Israeli Embassy and DepEd Commemorate International Holocaust Remembrance Day

The Embassy of Israel in the Philippines collaborated with the Department of Education for the annual commemoration of International Holocaust Remembrance Day, with this year’s theme: Home and Belonging.

Israeli Ambassador to the Philippines Ilan Fluss thanked the Vice President of the Republic of the Philippines and Secretary of the Department of Education Hon. Sara Duterte and her team who organized the event and made the 27th of January a formal day of commemorating the holocaust in all DepEd schools and facilities.

“The Holocaust is the darkest time in human history – especially for the Jewish people. It was an unprecedented event from 1942 to 1945 when Nazi Germany attempted to annihilate the Jewish people. Six million Jews – one third of the Jewish population – were murdered for the sole reason that they were Jewish,” Ambassador Fluss explained. “Today we are witnessing voices of denial of the holocaust and increasing antisemitism. This cannot be ignored; we can never let it happen again. We must remember, learn, teach, educate, and say - never again.”

 

The Ambassador also remembered the act of former president of the Philippines Manuel Quezon of opening the country’s doors to over 1,300 Jewish refugees fleeing the Nazi regime in 1939. “Pres. Quezon saved not only those individuals, but also their future families.”

The International Holocaust Remembrance Day is the day that the United Nations urges every member state to honor the victims of the Holocaust. It marks the anniversary of the day in 1945 when  the main extermination camp Auschwitz-Birkenau – where more than a million Jews were exterminated – was liberated by the allies.

The ceremony was held on the 26th of January at Bulwagan ng Karunungan, DepEd Complex in Pasig City. In attendance were officials and staff from the Embassy of Israel, Department of Education, representatives from the Department of Foreign Affairs, and members of the Jewish community in the Philippines.

DOST showcases Philippine Tropical Fabrics during 2023 Philippine Textile Industry Stakeholders’ Conference

Manila – The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) showcased Philippine Tropical Fabrics (PTF) during the Philippine Textile Industry Stakeholders’ Conference at the Dusit Thani Hotel, Makati City. Fashion and innovation blended perfectly during the fashion presentation of Filipino-made products with textile fibers from pineapple leaf, abaca, banana, and Philippine silk, designed for government officials and employees’ uniforms.  

“Innovation powers the future of the textile industry” said DOST Secretary Renato Solidum, Jr. “We hope to continuously empower our farmers, community weavers and small businesses who are an integral part of the value chain through S&T programs and projects. The blended textiles made from locally sourced fibers is an illustration on the ability of science to contribute to national economic progress.”

The Philippine Textile Research Institute (PTRI) of the DOST is tasked to create and innovate textiles and auxiliaries in support of the industry. Hinged on the requirement of Republic Act 9242, the Institute has developed yarns and textiles in its PTF v1 way back in 2005. These are yarns containing at least 20% pineapple, banana or abaca fibers in blend with polyester, woven in the mill with polyester warp, effectively meeting the 5% by weight minimum natural textile fiber requirement in the fabric stage.

Another significant textile technology is the development of Philippine Silk. DOST invested in a Silk Research and Innovation Hub in Misamis Oriental. To keep Philippine silk cost competitive, DOST developed a process to generate seven (7) kg of raw silk per day, requiring 15 hectares of mulberry farm providing additional income of P 16,000 per month to almost 60 families with at least ⅛ hectare farm. Also, the Silk Innovation Hub in Kalinga serves the silk production in Cordillera and in 2023 two more will be launched-one in Aklan and one in Negros Occidental. 

DOST also sustained a genomic project to maintain the productivity and vigor of the largest silkworm germplasm in the Philippines. Through these efforts, natural textiles have expanded from wearable items to nonwoven applications for filtration and automotive, bags and footwear through drylaid textiles under our nonwoven textiles R&D.  

Developing natural dyes is another important component in textile transformations. DOST focuses on this to prevent toxic byproducts in the processing of textile and the income opportunities given to local farmers and manufacturers. Through DOST investments, the Natural Dyes Center that serves as the core facility for natural dyes R&D and product development, is able to link eleven (11) NatDyes Hubs all over the Philippines. DOST aims to add three (3) more NatDyes hubs this year. A large-scale indigo dyeing machine is already also working in DOST-PTRI.

