By Edd K. Usman
ORMOC CITY, Leyte — The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) is offering to the public for adoption the technology innovations it has developed and acquired over the past years. By adoption, it means the commercialization of the 74 technologies that various DOST agencies developed to comply with Republic Act No. 10055, the “Technology Transfer Act.”
Led by Dr. Rowena Cristina Guevara, DOST undersecretary for research and development (R&D), the agency is in fact now here in Eastern Visayas for the DOST-8 Regional Technology Transfer Day, Visayas Cluster.
She revealed that of the P20.8 billion DOST budget for 2017, they have increased the funding for R&D to P5.8 billion from P5.50 million in 2011, an indication of the new leadership’s emphasis on R&D.
“This is the very essence why we are here today — bringing together technology generators, research institutions, investors and stakeholders within the Visayas region for a unique opportunity to build meaningful partnerships and forge technology transfer deals between industry and players and the DOST’s leading innovators,” said Guevara.
DOST’s Technology Application and Promotion Institute (TAPI), headed by its director Edgar Garcia, is leading the technology transfer activities, with the National Technology Transfer Day held in the National Capital Region (NCR) on April 27.
Guevara emphasized the event’s importance, saying “technology transfer is where technology generators can efficiently transfer the knowledge, processes and outputs of technologies to its desired end-users.”
Speaking of end-users, the Ormoc City Chamber of Commerce and Industry Inc. (OCCCII), in coordination with Ormoc City mayor Richard Gomez, chose 10 technologies that they think would be adoptable to the city’s businesses, said Jude P. Abenoja, a member of OCCCII’s Board of Trustees.
“We will be conducting several (meetings, or fora) with our members about the 10 technologies,” said Abenoja, indicating their members will determine what they want to commercialize.
Relatedly, to further promote science and technology (S&T) in the Visayas, DOST secretary Fortunato dela Pe?a designated popular movie and television personality Gomez as S&T ambassador for the Visayas. Gomez welcomed DOST officials and other guests at the event. He said he was honored to host the event in his city.
“This event is seen as a vehicle for the private sector to understand what ‘Technology Transfer’ is, what our government is doing to promote and convert (S&T) into actions that benefit the people, and be informed with the available commercializable technologies of the (DOST),” the first-term mayor said.
Nowadays, Gomez said knowledge and government research and development are no longer limited to a few people.
Garcia said the DOST technology transfer program serves to implement R.A. No. 10055, which is aimed at commercializing the various technologies already developed and those to be developed later.
DOST-8 regional director Edgardo Esperancilla, on the other hand, said additional assistance can also be obtained from the DOST’s Small Enterprise Technology Upgrading Program (SETUP), which provides funding assistance without collateral.
Guevara identified DOST’s five pillars of innovation ecosystem: agricultural productivity; industry competitiveness; countryside development; disaster risk reduction and mitigation; and, quality healthcare.
