DOST Region V Jumpstarts Virtual 2021 S&T Week in Bicol for 2021 National Science and Technology Week Celebration!

Once again, the Department of Science and Technology takes science, technology and innovation cyber center stage as the virtual 2021 National Science and Technology Week (NSTW) Celebration will be held from 22-28 November 2021. With the theme “Agham at Teknolohiya: Tugon sa Hamon ng Panahon”, this year’s S&T Week continues the resounding success of the first virtual NSTW in 2020.

As a prelude to this event, DOST Region V will conduct the Pre-NSTW Celebration back-to-back with the Bicol Regional Invention Contest and Exhibits (BRICE) on 12-14 October 2021 via virtual platforms. With the limitations posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, DOST-V cascades the myriad activities of the Pre-NSTW to the Bicolanos at the comfort of their digital devices, computers and smartphones, at home or in the office.

To grace the three-day virtual activity are none other than DOST top officials led by Secretary Fortunato T. de la Peña and Undersecretary for Regional Operations Engr. Sancho A. Mabborang, along with other top officials of DOST agencies, consortia, industry partners and institutions, special guests, and S&T enthusiasts across the region. Below is the program of various activities that will surely pique your interest and from where you will get many information on science, technology, and innovation that will be of great value to all.

PROGRAM OF ACTIVITIES

Day 1 – 12 October 2021

• Opening Ceremony

- featuring Sec. de la Peña’s Keynote Message, and Messages of Support from Vice President Atty. Ma. Leonor “Leni” G. Robredo, Bicol Provincial Governors, and 2021 Binibining Pilipinas International Ms. Hannah C. Arnold

• Launching of Virtual Exhibits and Entries for the Bicol Regional Invention Contest & Exhibits (BRICE)

• Virtual Press Conference

- to be attended by local and national media representatives, with panelists Sec. de la Peña, Usec. Mabborang, Technology Application and Promotion Institute (DOST-TAPI) Officer-in-Charge Mr. Romeo M. Javate, Science and Technology Information Institute (DOST-STII) Director Mr. Richard P. Burgos, and DOST-V Regional Director Mr. Rommel R. Serrano

• Virtual Tour of Innovation Centers and Facilities in Bicol Region

o Albay Dairy Plant, Camalig, Albay

o Abaca Technology Innovation Center (ATIC) at Catanduanes State University (CatSU)

o Manufacturing and Fabrication Laboratory (ManFabLab) at Bicol State College of Applied Sciences and Technology (BISCAST), Naga City

o Bicol Regional Food Innovation and Commercialization Center (BRFICC), at Bicol University, Legazpi City

o Piloting of Biogas Technology for Thermo-Electro-Mechanical Applications for the Legazpi City Abbatoir

• Presentation of Entries for the SINESiyensya Science Video Making Contest for College Students

• Virtual Training on Inspection and Sealing of Weighing Instruments Used in Public Markets

Day 2 – 13 October 2021

• Mental Health and Parent-Teen Communication Webinar (Understanding Mental Health in Adolescents, and Improving Parent-Teen Communication)

• DOST-FNRI Food Safety Grading System Tools: “Star-Rated na Kainan Sigurado ang Kalinisan, NOW NA!”

• Philippine Science High School – Bicol Region Campus (PSHS-BRC) Information Session

• SIYENSanaysay Virtual Essay Writing Contest

 • Virtual Training on Inspection, Testing and Sealing of Fuel Dispensing Pump

Day 3 – 14 October 2021

• Intellectual Property Rights Webinar (Intellectual Property Management, and DOST-TAPI’s Program of Assistance for IPR)

• Mental Health Awareness Webinar for DOST Scholars

• S&T Consortia’s Research Colloquium Day

- presentations of researches by Bicol Region’s three S&T consortia: Bicol Consortium for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development (BCAARRD), Bicol Consortium for Heath Research and Development (BCHRD), and Bicol Consortium for Industry, energy and Emerging Technology Research and Development (BCIEERD)

