Research Utilization

Support for the Operations of Food Innovation Center in Region IX (or Zamboanga Peninsula Food Innovation Center), (FIC Project, Phase 2)

The Department of Science and Technology-Regional Office IX (DOST-IX) and the Zamboanga State College of Marine Sciences and Technology (ZSCMST) had pledged support for the continuous operations of Zamboanga Peninsula Food Innovation Center or ZPFIC (otherwise known as FIC-9) through the inking of another Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) for the Project entitled “Support for the Operations of Food Innovation Center in Region IX (or Zamboanga Peninsula Food Innovation Center), (FIC Project, Phase 2)”. Through this new project MOA, a cheque amounting to Three Million One Hundred Forty-nine Thousand Six Hundred Eighty-six Pesos and Fifty-seven Centavos (P3,149,686.57) has been turned over by Dir. Martin A. Wee (DOST-IX Regional Director) to Dr. Jaime G. Jalon (ZSCMST President) on January 29, 2019 at the Conference Room, ZSCMST Administration Building, Rio Hondo, Zamboanga City. This helps ensure that the tremendous momentum gained by the ZPFIC since its inception in June 2016 will be sustained.

The ceremonial MOA signing and turning over of fund was witnessed by the DOST-FIC Focal Person, Ms. Jovita Amparo (DOST-IX SRS II), and key officials of the ZSCMST, to wit: Dr. Catalina P. Martinez (VP for Academic Affairs), Dr. Servando Halili (Executive Director for Research and Extension); Mr. Alvin Reyes (Chief Administrative Officer); Ms. Irma Pamplona (Head, Cashier’s Office); Prof. Divinia U. Ramillano (ZPFIC Manager and Project Leader), Ms. Mary Flordiluna A. Guisada (ZPFIC Assistant Manager) and Ms. Margarete T. Camins (ZPFIC Production Supervisor).

The ZPFIC was established in June 2016, which marked the start of the delivery of the DOST-developed equipment (i.e., spray dryer, vacuum fryer, freeze dryer and water retort) and other complementary equipment and support facilities. Upon complete delivery of the major equipment, it was formally launched on February 16, 2017, with DOST Secretary Fortunato Dela Peña, DOST USEC (and former Region IX Director) Brenda L. Nazareth-Manzano, and Zamboanga City First District Representative, Rep. Celso L. Lobregat, as guests of honor. The first two (2) years of operation of the ZPFIC was also supported by the DOST-IX through a grant-in-aid (GIA) fund of Three Million Three Hundred Nineteen Thousand Three Hundred Eighty-seven Pesos and Fifty Centavos (P3,319,387.50). On the other hand, the ZSCMST also provided counterpart funding and regular personnel aside from the P2M newly renovated building that houses the ZPFIC. Further, another newly renovated building (P8M) will be utilized for the Project (Phase 2) implementation in 2019, which shall be marked with intensive product development and profiling, and short-term trainings, among others.

To date, there are seventeen (17) food innovation centers (FICs) that have been established by the DOST in various regions in the country since 2014 through the national project rollout of the DOST-developed HITS (High Impact Technology Solutions) equipment through the FICs. Other complementary equipment, tools and instruments were also provided by the DOST to the FICs which, in turn, are mandated to help address the pertinent food innovation or product and process development needs of the region’s food-based micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), primarily through the use/rental of DOST-developed/fabricated equipment and other FIC equipment, provision of technical assistance, and other services. Student- and faculty-researchers in the host-college/university and other academic institutions can also avail of the services of the FICs. # (D.U. Ramillano, ZPFIC)

Health professionals, academe undergo training on basic research methods

SOME 40 health professionals and the academe from Nueva Vizcaya and Quirino provinces recently underwent training on Basic Research Methods conducted by the Department of Science and Technolog-Cagayan Valley Health Research and Development Consortium at the Region 2 Trauma Medical Center in Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya.

The Department of Science and Technology-Cagayan Valley Health Research and Development Consortium said the training for health professionals and the academe was its first for the region in collaboration with R2TMC.

The training was led by BRM core team members Dr. Julius Capili, dean of the Cagayan State University (CSU)-College of Allied Health Sciences and CVHRDC executive director; Dr. Melfei Bungihan of Quirino State University and CVHRDC Research Management Committee and Technical Review Board chairman; and professor Hilaria Barsabal of CSU-Andrews.

Capili said the three-day activity held on January 28 to 31 was aimed to refresh and strengthen the knowledge of the participants on foundations of good health research.