The event brought together stakeholders from the industry, government and academe and highlight the significant role of collaborations in enabling innovation-led and creative studies for textile-garment and allied industries. The conference also featured an exhibit of design creations from Filipino artisans.  

DOST Opens Call for Proposals for 2025 Funding

Mabalacat, Pampanga – The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) opens its call for proposals for research and development (R&D) funding for the year 2025 in Mabalacat, Pampanga.  On the first leg of its nationwide campaign in this city, DOST encourages researchers and scientists to submit their proposals for 2025 via the DOST Project Management Information System (DPMIS) from May 1 to May 31, 2023.

DOST Secretary Renato U. Solidum Jr. led the event saying: “Our role here would be to support innovation and provide a nurturing environment for researchers in the country.  Ultimately, all our efforts are geared towards attaining higher productivity for industry, boosting our economy and attaining a better quality of life for every Filipino through technological and innovative solutions.”

The Call for proposals has set priority areas from the four R&D councils of DOST.

For Industry, Energy and Emerging Technology category, project proposals should focus on the following priority areas: energy; construction; utilities; transportation; food processing; mining and minerals; metals and engineering; advanced materials and nanotechnology; optics and photonics; information and communication technologies; electronics; artificial intelligence (AI); space technology application; convergence of emerging technologies/industry 4.0 and smarter cities; environment; disaster risk reduction-climate change adaptation (DRR-CCA); unmanned vehicle systems; creative industries (games, animation, and film); creative industries; capability development; and science communication.

For Health Research and Development, priority areas are Drug Discovery & Development (Tuklas Lunas®), functional foods, nutrition and safety, re-emerging and emerging diseases, OMIC technologies for health, diagnostics, biomedical engineering for health, digital and frontier technologies for health, disaster risk reduction and climate adaptation in health, and mental health.

For agriculture, priority research areas in crops include mango, coffee, and sugarcane.  DOST is also looking for R&D projects in managing economically important emerging pests and animal feeds resource enhancement. 

In basic research, priority areas are: 1) those that generate discoveries and new scientific knowledge/information; 2) those that forge linkages between the government particularly local government units (LGUs), academe, industry sector, and civil society; 3) those that serve as basis for evidence-based policy making and program development, through the fusion of science and the arts, technology and innovation and 4) those that ensure translation and transfer of social technologies to the people and various publics.  

Through effective management of funds in key sectors, DOST investments in high-impact and sustainable programs become more significant in addressing national concerns.   This is aligned with the research priorities along four major areas, namely: wealth creation, wealth protection, human well-being promotion, and sustainability.

DOST encourages early submission of quality and relevant research proposals.  Interested parties may visit the DOST Project Management Information System (DPMIS) at this website https://dpmis.dost.gov.ph/ 

P1-M cash prize awaits the winner of 2023 BCYF Innovation Award

To further encourage innovators in the country, the Benita and Catalino Yap Foundation (BCYF) once again leads the conduct of its Innovation Award this year to recognize individuals, teams or organizations who have initiated or developed an innovation that have measurable and tangible results improving their operations or their areas of concern.

Through the Shell LiveWIRE Program, the global flagship enterprise program of Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corporation that promotes entrepreneurship, innovation and meaningful employment, the awardee shall receive the P1,000,000 cash prize to be used for business upgrades, additions, expansion, or any other steps in order to elevate the innovation.

The Award is part of BCYF’s Comprehensive Social Development Program, which consists of - Research, Education, Events, and Developmental Social Enterprise. It was conceived as a result of meeting various organizations and young people who have implemented innovative initiatives that improved their operations and their areas of concern.

Among the criteria of the award is that the innovation must have been implemented in a viable, functioning and registered organization and/or business for at least the last five years with two years of profitable operations both on Profit & Loss and Cash basis and must have material impact on the bottom line of the company. Also, there must be better-than-sufficient technical facilities, laboratory equipment and technology investment support over the past five years, including training of appropriate and adequate personnel and that there must be proven commitment to sharing the innovation with others.