• Disaster Resiliency for Every JUAN (PAGASA and PHIVOLCS)

o Climate Review and Climate Outlook for Bicol

o Volcanic and Earthquake Hazards

• Closing Ceremony

o Awarding of Winners

- Bicol Regional Invention Contest and Exhibits (BRICE)

- Small Enterprise Technology Upgrading Program (SETUP) Graduates and 2021 SETUP PRAISE Award

-2021 Best Community Empowerment through Science and Technology (CEST) Community

-SINESiyensya Video Making and SIYENSanaysay Essay Writing Contests

The DOST and DOST Region V invites all Bicolanos to partake in this virtual occasion. With the able leadership of Regional Director Mr. Rommel R. Serrano, DOST-V through the NSTW, brings science closer to the Bicolano people once more, despite the obstacles of the ongoing pandemic. (DAPena, Jr. /FBBanda /MFLMiranda/ MGHMarcos, DOST-V)

#2021NSTW 

#DOSTTugonSaHamon 

#ScienceforthePeople

2021 REGIONAL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY Opening Remarks and Awardings

2021 RSTW Opening remarks

Ms. Emelita P. Bagsit

OIC-Regional Director,

DOST-CALABARZON

Isang maka-agham na hapon po sa ating lahat. Thank you for joining us this afternoon in this Awarding and Closing Ceremonies of our 2021 Regional Science and Technology Week. Before we continue, gusto ko lamang pong pasalamatan ang ating mga panauhin for being with us today:

DOST Undersecretary for Regional Operations, Engr. Sancho A. Maborang; Ang mga kasamahan ko sa DOST-CALABARZON, pati na rin sa aming mga Provincial Science and Technology Centers sa Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, at Quezon; Representatives mula sa iba’t ibang DOST agencies and other government agencies;

Media partners; Collaborators and innovators, 

Maraming salamat po. Ngayong hapon, bilang bahagi ng isang buwang selebrasyon namin ng RSTW and to formally close the 3-day event highlights, at advance celebration naman ng National Science Technology Week o NSTW, pinili po naming bigyan ng parangal ang mga nakasama namin dito sa DOST-CALABARZON in innovating and making a difference. 

Ang mga Provincial and Regional Best SETUP and GIA-CBP Adapters, Regional Best CEST Community,

Isang RDI na matagumpay na nakapag-commercialize ng kanilang technology;

At ang mga nanalo sa 5th Industry and Energy Research and Development Competition.

Ang SETUP o ang Small Enterprise Technology Upgrading Program ay isa sa mga premiere programs ng DOST na naglalayon na matulungang mapaunlad ang ating mga micro, small, and medium enterprises sa pamamagitan ng pagpapakilala sa kanila ng mga makabagong teknolohiya. Ang GIA-CBP o ang Grants-in-Aid Community-Based Project naman, tulad ng SETUP, assists by introducing technology towards sustainable economic growth and development to communities and people’s organizations. Later on, we will be naming our Best SETUP and GIA-CBP Adapters from the different provinces of the region in recognition of their exemplary utilization of the DOST assistance extended to them.

We will also award the 2021 Best CEST Community to our most active partner under the Community Empowerment thru Science & Technology program—DOST’s response to provide livelihood and alleviate poverty in remote communities. Sa ilalim ng programang ito, naidala ng DOST-CALABARZON ang agham at teknolohiya sa maliliit na komunidad, lalo na sa mga kabilang sa GIDA o Geographically Isolated and Disadvantaged Areas in the CALABARZON region. Last but not the least, we will be announcing the winners of the recently concluded STCIERD’s 5th Industry and Energy Research and Development Competition.

