BACOLOD City — The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) has funded various research and development initiatives of universities in Regions 6 (Western Visayas) and 7 (Central Visayas) through its “Science for Change (S4C) Program”.

Both DOST-6 Regional Director Rowen Gelonga and DOST-7 Regional Director Edilberto Paradela discussed these efforts under the “Niche Centers in the Regions for R&D (NICER) Program” during a press briefing in line with the two-day Regional Scientific Meeting held here recently.

Gelonga said through NICER, the DOST supports the establishment of specialized R&D centers in a region with the thrust to build capability also outside the Metro Manila and Calabarzon (Region 4) area.

In Western Visayas, there are two approved NICER centers for 2017 to 2018.

One center is located at the University of the Philippines (UP)-Visayas in in Miagao, Iloilo which involves two projects — an aquaculture center and a food safety research center.

A specialized center for packaging technology is being operated by the Central Philippine University (CPU) in Iloilo City.

Gelonga said CPU is the only university in Southeast Asia that offers a degree in packaging engineering.

“We are slowly strengthening the curricular offering by expanding our presence in R&D,” he added.

Gelonga said that in Negros Occidental, the DOST is working out proposals with Carlos Hilado Memorial State College and Technological University of the Philippines-Visayas to host R& D centers specializing in metals and fabrication to address the demand of the sugar industry and the food processing sector.

In Central Visayas, Paradela said the department has approved two NICER projects.

One is based in Cebu Technological University (CTU), which has research centers on biodiversity and biotechnology hosted by its two campuses.

Another center, located in UP Cebu, involves data analytics data storage.

Through the NICER program, the DOST-Advanced Science and Technology Institute seeks to capacitate higher educational institutions in the regions, through an institutional grant for R&D activities that will make significant improvement in regional research and S&T infrastructure. (NLG/PNA)