“The training was also aimed to capacitate the participants to conduct more complex researches significant to the enhancement of health and health-related services in the region,” he added.

There were 45 participants from the Nueva Vizcaya and Quirino cluster that included R2TMC, Nueva Vizcaya Provincial Hospital, Nueva Vizcaya State University, Quirino
State University, Saint Mary’s University, Aldersgate College, and the Philippine Association of Medical Technologist-Nueva Vizcaya chapter.

Capili said participants were tasked to present their capsule proposal to the core team for critiquing and coached them to enhance their capsule research proposals.

Source: Leander C. Domingo
manilatimes.net

15th National Medical Journal Writing Workshop and 8th Writeshop for Young Researchers held in Zamboanga City

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The DOST - Philippine Council for Health Research and Development (DOST-PCHRD) and Zamboanga Consortium for Health Research and Development (ZCHRD), in collaboration with Philippine Association of Medical Journal Editors (PAMJE) and Asia Pacific Association of Medical Journal Editors (APAME) organized the 15th National Medical Writing Workshop and 8th Writeshop for Young Researchers on 29-30 January 2019 in Palacio del Sur, Marcian Garden Hotel, Zamboanga City. The workshop aims to help young investigators in health and health social sciences acquire practical knowledge and skills in preparing a scientific article for publication in a scholarly peer-reviewed journal.

Out of the applicants from all over the Philippines, 32 young researchers in health and health social sciences with a completed research project, drafted a manuscript for submission to a scholarly journal, passed PCHRD and PAMJE’s screening process, and granted free workshop registration, accommodation, and meals during the workshop.

The speakers for the event, Dr. Jose Florencio Fabella Lapeña, Jr., professor of Otorhinolaryngology at the University of Philippines Manila and President of PAMJE; and Dr. Cecilia Maramba – Lazarte, Professor of Pharmacology and Clinical Professor of Pediatrics at University of the Philippines Manila and Vice President-Internal of PAMJE; taught the participants about the structure and the individual components of a scientific paper. Moreover, the participants also learned how a manuscript is prepared and processed, the significant role of editors and peer reviewers and what to look for in a manuscript.

Based on the lectures and exercises, participants had the opportunity to review and revise their manuscripts under the guidance of the guest speakers. The 32 participants were divided into seven groups and each group was assigned a mentor-facilitator.

All the participants presented a 7-minute power point summary of their revised manuscripts on the 2^nd day of the workshop. 7 of the 32 participants were awarded the “Readiest to Publish Paper”. The award is given to participants whose papers were organized, well-written, and with greater potential to get published in peer reviewed journals. Winners for this batch were from CAR, National Capital Region, Region 5, Region 7, Region 9, as follows: Ms. Vera Cruz of Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center, Ms. Ma. Joanna Carla Z. Garcia of University of the East Ramon Magsaysay Memorial Medical Center, Mr. Manuel Yoro of the University of the Philippines Manila, Mr. John Paul A. Tada of the Bicol University, Mr. Johnny J. Yao Jr. of the Velez College, Ms. Dorothy Faye Tan of the Zamboanga City Medical Center, and Mr. Norman Jake C. Mabalot of the Universidad de Zamboanga.

The participants of the writeshop are bound to submit the revised and improved article to an appropriate scholarly peer-reviewed journal within three (3) months after the workshop. For more information, interested parties may visit www.pchrd.dost.gov.ph or contact Mr. Halid M. Tamano through contact numbers 062 955 3654 (Halid M. Tamano/ DOST-IX Press Release)

NAST-Phl conducts Lecture Series and Symposium for the Youth in Zamboanga City

NAST

The National Academy of Science and Technology, Philippines in collaboration with the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) - IX conducted a 2-day activity entitled NAST Lecture Series: Dialogue with NAST Scientists and Symposium for the Youth held in Zamboanga City on 21-22 January 2019. The said lecture series aims to introduce the programs and services of NAST Philippines.

Academicians from the National Academy talked about various topics on Food, Aquaculture, Seaweeds, and Schistosomiasis to over 250 educators and students. Among those that were discussed were “The Science Behind Food Shortage in the Philippines” by Acd. Eufemio T. Rasco, which emphasized on the inconvenient truths of rice consumption. The talk on “Developing Our Coastal and Oceanic Aquaculture for Food Security and Livelihood Generation” by Acd. Rafael D. Guevarra III accented that aquaculture is the fastest growing food-producing sector in the world and contributes to our food security and livelihoods of our coastal communities. Moreover, the “Seeweed Utilization and Products” by Acd. Marco Nemesio T. Montaño pointed up on seaweed biodiversity, its importance, uses and benefits.