Higit sa lahat ng mga nabanggit, ang araw na ito ay araw ng pasasalamat namin—ng DOST-CALABARZON—sa matagumpay na 2021 Regional Science and Technology Week. Sa mga nakasama at nakatulong namin magmula September 2, hanggang sa mga nakatuwang namin sa paglulunsad ng S&T projects noong lunes, tulad ng:

Unang takbo ng DOSTRUCK o ng DOST Technology in the Region for the Upscaling of Community Knowledge: CALABARZON’s mobile food processing hub, kasama ang DOST-MIRDC, Cavite State University, at LGU-Magallanes, Cavite;

Vacuum Freeze Drying Facilities sa CALABARZON Food Solution Hub (CFoSH), Laguna, with our project partners DTI-4A, Laguna State Polytechnic University, at DOST Technology in the Region for the Upscaling of Community Knowledge; at Gulayan sa Pamayanan Project sa Bukid Kabataan Center with Caritas, DOST-PCAARRD, Department of Agriculture, and Central Luzon State University.

Hindi sapat ang isang araw para magpasalamat sa kanila—sa inyo. Babawiin namin ito sa patuloy na pagdala ng Science Closer to the People. Maraming salamat.

AWARDS & LIST OF WINNERS

BEST SETUP ADOPTER

Regional Winner

Mr. Henry & Mrs.Mary Jane Raca

Owners C&H Cosmetics Industry

Provincial Winners

Mr. Jorge Tima

Owner / General Manager

JTEC Machine Shop, Trece Martirez City Cavite

Mrs. Rosell De Castro Fordelon

General Manager

De Castro Industrial Sales & Services, Inc.Laguna

Mr. Henry & Mrs.Mary Jane Raca

Owners C&H Cosmetics Industry Batangas

Roselle Florendo

GeneraL Manager

Mardac Global Export Inc. Rizal

Mr. Anacleto C. Ramirez; Mrs. Arlene Ramirez

Production Manager; Owner

Ramsland Rice Mill Quezon

BEST GIA-CBP ADOPTER

Regional Winner

Ms. Remidios A. Valencia

President, SM Sunrise Weaving Association, Ibaan, Batangas

Provincial Winners

Ms. Dulce Bautista

General Manager

Toclong 1st Multi Purpose Cooperative, Imus City Cavite

Mr. Ronaldo Z. Relador

President Farm Asia Global Environmental Research,Inc. Laguna

Ms. Remidios A. Valencia

President SM Sunrise Weaving Association, Ibaan, Batangas

Mr. Jesus Francisco

General Manager

Cardona Multipurpose Cooperative Inc. Rizal 

Mr. Michael B. Saturay

President Kakao Integrated Development for Livelihood & Transformation Quezon

Best CEST Community Regional Winners

1st Place

Municipality of Jomalig, Quezon

Municipality of Panukulan, Quezon

RDIs/SUCs WITH COMMERCIALIZED TECHNOLOGIES

AI4mapping

Dr. Franz A. De Leon

Director DOST-ASTI

Ms. Maria Irene S. Amatorio (ASTI-TLO)

Senior Science Research Specialist and Technology Transfer and Business Development Office of ASTI-TLO

DOST-ASTI

STCIERD 5TH R&D WINNERS

Regional Winner

Dr. Lilia M. Fernando et al.

University of the Philippines Los Baños

“Process Optimization for the Production of FertiGroe® N, P, and K Nanofertilizers”

1st Runner up

Gee Jay C. Bartolome et al.

Cavite State University

“Performance of Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells with Natural Dye from Local Tropical Plants”

2nd Runner up

Dr. Joel P. Rivadeneira et al.

University of the Philippines Los Baños

“Characterization, Rheology, and Emulsifying Properties of Ultrasound-Extracted 2 Pectin from 'Saba' Banana Peel Waste”

DOST to present PH Road to Recovery in the 6th National R&D Conference

The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) will hold the 6th National Research and Development Conference (NRDC) on November 10 and 17, 2021.  The virtual event entitled “Pananaliksik at Pagpapaunlad: Daan Tungo sa Pagbangon (Road to Recovery through R&D)” will showcase programs and technologies in support of the government’s whole-of-nation approach to recovery from the pandemic.  

