Research Utilization

Invention program reaches Tawi-Tawi youth

April 29, 2018

science02-042918 — In Photo: Invent School Program participants, with Technology Application and Promotion Institute of the Department of Science and Technology resource speakers.

TAWI-TAWI—The youth have fresh minds that are creative and are ideal starting ground for inventors. To harness this important human resource, the Invent School Program (ISP) expanded its services to borders unusually reached through its recent first seminar-workshop in Mindanao State University-Tawi-Tawi College of Technology and Oceanography (MSU–TCTO), Bongao, Tawi-Tawi.

ISP, one of the leading programs of the Technology Application and Promotion Institute of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST-Tapi), is designed to open the young minds of students as a starting ground for young Filipino inventors.

In collaboration with DOST-Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), Provincial Science and Technology Center (PSTC)-Tawi-Tawi, and MSU-TCTO, the ISP organized two sets of seminar-workshops for college and high-school students.

“The first ever ISP in Tawi-Tawi is a milestone for the program having reached the southernmost part of the Philippines. We are very privileged to be given the opportunity to speak before the Tawi-Tawi people,” said Atty. Marion Ivy D. Decena, division chief of Invention Development Division of DOST-Tapi.

A total of 44 college students and 49 high-school students showcased their creativity and inventiveness in tackling the pressing problems in Tawi-Tawi and boosting the province’s promising natural resources and wealth.

The platform serves to stir the youth’s ingenuity by stimulating their interests on techniques in developing creative and inventive knowledge that is crucial in invention and prototype development.

“The old pedagogy should be replaced with more interactive approach to bring more learning to the students, and ISP is necessary to change this pedagogy,” said Dr. Annabel Wellms, office in charge, Office of the Chancellor of MSU-TCTO.

ISP’s goal is to bring the assistance closer to the Filipino youth by bringing the program all over the regions in the country.

Engr. Elizabeth I. Garcia and Anna Liza B. Saet from DOST-Tapi served as resource speakers in the five-day seminar-workshop.

“ISP will always serve as a platform in equipping our future engineers and scientists, who will become the very foundations in building our great nation,” Saet said.Moreover, PSTC-Tawi-Tawi Director Ibnotalib J. Nasirin commended DOST-Tapi’s efforts in prioritizing the province, as the bold step serves as a springboard to hone students in ARMM.

S&T Media Service

Image Credits: S&T Media Service photo

1st PHL National Halal Conference slated

By: Raison D. Aborinto / Halal Section - DTI-EMB

April 17, 2018

THE Philippine Halal Export Development and Promotion Board, composed of nine government agencies led by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), will hold its first-ever Philippine National Halal Conference on May 2 and 3 at the Marco Polo Hotel, Davao City.

With the theme “Towards Making the Philippines a Respectable Player in the Global Halal Ecosystem,” the conference will feature the unveiling of the comprehensive Philippine Halal Export Development and Promotion Strategic Road Map, a result of a series of consultations and extensive work collaborations among all major stakeholders concluded last year.

The strategic road map includes the launch of the approved Philippine National halal Certification Scheme and the Accreditation Guidelines, two of the most important components of halal in the quest to be recognized as a major player in the global halal ecosystem.

During the sixth Halal Export Board meeting held on March 21, the Board emphasized the need for the Philippine standard-setting bodies, such as the DTI, Department of Agriculture and Department of Health to develop the necessary standards for Philippine halal to be recognized in the global halal ecosystem.

The conference will also gather some of the major halal global players to share their experiences and best practices in establishing a respectable and sustainable Halal ecosystem in their respective countries. This will be done through holding of lecture sessions with resource speakers from the well-known experts in the Halal international community.

Also happening during the conference is the Assembly of the Philippine Muslim Religious Scholars, where information sessions and lectures on development of the halal industry with respect to the Sharia aspect in particular will be conducted. The assembly would also aim to identify from among these Muslim scholars one resource person who will perform the religious components necessary to strengthen the Philippines integrity for halal.

As the Philippines opens its door for the global halal market, it also widens its horizon as it pursues several cooperation instruments for Halal from the global halal community.

In April last year, the Philippines, represented by Trade Secretary Ramon M. Lopez, and Brunei Darussalam, represented by Pehin Dato Dr. Mohammad Yasmin Umar, the minister of Energy and Industry at the Prime Minister’s Office, signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on the Halal Industry and Halal Export Development and Promotion.

The Philippines also signed a membership with the International Halal Accreditation Forum in December 2017. Ihaf is an independent, non-government network of accreditation entities that are mandated to enforce halal standards in their countries and territories. The Philippine affiliation to Ihaf is expected to pave the way for the entry and acceptance of Philippine halal-certified products to the member markets of the organization.

A similar instrument will also be signed between the Philippines and the United Arab Emirates Standardization and Metrology Authority on mutual recognition for halal accreditation. The MOU was already agreed upon by the two parties in February, however, the actual signing of the agreement would take place during the conference as one separate side event.

The conference will be participated in by Philippine MSMEs with halal-certified products and services, including travel and tourism services sector; representative from government agencies; Philippine halal certification bodies; academe; Muslim and interested non-Muslim consumers; Muslim religious groups; concerned civil society groups; international major halal players; and other stakeholders.