Nominations may be submitted under the five categories: government service, small-medium enterprises (SMEs), education, technology, and industry. Anyone may submit an entry with no cost involved and self-nomination is encouraged.

Shared advocacyD

During the virtual launch of the BCYF Innovation Awards 2023 on 15 December 2022, with assistance from the Science and Technology Information Institute of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST-STII), Science Secretary Renato U. Solidum Jr., expressed support to the 2023 BCYF Innovation Awards and other shared initiatives of BCYF.

“With the launch of the BCYF Innovation Awards 2023, I firmly believe that innovation in the country will soar to greater heights. This form of recognition will surely inspire our scientists and researchers, especially the young, to walk the extra mile, to think out of the box, to deep dive in science, and aim to come up with new ideas and innovations that will solve the many problems hounding us, particularly in this time where we are now living in the so-called “new normal”. Rest assured that the Department of Science and Technology will always be by your side to make innovation a driver of positive change, an enabler of ideation, and a beacon of hope for every Filipino to show them that their dreams can become a reality,” he said.

The BCYF Innovation Awards is among the activities organized by the BCYF in celebration of the Philippine Innovation Month (PIM) which aims to highlight the role of Innovation in Social Development. It was launched in Malacañang under Presidential Proclamation No. 172, s. 2017, declaring the 3^rd week of February as “Philippine Innovation Week”.

Other activities lined up are the Innovation Forum, CEO Breakfast, Philippine Game Changers Conference (ChangeCon), and Ideas Conference.

Nominations with complete requirements must be emailed to bcyf.innovationawards2023@gmail.com while original copies of the requirements must be mailed to BCYF-SABRE, Saint Mutien College, Don Cornelio Subd., McArthur Highway Dau, Mabalacat City, Pampanga 2010.

Deadline of submission of nominations is January 27, 2023.

Teknolohiya ng DOST, hindi nagpahuli sa Consumer Electronics Show sa Las Vegas at Business Mission sa Silicon Valley, USA

Upang mapalakas ang mga umuusbong na teknolohiya at industriya sa Pilipinas tulad ng Semiconductor Manufacturing Services (SMS), Artificial Intelligence, Robotics, at Space Technology, ibinida ng Department of Science and Technology o DOST sa pangunguna ni DOST Undersecretary for Research and Development Dr. Leah J. Buendia ang iba’t ibang oportunidad sa mga siyentista sa katatapos lang na Consumer Electronics Show (CES 2023) sa Las Vegas, Nevada, USA at sa Business Mission sa Silicon Valley, San Francisco, California, USA mula 5 hanggang 11 ng Enero 2023.

Ang CES ay ang pinakasikat na technology event sa buong mundo kung saan ibinibida ang mga makabagong teknolohiya at pandaigdigang mga innovator. Para sa taong ito, tampok ang mga teknolohiyang may kinalaman sa sustainability o napapanatiling pag-unlad, digital health, metaverse, electric vehicle, transportasyon, at mobility mula sa higit apat na libong mga eksibitor na maituturing na isang magandang pagkakataon para sa Pilipinas na makakuha ng karagdagang kaalaman upang mapabuti pa nito ang sariling industriya.

Ang delegasyon ng Pilipinas, na binubuo ng mga kinatawan mula sa DOST, Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA), Semiconductor and Electronics Industries in the Philippines Foundation, Inc. (SEIPI) at sa Philippine Trade and Investment Center (PTIC), ay nabigyan ng pagkakataon na makahanap ng posibleng makakasama ng gobyerno at ilang mahahalagang parte ng industriya sa tulong ng Philippine Business Forum na nagpakita naman ng kahandaan ng bansa para sa mga mamumuhunan. Sa World Electronics Forum na isa lamang sa maraming fora na ginanap, inilahad ni DOST Undersecretary Buendia ang mga teknolohiya at programa ng gobyerno ng Pilipinas na maituturing na maikukumpara sa mga emerging global technology.