Since 2015, the NRDC encouraged coordination and collaboration among industry members, academic institutions, and research and development institutions (RDIs).  

The event presents ongoing and completed R&D projects and programs, aligned to the priorities identified in the Harmonized National Research and Development Agenda (HNRDA) that will be useful or benefit of society and /or contribute to economic development.

“Our response to the pandemic should always be met with urgent action and collaboration with the policy makers, key government departments, local government and community leaders” said DOST Secretary Fortunato T. de la Peña.  “The road to recovery demands protection of lives and livelihood. Such an endeavor must always be guided by the best available scientific solution.”

The event is open to the public and is organized in partnership with innovation movers in government, namely: the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), Department of Health (DOH), Department of National Defense (DND), Department of Agriculture (DA), Department of Energy (DOE), Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), and Commission on Higher Education (CHED).   

At the forefront of the event are public health interventions against COVID-19.  To be unveiled is the progress of the SIBOL Program as an effective COVID-19 response.  The Locally-Developed Electronic Stethoscope Prototype “E-Steth” Using A Phantom-Based Simulation System in the Auscultation of Lung Sounds will also be featured together with the updates on the studies of Virgin Coconut Oil (VCO) as adjutants against COVID-19.  To address food security, agricultural technologies in disease detection with the African Swine Fever or ASFv Nanogold Biosensor Test Kit, organic farming and Mussel Depuration will be unveiled.  

Programs in support of industry will highlight the ongoing projects under the Collaborative Research and Development to Leverage Philippine Economy (CRADLE) Program such as the Development of a Design Guideline Using Finite Element Analysis (FEA) for Semiconductor Packages.  In support of the agricultural industry, the NRDC will showcase sustainable livelihood R&D like the Mangrove Crab Fattening Cum Fish Culture and Coconut Hybridization Scheme that will introduce income-generating opportunities for farmers. 

The NRDC will also feature disaster risk reduction and management technologies for weather assessment and monitoring like the Severe Wind Exposure, Risk and Vulnerability Estimator (SWERVE) Project and Real-time Optical Aerosol Monitor (ROAM).  

“We must allow science to lead the way in our road to recovery,” says DOST Undersecretary for R&D Rowena Cristina L. Guevara. “The Philippines should emerge stronger than the pandemic, powered by notable legislation like the Science for Change Program Bill that sustains scientific capabilities and fosters collaboration between the academe, the RDIs, the industry, the local community and the country.”

For those interested to attend, they may register via this link: https://bit.ly/6thNRDC2021.  For further details, the NRDC website may be accessed at http://nrdc.dost.gov.ph/.  Viewers may also go to the NRDC Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/dostnrdc. 

World Pandesal Day on Oct 16, free breads for orphans and three public schools donations

No less than Pres. Duterte, Grace Poe, Angara, QC Mayor Joy Belmonte, GMA CEO Atty. Gozon send support for this occasion 

Despite the pandemic, #WorldPandesalDay is again going to be celebrated October 16 as a civic and cultural event by 82-year-old Kamuning Bakery Café. Instead of its annual tradition of giving 70,000 free pandesal and other foods the whole day to the urban poor plus free medical/dental /optical missions, owner Wilson Lee Flores said donations of breads shall be given to orphanages and diverse children’s shelters. World Pandesal Day seeks to honor the humble yet great Filipino bread pandesal, also to highlight the need to address global hunger and poverty.

Messages of support for the annual #WorldPandesal Day came from various leaders led by President Rodrigo R. Duterte, Senator Grace Poe, Senator Sonny Angara, Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte, GMA Network, Inc. Chairman & CEO Atty. Felipe L. Gozon and others. Among Kamuning Bakery Café’s partners in this annual philanthropic and cultural project include Philippine Foremost Milling, San Miguel Mills, Mondelez, Pagcor, Mega Sardines and Caltex Iba Malhacan Road in Meycauayan Exit.