Mga estudyante at guro, hihikayatin sa siyensiya at teknolohiya

April 20, 2018 Filed under Opinyon Posted by Angelli Catan

Mula sa PNA

PINAIGTING pa ng Department of Science and Technology (DoST) ang kampanya nito sa pagsusulong ng kamulatan sa mga estudyante at guro tungkol sa siyensiya at teknolohiya.

Ayon kay Luningning Domingo, Director IV ng National Academy of Science and Technology (NAST), ipinag-utos ni DoST Secretary Fortunato Dela Peña ang pagpupursige upang maunawaan ng publiko ang siyensiya, at ihandog sa mamamayan ang mga benepisyo nito.

“This is also why the DoST carries the tagline, ‘Science for the People’,” sabi ni Domingo.

Bilang ahensiyang nakapaloob sa DoST, dadalhin ng NAST ang mga siyentista sa mga eskuwelahan sa iba’t ibang rehiyon sa bansa. Layunin nitong hikayatin ang mga estudyante na piliing magkaroon ng career sa siyensiya at teknolohiya.

Sinabi ni Domingo na nagpadala rin ang DoST ng mga tagapagsalita mula sa Science Education Institute (SEI) sa iba’t ibang eskuwelahan upang talakayin ang tungkol sa mga scholarship na maaaring mapakinabangan ng mga estudyante.

“Because oftentimes, students may be interested, but they do not know how they could pursue a career in science due to financial constraints, for instance,” paliwanag ni Domingo.

Dadalhin din ng NAST ang mga siyentista sa mga rehiyon upang gabayan ang mga guro sa paghahanda ng kani-kanilang prepare research proposal, partikular para sa pandaigdigang paglalathala.

“Normally, the teachers have case studies and they need to partner with universities to do the research. Our scientists are here to guide them how to prepare proposals,” sabi ni Domingo.

Malaking tulong ang presensiya ng mga siyentista sa mga rehiyon para sa mga estudyante at mga guro, dahil hindi na nila kakailanganin pang mamasahe para magtungo sa Metro Manila, ayon kay Domingo.

Tinukoy ni Domingo ang mga plano ng DoST upang magtatag ng Philippine Science Heritage Center bilang isang “world-class science center”.

Inilahad din ni Domingo na nagtakda na rin ang NAST ng dalawang pandaigdigang pulong ngayong taon.

Aniya, sa susunod na buwan idaraos ang unang international meeting, na dadaluhan ng piling medical practitioner.

Ang isa pang pulong sa Oktubre ay inorganisa naman ng UK Academy of Science.

PAGASA warns of heat stroke during summer

PAGASA warns of heat stroke during summer

Helen Flores (The Philippine Star) - April 30, 2018 - 12:00am

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) yesterday warned the public against heat stroke and other heat-related diseases as hotter days are expected in May.

“It will be warmer this May, the worst has yet to come,” said Ana Liza Solis, officer-in-charge of PAGASA’s climate monitoring and prediction section.

She said in Northern Luzon the forecast maximum temperature this May is 39.6 degrees Celsius.

In Metro Manila, the hottest recorded so far this year was 35.4 degrees Celsius.

Solis advised the public to drink lots of water and wear light-colored clothes this summer.

Solis also said La Niña is weakening in the tropical Pacific, with likely transition to neutral condition this April or May.

A neutral condition means there is no El Niño or La Niña that could disrupt the country’s normal climate and weather patterns, including rainfall and temperature in the coming months.

“Most of the forecasts by climate prediction centers predict La Niña will decay and return to ENSO-neutral,” Solis said, referring to El Niño Southern Oscillation.

PAGASA also expects a normal start of the rainy season this year.

Solis said one or two tropical cyclones may enter the country in May. “The entry of a tropical cyclone may trigger the onset of the rainy season.”

Read more at https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2018/04/30/1810719/pagasa-warns-heat-stroke-during-summer#LdFB5tzDFyHeSJoG.99

DOST introduces new water filtration technology

JENNIE P. ARADO

A NEW water filtration system is being pilot tested in Davao City.

Mirasol Domingo, assistant regional director of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) in Davao Region, said three food processors, including Porky Best Food, are using the Vertical Helophyte Filtration System (VHFS).

On the sidelines of the Habi at Kape press conference, Domingo said the DOST allotted P100,000 for the pilot testing of the VHFS.

VHFS is a technology adapted from the Netherlands, where it is used in households.

In Davao Region, after Dutch water engineering and waste management expert Sean Ligvoet introduced the technology to DOST, the government agency is eyeing to first use it in food processing establishments and small businesses.

The facility filters filthy water and cleans it so that it can be reused.

“The cleaned water will not be potable anymore. But you can use for watering the plants and washing the car,” said Domingo.

During the pilot testing that started last year, Domingo said they are collecting samples of clean water quarterly to test its cleanliness. As it is still a very early testing, she said they could not yet conclude anything out of the project.

Aside from the three food processing establishments in the city that are already using VHFS in their facility, Domingo said they are currently finalizing talks with the city government to establish an 10 times bigger version of VHFS in the Davao City slaughterhouse. This project is tagged as Sani Embankment Project.

“This project had been reviewed by the Committee on Environment and it is ready to go. The drafted memorandum of agreement had already been approved so it is ready for signing of Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte. The mayor is also supportive of this project,” said Domingo, adding that they look forward to the mayor signing the MOA probably by next month.

According to Domingo, from the slaughter area, the waste water will drain down to the holding area of waste water. Here, a helophyte system will be installed to the filter the water before it would flow through the canals.

“I think in the future it is something we can showcase,” said Domingo.