Ilan sa mga teknolohiyang itinampok sa CES 2023 ay ang 1) SentiV mula sa France na isang scouting robot para sa pagmomonitor ng pananim; 2) Agwa mula sa Israel na isang articifical intelligence-assisted device upang makapagtanim ng gulay sa loob ng bahay at ang 3) Land Evaluation Engine mula sa satellite data at artificial intelligence mula sa Japan. Kahalintulad ng mga nabanggit na teknolohiya ang ilan sa mga proyektong kasalukuyang pinapangunahan ng DOST-Advanced Science and Technology Institute tulad ng 1) Robot for Optimized and Autonomous Mission-Enhancement Response o ROAMER, na dinisenyo para sa pagmomonitor ng taniman ng saging; 2) Gul.Ai na isang mobile system upang makapagpatubo ng halaman sa tulong ng artificial intelligence, at 3) DATOS, na isang AI-powered engine land detection from satellite images.

Ang mga nakitang pagkakahalintulad ng mga nabanggit ng teknolohiya mula sa iba’t ibang bansa at ng Pilipinas sa pamamagitan ng DOST-ASTI ay nagpapatunay na ang mga isinasagawang pananaliksik sa bansa ay mahalaga at may malaking potensyal upang matugunan ang mga pangangailangan ng lipunan.

Sa isang pahayag, ibinahagi ni Usec. Buendia na ang paglahok ng ahensya sa nabanggit na pagtitipon ay upang tuluyang maka-agapay ang Pilipinas sa mga bansang may maipagmamalaking teknolohiya sa pamamagitan ng paghahanap ng mga mamumuhunan at paggalugad ng iba pang oportunidad ng pagtutulungan partikular na sa mga nagsisimulang kumpanya o startup companies at mga unibersidad sa Silicon Valley.

“Similarly, as we vision to continuously be abreast with countries with cutting-edge technologies, we explored potential investment opportunities and areas for cooperation particularly with startup companies and universities in Silicon Valley.”

“Kinikilala rin namin ang kahalagahan ng pagkakaroon ng grupo ng mga eksperto para sa pag-abot ng hangaring ito kung kaya’t mayroon kaming pangako ng tuloy-tuloy na pagsasalin ng kaalaman at pag-debelop ng katutubong manggagawang pang-agham at inhinyero sa pamamagitan ng Balik Scientist Program,” dagdag niya.

“We also recognize the importance of having a pool of experts in achieving this vision, hence we have the commitment of continuous knowledge transfer and developing our home-grown science and engineering workforce through the Balik Scientist Program.”

Ang DOST ay ang pangunahing ahensya ng gobyerno na may tungkuling magbigay ng sentral na direksyon, pamumuno, at koordinasyon ng mga gawaing may kinalaman sa agham at teknolohiya at siguruhing ang mga resulta mula rito ay nakatuon at magdudulot ng pinakamainam na benepisyong pang-ekonomiya at panlipunan para sa mga Pilipino. 

DOST- Office of the USec for R&D through S&T Fellows Program is Hiring!

Taguig City – For Filipino science experts who are MS and PhD graduates with extensive skills and experience, an opportunity abroad comes easily. This makes it a great challenge for the government to attract our science experts to stay and work in the Philippines.

To address this issue, the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) through the Science and Technology (S&T) Fellows Program continues to engage highly qualified and skilled Filipino researchers referred to as ‘S&T Fellows’ to lead research and development (R&D) projects and programs in their respective fields of expertise.

Dr. Thomas Neil Pascual, a former Balik Scientist and now an S&T Fellow assigned at the Philippine Nuclear Research Institute (DOST-PNRI), is making strides in contributing to the establishment of the first Nuclear Medicine Center of PNRI. The Center hopes to help in providing affordable diagnosis and treatment for cancer.

“I’ve always believed in the brilliance of our Filipino scientists and it is only fitting that we create opportunities and encourage them to work in the country,” said DOST Secretary

Dr. Renato U. Solidum Jr. “By encouraging our researchers, scientists, and engineers to work in the government, we are not only building a stronger workforce but also cultivating a rich scientific community dedicated to nation building.”

The S&T Fellows Program aims to increase and strengthen the R&D human resource complement of the DOST. The S&T Fellows are expected to participate in the conceptualization, policy and funding development, and monitoring and evaluation of various R&D programs and projects. These initiatives would then generate more outputs with nationwide social and economic impact such as partnerships, people services, publications, patents, products, and policies.