Despite the economic crisis, Kamuning Bakery Café has also donated new public schoolbuildings to Barangay Dinalaoan Elementary School in Calasiao, Pangasinan in cooperation with Federation of Filipino Chinese Chambers of Commerce & Industry, Inc. (FFCCCII);  it also donated public schoolbuildings to other economically-disadvantaged rural regions, like to Sta. Rosa Elementary School in historic seaside Balangiga town, Eastern Samar province and to Villa Bacolor Elementary School in Tarlac, Tarlac province. On June 5, 2020, Kamuning Bakery Café also donated P500, 000 to help Taal Volcano victims in Batangas through Hinabang Foundation led by First Lady Honeylet Avanceña and in the presence of Batangas Governor Hermilando “Dodo” Mandanas.

Kamuning Bakery Café also sponsors cultural projects such as the annual World Poetry Day celebration every March 21, the non-partisan “Pandesal Forum” where leaders and  newsmakers dialogue with media and intellectuals, poetry readings, book launchings, art exhibits and the March 7, 2020 poetry & music night fundraising event for medical needs of award-winning poet Jose “Pete” F. Lacaba which was attended by national artists Dr. Bienvenido Lumbera and Bencab, many top musicians Noel Cabangon, Cookie Chua, Hazel Faith, etc.

#WorldPandesalDay2021

Israel joins in Dubai Expo 2020

The inauguration ceremony for the Israel Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai took place in the presence of 300 invited Israeli guests and UAE guests led by H.E Dr. Ahmad Belhoul, Minister of State for Entrepreneurship and Small and Medium Enterprises. The inauguration ceremony was held in the presence of Israel Minister of Tourism Yoel Razvozov and with the participation of Ministry of Tourism Director-General Amir Halevi, MFA Deputy Director General for Media and Public Affairs Noam Katz, the Commissioner-General of Israel's Expo 2020 Pavilion Elazar Cohen, Rabbi Eli Abadi and the Israeli Consul in Dubai Ilan Sztulman.  Rabbi Duchman affixed the mezuza during the opening ceremony.  

 

This is the first time that the State of Israel has a national pavilion in an event of such magnitude in an Arab country. The invitation for Israel to participate in the event was already extended in 2018, even before the decision was taken to establish official relations. It is estimated that around 15 million people will visit the Israeli pavilion during the course of the event.  

 

The Israeli pavilion, under the banner Connecting Thoughts - Creating the Future and the headline To Tomorrow  in a Hebrew and Arabic logo, features a design (by AVS Creative) inspired by the desert dunes common to both Israel and the Gulf States. The pavilion, which has no sides or barriers, signifies openness and welcoming guests. All these reflect the idea of​​the power of tomorrow to connect us and that creating a better future for humanity is within reach if we combine forces. The secondary theme, Opportunity, Mobility and Sustainability, allows Israel to showcase its capabilities in a variety of different areas such as agriculture, cyber security, medical equipment, water technologies and more.  

 

Israel Minister of Tourism Yoel Razvozov: “Peace allows us to forge a new reality in the Middle East that will bring prosperity, security and stability to all. We believe that in order to reach a better tomorrow, one should choose practical and positive actions today. So, I'm delighted to invite each and every one of you and each and every visitor, participant and host at this EXPO to come and visit our country.”  

DOST-PCHRD Presents Updates on Major ICT for Health Projects

The Department of Science and Technology-Philippine Council for Health Research and

Development (DOST-PCHRD) will present updates on some of its supported projects under the

Information and Communications Technology (ICT) for Health Program in this month’s Talakayang HeaRT Beat.

