DOST-NICER Centers in Regions work to support UN’s Sustainable Cities and Communities target in PH

The Department of Science and Technology, through the Niche Centers in the Regions (NICER) for R&D program works for the achievement of sustainable cities and communities in the Philippines. The program launched on Monday, November 8, 2021 three innovation centers geared towards providing solutions for light pollution, energy consumption, disaster risk reduction, and technologies to help local government units manage their natural resources. In an event entitled, “NICER Symposium: Building Sustainable Cities and Communities”, the event focuses on presenting efforts in support to the United Nation’s (UN) Sustainable Cities and Communities target in the country. 

“We hope that these worthy initiatives would motivate our Higher Education Institutions to do more R&D projects that are aimed at improving the lives of the Filipino people,” said DOST Undersecretary for R&D Rowena Cristina L. Guevara.  “As the future National Innovation Centers for Science and Technology (NICEST), the DOST intends that these NICERs will upgrade the technological capabilities of local government units and industrial sectors, support domestic technology commercialization, and promote a conducive environment for industrial diversification and competitiveness in the regions.”

The first center presented from the Rizal Technological University in National Capital Region hosts the Center for Astronomy R&D.  This NICER has successfully trained more than 500 young scientists in the field of astronomy and space science in Senior High Schools and Colleges, developed the Pollution Luminance (Pollux) Device, and produced a Light Pollution Map based on the gathered data by the Pollux Device. From these R&D efforts, the center will propose a local policy to LGUs to lessen light pollution and energy consumption, and improve lighting to areas of crime hotspots.

The second center presented by the University of the Cordilleras in Cordillera Administrative Region hosts the Mountain Engineering R&D Center.  This NICER provides science and engineering interventions to mitigate the risks of landslides and extreme flooding events, save an estimated 200 million pesos per annum in infrastructure damage due to mountain landslides, increase the agricultural production of rice terraces farmers by 20%, and help two (2) Million Cordillerans have access to sustainable clean water through collaborative water resource management and governance.

The last center presented is being led by the University of the Philippines Cebu (UP Cebu) in Central Visayas Region, which hosts the Center for Environmental Informatics.  Known as CENVI, this NICER has initiated the crafting of the biodiversity atlas of Cebu, monitored mango pests and diseases through microcontroller-based sensor systems, produced species distribution maps for 103 native species of flora and fauna, published biodiversity threat maps to monitor human settlement pressures on biodiversity richness, generated surface water maps and groundwater potential maps for 46 municipalities in the Cebu Province, provided the scientific bases for the legal protection of Cebu’s groundwater resources, the island’s various biodiversity-rich areas, and for the improvement of the Central Cebu Protected Landscape’s rehabilitation and reforestation initiatives. Moreover, the Center provides relevant technical services to LGUs, government agencies, and NGOs; and partners with and capacitates neighboring universities in undertaking research for the public good.

“In an effort to sustain our innovation goals, the DOST is also pushing for the passage of the Science for Change Program bill,” said DOST Usec. Guevara.  “Once approved, the S4CP Bill will promote inclusive, equitable and sustainable development through the optimal use of the R&D budget allocated to different government departments and agencies.  It will give rise to more national centers of excellence in R&D which are at par with international counterparts and continue the increase in technology- based and value-adding business investments both foreign and domestic due to a conducive STI-supported economic environment. The S4CP bill also aims to create more self-reliance because of more capable and more confident technology stakeholders. I enjoin everyone to create CHANGE and make innovation work for the people through investing in R&D.”