The program is at its second year of implementation offering competitive compensation and hopes to attract MS and PhD graduates.

The Call for Application is now open for 33 S&T Fellows, with the following qualifications:

· 17 S&T Fellow I – at least 3 years of relevant R&D experience after MS graduation

· 11 S&T Fellow II – at least 5 years of relevant R&D experience after MS graduation

· 5 S&T Fellow III - PhD graduate with at least 10 years of relevant R&D experience

We are looking for experts in the following fields of specialization: radio frequency and wireless communications systems, blockchain technology, data and food science, environmental science, computer engineering, nanotechnology, material science and engineering, virology, geochemistry, health technology assessment or economics, among others.

For more info on the specific scope of work and qualifications, visit https://tinyurl.com/JanuaryCallScopeofWork.FB page https://www.facebook.com/DOST.STFellows. You may also contact the DOST-Office of the Undersecretary for R&D

S&T Fellows Program at (02) 8837-2071 local 2180 or email: sntfellows@dost.gov.ph. 

DOST presented opportunities to scientists at Consumer Electronics Show and Silicon Valley, US

The Department of Science and Technology (DOST), in an effort to strengthen emerging technologies such as Semiconductor Manufacturing Services (SMS), Artificial Intelligence, Robotics, and Space Technology industry in the Philippines, presented engagement opportunities to scientists during the Consumer Electronics Show (CES 2023) in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA and Business Mission in Silicon Valley, San Francisco, California, USA from January 5-11, 2023. 

CES is the most influential technology event in the world — the proving ground for breakthrough technologies and global innovators. This year, CES 2023 highlighted technologies on sustainability, digital health, metaverse, electric vehicles, transportation, and mobility from over 4,000 exhibitors, providing various insights and possibilities for the Philippines to utilize market intelligence and benchmarking

Agwa from Israel, an AI-assisted indoor home vegetable-growing device (left) and Gul.AI a Philippine-made mobile AI-powered plant growing system for optimum yield

The Philippine delegation, composed of the DOST, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA), the Semiconductor and Electronics Industries in the Philippines Foundation, Inc. (SEIPI) and the Philippine Trade and Investment Center (PTIC) sought possible partnerships with governments and key industry players through the Philippine Business Forum highlighting the country’s investment-ready environment. DOST participated in one of the World Electronics Forum (WEF) where DOST Undersecretary Leah J. Buendia presented technologies and programs of the Philippine government which are at par with emerging global technologies. 

DOST Undersecretary Leah J. Buendia presented DOST’s programs in 2023-2028 at the World Electronics Forum together with officials from DTI, DICT, PEZA, SEIPI, and PTIC, and participants from the government and industry sectors

Technologies observed in CES 2023 include 1) SentiV from France, a scouting robot for monitoring field crops; 2) Agwa from Israel, an AI-assisted indoor home vegetable-growing device; 3) Land Evaluation Engine by satellite data and AI from Japan, an application for monitoring the lands of interest from space. Similarly, DOST Advance Science and Technology Institute (ASTI) has ongoing project counterparts such as 1) Robot for Optimized and Autonomous Mission-Enhancement Response (ROAMER), designed for detecting banana plantation monitoring, 2) Gul.AI, a mobile AI-powered plant growing system for optimum yield, and 3) DATOS, an AI-powered engine land feature detection from satellite images. The striking similarity in the functions between ASTI’s projects and CES technologies demonstrates the relevance of its R&D activities and their potential to address society's needs.

“Similarly, as we vision to continuously be abreast with countries with cutting-edge technologies, we explored potential investment opportunities and areas for cooperation particularly with startup companies and universities in Silicon Valley,” says DOST Undersecretary Leah J. Buendia. “We also recognize the importance of having a pool of experts in achieving this vision, hence we have the commitment of continuous knowledge transfer and developing our home-grown science and engineering workforce through the Balik Scientist Program,” she added.

The DOST is the lead government agency that provides central direction, leadership, and coordination of scientific and technological efforts and ensures that the result from there is geared and utilized in areas of maximum economic and social benefits for the people.