Preceded by the Health Information Systems (HIS) Program under the National Unified Health Research Agenda (NUHRA) 2008, the ICT for Health Program was launched in 2011. It aims to generate tools that will bridge gaps in healthcare through telehealth services, ICT-enabled medical devices, and public health surveillance. The projects to be presented by the Council in the upcoming media conference will focus on the following:

Increasing access to pediatric palliative care

Along with anti cancer treatments, palliative care is equally important in alleviating the symptoms experienced by patients with cancer. Aiming to make palliative care more accessible to children with cancer, the University of the Philippines Open University developed the “Aruga sa Batang

may Cancer (ABC) Initiative: A Web-based Pediatric Palliative Care Service Provider in the

Philippines,” a web-based service provider which enables telemedicine consultations for

patients. It also caters to healthcare professionals by providing training courses through the platform’s Learning Management System and providing them with access to the Pediatric Cancer Registry.

Mapping out COVID-19 Scenarios Disease modeling is a tool that can help in strategizing and planning for interventions

concerning pressing health issues. The “Feasibility Analysis of Syndromic Surveillance using

Spatio-Temporal Epidemiological Modeler (FASSSTER),” originally developed by the Ateneo de

Manila University as a surveillance tool for dengue, typhoid fever, and measles, was repurposed to support pandemic response in the country. FASSSTER is now used to map out COVID-19 scenarios and guide decision-makers in formulating policies to curb the spread of COVID-19.

Collaboration among the DOH, DICT, and DOST Regional Offices was pursued to develop

training plans and materials for the nationwide roll-out of FASSSTER and TanodCOVID.

Streamlining COVID-19 Diagnostics

Boosting diagnostic capacities for COVID-19 allows more patients to receive the needed

medical care as early as possible. To simplify and expedite the workflow of COVID-19 detection, the project “A Retrospective Study on the Accuracy of AI-Powered Reading of Chest X-Rays in the Diagnosis of COVID-19 Pneumonia in a Tertiary Hospital (CHERISH Study)” of the Medical City and the Domingo AI Research Center (DARC) is exploring the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in the detection of COVID-19 using chest x-ray images of patients

Monitoring of COVID-19 Patients

Due to the nature of their profession, healthcare workers are among the groups that are highly vulnerable to COVID-19. To allow healthcare workers to perform their duties safely, the

University of the Philippines Surgical Innovation and Biotechnology Laboratory (UP SIBOL) developed the “Telemetry System for COVID-19 PGH Response Team” that will enable remote monitoring of COVID-19 patients. The system was integrated into the RxBox, a DOST-PCHRD-funded technology that is able to measure a patient’s temperature, blood pressure, heart rate, oxygen saturation, uterine contractions, and electrocardiogram readings in one device.

Another project by the UP SIBOL which aims to provide healthcare workers with tools to lessen

their exposure and risk of COVID-19 is the “Telepresence Terminals for COVID-19 Response Team.” The device, called Bot Ensuring Safety and Health in Isolated Environment or beshie, will allow healthcare workers to remotely communicate with COVID-19 patients.

DOST Secretary Fortunato de la Peña, Undersecretary Rowena Cristina Guevara, DOST-PCHRD Executive Director Jaime Montoya, and the project leaders of the featured studies will be present to answer questions related to the technologies and the ICT for Health program of the Council. The DOST-PCHRD invites the media to join the press conference on September 29 to learn more about these initiatives. 

DOST-NICER Unveils 10 Innovation Centers to Aid Philippine Recovery

On Friday, October 8, 2021, the Department of Science and Technology - Science for Change (DOST-S4C) Program unveiled ten (10) new centers under the  Niche Centers in the Regions for R&D (NICER) to focus on the areas of industry, energy, disaster risk reduction, climate change, and health.  Themed: “Investing in R&D: Shaping the Philippine Innovation Landscape”, the launch of the new centers marks the science department’s efforts in boosting regional initiatives and efforts towards a competitive innovation ecosystem. The S4C-NICER program provided a total grant amounting to P695,233,035.93 for the ten centers managed by Higher Educational Institutions (HEIs) in Regions I, II, III, IV,IV-A, National Capital Region, and Region X.  

“Technology has always been a huge part of our lives and has become an indispensable instrument in making our activities effective, efficient and productive,” said DOST Secretary Fortunato T. De la Peña. “By optimizing these scientific and technological initiatives, we envision a more efficient, supported, and developed innovation landscape for the Philippines that will cater to the needs of the Filipino people nationwide."

