by Executive Director Dr. Enrico “Eric” C. Paringit, PCIEERD is the Innovation Council of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST-PCIEERD), one of its 18 attached agencies.
The Innovation Council is celebrating its 14th Anniversary at the Dusit Thani Hotel in Makati City, Metro Manila, with Paringit breaking the ice with his report on the agency’s work in the realm of science and technology (S&T) driven by R&D undertakings designed to make Filipinos’ life better as projects in various fields/sectors are transformed from idea to paper to practical commercial applications.
This year’s theme revolves around “Philippine Innovation Expo” — Celebrating 14 Years of Transforming Innovation towards Impact.
Paringit said from 2011 to 2023, PCIEERD invested a total of Php6.5 billion for 1,044 projects.
In 2023 alone, he emphasized, the Innovation Council had Grants-in-Aid (GIA) funds amounting to Php745,566, received and reviewed 1,009 project proposals, monitoring 413 projects ongoing presently involving 104 higher educational institutions and state universities and colleges (HEIs/SUCs), and 29 private institutions.
Paringit also mentioned DOST’s own GIA worth Php1,974,007,000 with 256 completed projects, 559 project leaders, seven research and development institutions (RDIs), and 12 international cooperations.
For the past 14 years, PCIEERD has poured investments on R&D projects and programs for the industry, energy, and emerging technologies sector following its mandate.
Additionally, the Innovation Council touts its “noteworthy achievements in 2023”, priding itself on the influence it had spawned in its 14 years of existence on a variety of stakeholders and beneficiaries.
“Making an impact is essential in the rapidly changing fields of science and technology to guarantee that the people we fund are aware of the results of our efforts. To make sure that the scientific projects we support have a major positive impact on the Philippines and the world community, we evaluate the research’s applicability and relevance to society,” the PCIEERD chief assured.
He added the agency administers initiatives that impact people’s lives it is dealing with, “changing their commercial, academic, and social communities in the process.”
PCIEERD undeniably impacting the academe, industry, and community
For the academe, the agency has its Institution Development Program (IDP) that was started in 2015, an initiative aimed at improving research facilities and infrastructure in areas that have limited funding.
With 17 awards already, the IDP has hugely raised institutional accreditation and rankings between 2015 and 2020, further encouraging partnerships and cooperation.
Moreover, the IDP fostered the application of information that led to 67 scientific studies, resulting in job possibilities, advancing careers covering a host of industries.
Still more, the IDP also encourages technopreneurship and innovation, an important part of the Philippine National Innovation Strategy (PNIS), helping SUCs and and HEIs establish incubators, finance start-ups, and build networks for technopreneurs.
“(IDP’s) incubation of 1,643 firms, creation of 5,596 jobs, raising nearly Php1.89 billion in investments, and generating Php911 million in revenue demonstrate its considerable impact on academia and the Philippine economy,” said Paringit in his remarks.
PCIEERD’s impact on the industry included distribution of prototypes of food processing equipment for six locations through the Industrial Technology Development Institute (DOST-ITDI) and its partners. This resulted in the creation of jobs by MSMEs (micro, small and medium enterprises) tapping the services of Food Innovation Centers (FICs) that also raised the revenue of FICs and MSMEs.
In 2021, PCIEERD established the Advanced Manufacturing Center (AMCen) for the introduction of emerging technologies that is anticipated to significantly contribute to the nation’s goal of becoming globally competitive and preparing the industry, including academia, for increased R&D initiatives. The agency also expects AMCen to lift the nation’s technical readiness, business sophistication, and innovation rating.
Since its creation AMCen key role has it assisted many industries, including transportation, aerospace, medical, and defense, among others.
“We its ability to produce products using additive manufacturing, AMCen can help solve problems and enhance product development, all of which would eventually benefit the lives of Filipinos,” Paringit noted.
AMCen’s functions cover the development of capabilities in tandem with the advancement of additive manufacturing, or 3D printing, technologies. And because of AMCen, MSMEs in the country can now proactively adopt Industry 4.0, thanks to AMCen’s effort through its conduct of training and lecture programs for industry and academic professionals, aimed at creating a pool of expertise in the field of additive manufacturing management.
“As of 2023, AMCen has procured 34 cutting-edge tools and technologies from several technology partners, resulting in new resources worth around Php183 million,” the PCIEERD chief pointed out.
PCIEERD’s impact in the community was driven by its Php1.3-billion investments in R&D projects focusing on disaster risk reduction (DRR) and climate change adaptation (CCA) domains over the last 10 years covering 17 Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) and 25 Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) initiatives. Both are DOST agencies.
The activities relating to DRR and CCA triggered awareness of up 97 percent of the country’s population, while up to 82 percent of local government units (LGUs) harnessed these DRR measures, which indicated a widespread adoption of these research outcomes.
Philippine LIDAR (light detection and ranging) Program is another important program that has contributed substantially to disaster risk mitigation and management. The program produced high-resolution danger maps made available to the public, helping communities and local government units better prepare to handle natural disasters.
PCIEERD followed up Phil LIDAR 1 with its second iteration the LIDAR 2, producing a total of 1,582 maps. A total of 721 maps of the total were adopted by program participants.
“These data and maps illustrate the program’s significant effects and have been crucial in developing and putting into practice effective catastrophé risk reduction methods,” Paringit said.
Secretary Dr. Renato S. Solidum, Jr., DOST head, acclaimed the science department as the country’s premier agency in R&D with its science, technology and innovation (STI) initiatives.
He assured PCIEERD of “being one with you in recognizing the impact of innovation in the academe and the various stakeholders.”
Unable to come because of pressing engagement, Solidum’s message was read by DOST Assistant Secretary for Administrative and Legal Affairs Dr. Diana L. Ignacio, who also expounded on the JST Agency-DOST joint research projects call on water security to be funded with 24 million yen and Php10 million, respectively, by the two partners.
JST Agency Director of the Department of International Affairs Osamu Kobayashi invited research proposals as he acknowledged the importance of multilateral R&D initiatives hewing with government policies, citing his agency’s collaboration with DOST.
In his speech, Kobayashi mentioned as example the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Plastic project on the development of new coastal zone management methodologies with integrated multi-scale networks in Southeast Asia anchored on the Core and Network System (CNS).
Meanwhile, PCIEERD’s avowed mission is that when 2040 comes it transforms into “the Nexus of Innovation, the leading contributor to nation’s productivity and competitiveness by enabling Science and Technology solutions in the industry, energy, and emerging technology sectors, while upholding the tenets of good governance.” (©)