[av_one_full first min_height=” vertical_alignment=” space=” custom_margin=” margin=’0px’ padding=’0px’ border=” border_color=” radius=’0px’ background_color=” src=” background_position=’top left’ background_repeat=’no-repeat’ animation=”]
[av_heading heading=’URBAN FARMER ‘ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=” subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=”]
BY JULIO P. YAP JR.
[/av_heading]
[av_textblock size=” font_color=” color=”]
‘Science for the People’ reaches out in the regions
FOLLOWING the recent celebration of the 2017 National Science and Technology Week (NSTW) of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) at the World Trade Center in Pasay City, the DOST-Region-3 held the Regional S&T Week (RSTW) at the Central Luzon State University (CLSU) in Muñoz, Nueva Ecija.
The event was organized by DOST’s Technology Application and Promotion Institute (TAPI) under Director Edgar I. Garcia, in close coordination with the DOST-3.
The activity held at the CLSU campus is anchored on the theme “Science for the People.”
As a long-time partner of the DOST, CLSU played host to recent NSTW celebration, which highlighted the entries coming from the different provinces and institutions in the region that competed for the prestigious award of becoming a winner in the Regional Invention Contest and Exhibits or RICE.
Attending the S&T event is DOST secretary Fortunato T. de la Peña who delivered his keynote address, together with host DOST-3 Director Julius Caesar (JC) V. Sicat.
“We celebrate the National Science and Technology Week annually to showcase the services and products of our scientists, engineers, researchers, inventors, and innovators,” said De La Peña.
“This year’s theme is ‘Science for the People,’ and we will highlight the practical use of various technological products and research outputs,” he pointed out.
Aside from the RICE event, there were exhibits of different technologies in agriculture, industry, information and communication, enterprise development education, health, and disaster mitigation.
Aside from the exhibits, there was a film showing of technologies, seminars and forums on hydroponics, goat production and meat processing, prototyping of agricultural machineries, and implementation of the Deployment of Early Warning System for disaster preparedness.
There was also an activity for micro, small and medium enterprises or MSMEs called the “uSap SETUP Tayo” where cooperators of the Small Enterprise Technology Upgrading Program (SETUP) had the opportunity to discuss business-related topics like enterprise development, marketing, financial assistance, technology adoption, and many more.
To promote S&T education to the youth, the RSTW also conducted a scholarship orientation to provide information about scholarship grants for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics courses.
The activity is expected to strengthen the country’s capacity building efforts in increasing the pool of S&T graduates and professionals in the country.
The culminating event was the awarding ceremonies for the RSTW Exhibitors, RICE winners, and DOST-3 Service and Achievement Awards.
Winning first place in the Creative Research Category is the “Impeller Compact Ricemill” – a machine developed by the researchers of the Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization (PhilMech).
The PhilMech researchers, composed of Engineer Michael A. Gragasin, Dr. Romualdo C. Martinez and Engineer Jayvee P. Illustrisimo, say that a potential approach in improving the current milling system in the Philippines is the development of impeller type ricemill – given its relatively simple hulling mechanism and good performance for long grains.
Majority of rice varieties produced in the country are “Indica” or long grains.
The researchers claimed that the physical characteristics of long grain are appropriate for impeller type of ricemill. (jaypeeyap@ymail.com/PN)
[/av_textblock]
[/av_one_full]
