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K-12-READY STARBOOKS TO BE DEPLOYED IN NORTHERN MINDANAO

K12starbooks

DOST-X is all set to launch the K-12 Ready STARBOOKS in Region X. This is an answer to the country’s increasing demand for knowledge and innovation. DOST-STII, the lead agency of the project, continued its efforts to inject more science and technology information materials even for the K-12 level learners. Very soon, DOST-X will bring in updates with K-12 content to the 104 kiosks of Science and Technology Academic and Research-Based Openly Operated KioskS (STARBOOKS) in Northern Mindanao.

Headed by Dr. Roselyn V. Arellano, DOST-X STARBOOKS focal personnel Ms. Arlene S. Inocando and Engr. Ephrem John O. Agorob strengthened both the monitoring and updating of the digitized library. Majority of the kiosks installation within Region X is located in the provinces of Bukidnon and Misamis Oriental, with 40 units and 30 units installed, respectively. Schools in Bukidnon such as Casisang National High School in Malaybalay, Pilar High School in Sumilao, and in Misamis Oriental – Regional Science High School in Gusa, and Kibungsod National High School in Magsaysay are among the schools in the list of the “Library in a Box” beneficiaries. All the STARBOOKS recipients will be receiving the update within the calendar year 2018.

A major event that will be conducted for STARBOOKS in 2018 is the upcoming Mindanao Cluster National STARBOOKS Stakeholders Convention. This will be held in November 2018 at General Santos City. This event will showcase a convergence of a network of STARBOOKS all over the country. DOST regional offices will soon be sending out invitation letters to selected participants for the event.

STARBOOKS, a stand-alone information source, is being hailed as a helpful tool in bringing science and technology to students in rural and urban areas. Its offline feature enables learners to access digitized S&T materials and science-and-technology-enriched resources.

Although DOST-X has reached a significant number of schools with STARBOOKS installed, DOST-X’S Director, Alfonso P. Alamban, and the regional office’s STARBOOKS staff are still on the height of encouraging academic institutions to avail of the digitized library. Believing that science and technology in young minds will create bigger steps to a more innovative country in the future, DOST-X takes the head-on challenge to bring in science-and-technology-at-the-fingertips of every Filipino in the region. (Julie Anne H. Baculio, DOST-X)

Duterte, Filipino scientists off to Benham Rise this May

By Eimor P. Santos, CNN Philippines

Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 8) — President Rodrigo Duterte will go to Benham Rise this month with 50 Filipino scientists who will conduct research in the vast undersea region, the Palace said Tuesday.

Duterte's visit is set on May 15-16 to commemorate the renaming of Benham Rise to Philippine Rise, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said in a press briefing.

On May 16 last year, Duterte signed an executive order formalizing the change of name after Chinese survey ships were spotted in the area two months earlier.

Benham Rise is an undersea plateau covering 13 million hectares some 135 miles off the coast of Aurora province. The United Nations has recognized it as part of the country's extended continental shelf over which the Philippines has sole sovereign rights.

In April, Duterte said he would visit the area to assert the country's rights.

"Next week... I'm going to Benham Rise and I will make a statement there that nobody owns this place (except the Philippines)," Duterte said in an April 26 speech, adding that he would "go to war" if any other country claimed it.

Filipinos to conduct research

The President's visit "will also be to launch the start of scientific research to be conducted by around 50 scientists," Roque said.

The government was earlier criticized for allowing China to do research in waters off the northeastern part of the country, including Benham Rise, in partnership with the University of the Philippines-Marine Science Institute. But China later said the research was done "in waters under the Philippines' jurisdiction, but not in the Benham Rise"

The region lies on the other side of the Philippine achipelago where the contested waters of the South China Sea is located. The Philippines and China are among the six claimants in the maritime dispute.

The Palace in February said foreigners may do research in Benham Rise as long as they get approval from the National Security Adviser.

Benham Rise, named after U.S. geologist Andrew Benham who discovered it in 1933, is believed to be rich in marine resources, natural gas, oil, and minerals. Last year, China named some undersea features of Benham Rise which were recognized by the International Hydrographic Organization.

DOST Director Sumabat: RP technology getting at par with SEA neighbors

by Edward B. Antonio

VIGAN CITY – We are getting hi-tech.

The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) through DOST Provincial Director Ramon Sumabat said the country is right on its track to becoming at par with other South East Asian countries when it comes to the improvement of science and technology.

“We are about to launch our second micro-satellite that will greatly improve our communications. For the last 3 to 4 years, we have updated our technology in disaster and calamity preparation, medical and agriculture sectors and in ICT, and our research and development institutes are continually developing new technologies,” he said during a Kapihan Iti Amianan interview at the DOST here in Barangay Tamag this weekened.

He also cited that the PAGASA (Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration) based in Tapao, Sinait, has received big funding to update its equipment and is beefed up by the deployment of solar-powered “Early Warning Device” gadgets which are automatic water level systems that serve as auto-rain gauges placed in bridges to serve as warning for impending landslides or floods.

“These gadgets transmit information to the national PAGASA weather bureau which, in turn, will officially declare the weather situation and the latest weather bulletin in the locality,” he said.
He lamented, however, the lack of PAGASA personnel as many of them are migrating abroad for “greener pastures.”

“We cannot prevent them from going abroad that’s why the DOST has its continuous scholarship program to train ‘back-ups’ in case situations like this occur. It is the goal of the DOST to train at least 400 Computer Numerically-Controlled System Technicians annually who will work in the metal industry and where computers are used in the manufacture of airplane spare parts — which we are now engaged,” he said.

On the query why a gadget has not been discovered to predict the coming of an earthquake, he said that no invention has been made to date, probably because unlike in weather forecast where a tropical disturbance is visible, earthquakes are caused by plate movements. He also said that typhoons are pre-named that’s why once a typhoon is sighted entering the Philippine Area of Responsibility, it already has a ready name.

In medical technology, the DOST, he said, is about to distribute 1000 medical gadgets throughout the country called “Rx Box”, a cellphone-like gadget that can monitor blood pressure and other vital signs and can be used as ECG gadget.

“This hi-tech gadget would be very useful in remote barangays and can be used to consult a doctor in real time,” he said.

In the case of the funding of Special Science Classes in DepEd schools, he said that it is supporting these DepEd-DOST accredited SSCs financially like the Ilocos Sur National High School and Sinait National High School.

“For those which receive no DOST funds, they can always request for funding and we can always endorse these requests to our higher authorities for consideration,” he said.

He also announced the holding of the DOST’s Science and Technology Caravan at the Sinait National High School on May 9-11, 2018. The caravan seeks to help farmers; Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs); bamboo weavers; salt producers; food handlers and manufacturers and the general public on their problems of production, manufacturing technology, product preservation, testing and calibration and technical problems.

The forum focused on the preventive treatment of bamboo, engineered bamboo production, bamboo charcoaling, salt processing and iodization, garlic value-adding and black garlic, food safety for food handlers, regional standards and testing laboratory services and the DOST programs and projects for MSMEs. (EDWARD B. ANTONIO)

PHOTO CREDIT: By Edward B. Antonio