Academician Jose Maria P. Balmaceda highlighted that math is not confined to the classroom but rather it is everywhere, and that a capacity to understand and learn math is innate in all in his talk on “Mathematics: A Language, an Art, a Way of Knowing, a Tool for Understanding Phenomena”. While Academician Remigio O. Olveda stressed that schistosomiasis is endemic in 28 provinces in 12 regions, with an estimated 28 million people at risk of infection during his talk on “Schistosomiasis in the Philippines: Innovative control measures are needed of elimination is the goal.”

The lecture series was attended by different institutional heads, research directors and managers from state universities and colleges. Students actively participated and raised different questions with one particular student who said that he aspires to become an Academician in the field of computer technology.

For more information, interested parties may visit http://www.nast.ph or contact Mr. John Apolinario through contact numbers 062 991 1024 (Angeline M. Hipolito/ DOST-IX Press Release)

Health sector gets P21.5-B budget boost

The health sector got a major boost in the P3.7-trillion General Appropriations Bill (GAB), getting over a fifth of the PI 00- billion increase in the budgets of several departments and constitutional offices this year. Reporting to the plenary the highlights of the 2019 GAB just before its ratification on Friday, Sen. Loren Legarda, chairperson of the finance committee, said the Department of H ealth's b u d get this year got a boost of P21.5 billion. The amounts include P15 billion for the upgrading of hospitals under H ealth Facilities Enhancement Program (HFEP) and provision of P4.8 billion.to complete the P7~billion requirement for the hiring of m edical personnel who will manage the facilities. Legarda said allocation for medical assistance for indigent patients has been likewise increased. "We are also providing funds for cancer medicines to help cancer patients in coping with their costly treatment," she said. Sen. Joseph Victor Ejercito, chairman of the health committee, said the funding for the HFEP would help ensure the effective implementation of the Universal Health Care (UHC) Bill. Ejercito fought for the restoration of funding for the HFEP after the Department of Budget and Management cut the allocation for it. He said the facilities would ensure the smooth implementation of the UHC measure, which includes all Filipinos in the National Health Insurance Program as well as bring down to an affordable level the people's expenses on health services including but not limited to checkups and selected laboratory procedures. Congress, the judiciary as well as several constitutional offices and departments also got increases in their respective budgets in the GAB. Congress got an increase of PI.8 billion for this year to cover the additional operating requirement of the Senate and the Commission on Appointments, including funding for the construction of a new Senate building. The Office of the'Vice President's budget this year will have a net hike of P215 million to fund various social programs of the OVP intended to improve the life of the poor and for the special duty allowance of .security officers assigned to Vice President Leni Robredo. The Department of Education was given a budgetary increase of P2.521 billion to fund various initiatives including P800 million for the allowance of teachers during the observance of World Teachers' Day, training, computerization and school-feeding program—- State universities and colleges will have an additional P2.8 billion for capital outlay, among others. The Department of Labor and Employment will have a net increase of P2.612 billion for emergency aid for distressed overseas Filipino workers, while the Department of Information and Communications Technology was given an additional P2 billion for the national broadband and cybersecurity programs. The Department of the Interior and Local Government obtained an additional funding of PI.75 billion for the construction of the Emergency 911 Command Center as well as more capital outlay for both the Philippine National Police and the Bureau of Fire Protection. The D epartm ent of N ation al Defense got an increase of P3.1 billion to fund various programs including those for the integration of rebel returnees, operating expenses of the Veterans Memorial Medical Center and additional allowances for members of the Citizens' Armed Forces Geographical Units. The Department of Public Works and Highways obtained an increase of P32.92 billion for infrastructure projects while Department of Science and Technology got P450.25 million more to fund research grants. The Department of Social Welfare and Development was given an additional P3.16 billion for its protective services programs as well as for the construction of more halfway homes for children in conflict with the law. The Department of Tourism has P38 million more while the National Economic and Development Authority obtained an increase of PI 64.1 million for various research/ studies to be undertaken by NED A, including the preparation of various master plans of local government units. The judiciary got a budgetary hike of P2.1 billion for the construction of the Cagayan de Oro complex, and halls of justice under the Supreme Court as vvell as buildings for the Sandiganbayan and Court of Appeals.