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It was also in August 2019 that a bill creating the Philippine Space Agency (PhilSA) was signed into law. The PhilSA, however, was placed under the administrative supervision of the Office of the President (OP) and not as an attached unit of the DOST as originally intended.

Government authorities have signed the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) for the law providing incentives to local startups.

The government aims to generate 1,000 startups by 2022 through initiatives under RA 11337 or the Innovative Startup Act.

This year’s Tagisang Robotics, which returned after its last staging in 2014, featured a new game inspired by basketball.

Singapore-based technology firm BCB Blockchain has announced a P15-million fund to support local incubators and startup accelerators under the Department of Science and Technology (DOST).

The DOST has launched the “TBI 4.0 Program” to upgrade the capabilities of the agency’s TBI (technology business incubation) network through a more transformational intervention that would set off the “internationalization” of Philippine TBIs.

Aside from the research grant, the startups also received support and assistance from the DOST-funded Technology Business Incubators (TBIs) through their services and programs.

The contest, which followed football in its previous runs from 2011-2014, now features robots shooting sepak takraw balls in a trajectory towards their respective goals.

The program, which began early 2018, was able to help hundreds of affected students pursue their studies. Notably, out of the 217 BS, 20 MS, and 10 Ph.D. scholars from the first batch of beneficiaries, 131 have already graduated of which three and nine earned Magna cum laude and Cum laude honors, respectively.

Phivolcs OIC Renato Solidum Jr. was named DOST undersecretary for scientific and technological services, replacing Carol Yorobe who recently retired from government service.