“The establishment of the NICERs is a major undertaking of the DOST which aims to expand the R&D network and level-up the R&D capability of the Higher Education Institutions and State Universities and Colleges in the regions to fuel innovation and invigorate the industry sectors that the center will support,” related Undersecretary for Regional Operations Sancho A. Mabborang. “In proposing for a NICER, the endorsement of the DOST Regional Office is an attestation that the R&D plan of the center is aligned with the regional R&D priorities while the endorsement of the Regional Development Council (RDC) is a validation that the proposed center will have significant contributions and impact to the priority industry sector in the region.”

 

The event’s highlight is the new NICERs offering technology breakthroughs in biotechnology, diagnostic and therapeutic research--areas that have a fundamental role in addressing the pandemic.  

Leading the list is the NICER on NeuRoTech: R&D Center for Medical Robotics through the De La Salle University (DLSU) -Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Health Technologies (IBEHT).  This NICER will create an R&D Center of multi- and inter- disciplinary in nature that combines neuroscience, robotics and embedded systems, computational intelligence and data analytics, machine learning and artificial intelligence that would address the rising need for modern and more effective, efficient, and cost-effective health-care products and services.  Through this NICER, the Philippines will be able to develop or innovate technologies that will address a present health risk or condition, like the COVID-19 pandemic, through health products, devices, and services.  

Another NICER unveiling is for the Integrated Protein R&D Center (IPRDC).  This Biotechnology Facility for Health is implemented by the Ateneo de Manila University (ADMU).  The IPRDC is an integrated R&D facility for Health spanning biology, chemistry, engineering & medicine, and aspires to become a robust pilot-scale manufacturer of proteins and instrumentation for health R&D, enabling and supporting the growth of the Philippine biotechnology sector. Moreover, the Center will build the capacity for producing diagnostic reagents and develop supporting equipment as an intervention with significant potential impact in the Philippines’ ability to address chronic epidemics and acute pandemics (including but not limited to COVID-19), enhance domestic internal capabilities for rapid development and deployment during future outbreaks and reduce the ongoing cost of molecular diagnostics for all diseases and pathogens such that quality molecular diagnostics is not the privilege of the few.

The third NICER is the Biomaterials for Diagnostics and Therapeutics R&D Center of the Angeles University Foundation (AUF).  The center will focus on the development of biomaterials such as antibodies that can be used in diagnostic and therapeutic health applications. It will develop point-of-care device (POCT) technologies that can be used for the differential diagnosis of priority diseases. 

Furthermore, the R&D center will produce nanomaterials for integration as carriers and solid support for immunogen in vaccine preparations for different diseases.

NICER Centers also introduced as part of the network of innovation hubs set to assist industry, the environment and the country, are: 

- Center for Lakes Sustainable Development implemented by the Laguna State Polytechnic University (LSPU)

- Center for Environmental Technologies and Compliance implemented by the Polytechnic University of the Philippines-Manila (PUP-Manila)

- Coastal Engineering Research (CoastER) Center implemented by Mariano Marcos State University (MMSU)

- Smart Water Infrastructure Management (SWIM) Research and Development Center implemented by Isabela State University (ISU)

- Center for Sustainable Polymers implemented by Mindanao State University–Iligan Institute of Technology (MSU-IIT)

- Center for Advanced Batteries implemented by the Technological Institute of the Philippines (TIP)

- Center for Vector of Diseases of Public Health Importance implemented by De La Salle University Manila (DLSU-Manila)

“Through these R&D Centers, the DOST cultivates the innovation landscape in various sectors to ensure that no one is left behind in the R&D progress despite the setbacks brought by the COVID-19 pandemic,” says DOST Undersecretary for R&D Rowena Cristina L. Guevara. “It is therefore imperative for us to continuously invest in R&D and support legislation aimed at encouraging innovation like the Science for Change Program Bill.”