Sec tells DOST to reacquaint nation on S&T and innovation

IT is time to reacquaint the nation why the Department of Science and Technology pursues science, technology, and innovation, Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Secretary Fortunato dela Peña said during the opening ceremony of the National Science and Technology Week (NSTW) Celebration at the World Trade Center on July 11-15, 2017.

This is where NSTW theme is derived from: “Science for the People”.

To support and realize the development imperatives under the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte, science should be custom-made for the benefit of the people.

“We will do our best to achieve the desired outcomes with an eye towards diffusing the results of publicly funded research and development through technology transfer and commercialization,” Dela Peña said, implying the operationalization of the department’s plans for the fulfillment of the government’s Ambisyon 2040, a long-term vision for the Filipinos and for the country.

The seven desired outcomes, which was presented through the audio and video presentation, are: (1) Innovation Stimulated, (2) Technology Adoption Accelerated, (3) Critical Mass of Globally Competitive STI Human Resources Developed, (4) Productivity and Efficiency of Communities and the Production Sector, particularly MSMEs improved, (5) Resiliency to Disaster Risks and Climate Change Ensured, (6) Inequality in STI capacities and opportunities reduced, and (7) Effective STI Governance Achieved.

“It is to the best interest of the Filipino nation that the fruits of our work in science, technology, and innovation should ultimately reward the society and the people to which we belong,” Dela Peña said.

He said that to be able to deliver their promise to achieve the seven desired outcomes, the transfer and commercialization of research and development results must be distributed throughout the country, especially in rural and remote areas, where S&T services are needed most.

Thus, the agency is enabling and supporting higher educational institutions (HEIs) through the creation of Niche Centers in the region for R&D (Nicer) Program. The program aims at providing grants to HEIs in the regions to improve their S&T infrastructure. Also, 10 percent of the of the department’s budget has already been shifted to technology transfer activities.

“The result is that we were able to generate some one thousand new intellectual properties in just one year that we adopted and harnessed toward the good of our constituents,” he said. DOST