DOST Mag

issn01126-7766
A publication of the Department of Science and Technology
SCIENCE and TECHNOLOGY
VOL. XXIX No. 3
THIRD QUARTER 2011
With PST, Filipino time is Juan time!
www.stii.dost.gov.ph
EDITORIAL
S&T information on the aggressive
SCIENCE and TECHNOLOGY

VOL. XXIX No. 3
he Philippine media have been abuzz with stories about the Department of Science and Technology since it unveiled exciting solutions to various problems plaguing the country for years. Even President Benigno Aquino III, during the National Science and Technology Week (dubbed 2011 ExpoScience), expressed interest in locally developed technologies that provide immediate and long term solutions to lingering problems such as dengue, rice shortage, malnutrition, unsafe drinking water, and natural calamities. In fact, the President ordered the DOST through Secretary Mario G. Montejo to distribute Ovicidal-Larvicidal (OL) traps to public schools nationwide to help curb dengue cases caused by the dreaded Aedes aegypti mosquitoes. For its part, the Science and Technology Information Institute, the information arm of the DOST, silently toils to make the people aware of the good news that the DOST brings. Its workforce has been burning tiny, individual midnight oil lamps to collectively produce wonderful tales science stories that serve a human purpose that come from the different islands of the archipelago.
Editorial Board
RAYMUND E. LIBORO Publication Director ARISTOTLE P. CARANDANG Executive Editor FRAMELIA V. ANONAS Editor-in-Chief JAMES B. INTIA Layout & Graphics DOST MEDIA CORE Contributing Writers JOY M. LAZCANO Editorial Assistant AUDIO-VISUAL UNIT Photography MARIA JUDITH L. SABLAN Proofreader VALIANT P. ROSALES Circulation
Armed with dedication despite limited resources, DOST-STII reaches out to the greatest number of audiences possible. Through its publications, both print and online, STII brings fresh and positive developments in the Philippine science community. Recently, its small team of science communicators (read: information officers) have been on the rounds. In this advocacy, it has found partners in various audiences such as teachers, students, local media practitioners, and information officers from government offices and local government units. And DOST-STII has walked the extra mile with its STARBOOKS or S&T Academic and Research-Based Openly Operated Kiosk Station. These kiosks enable researchers, students, and ordinary individuals to access S&T information even without Internet connection. Specifically designed for the far-flung areas, STARBOOKS can provide the most reliable S&T information available online. Amid all the serious talks, a much lighter take is Juan Time, an information and education strategy saying that the Filipino time is being on time. Spearheaded by STII, the campaign mobilized groups and individuals, optimizing public-private partnership. This campaign aims to deliver the most basic information on the Philippine Standard Time, including the fact that DOST-PAGASA is the official timekeeper of the country. It should not be mistaken, however, that such efforts are either reactive or futile. The energy that drives the DOST-STII as an organization and the DOST as a system is the desire to make science information an important tool in nation building. This belief, or faith as the more rooted would call it, is anchored on a very important program dubbed Changing the Mindset in which a common aspiration of the entire DOST system is hoped to be articulated, understood, appreciated, and embraced by Filipinos of all ages, religion, political affiliation, and economic standing.
The S&T Post is published quarterly by the Science and Technology Information InstituteDepartment of Science and Technology (STII-DOST) with editorial office at DOST Compound, Gen. Santos Avenue, Bicutan, Taguig City. Telefax: (02) 837-7520 Tel No.: (02) 837-2071 to 80 local 2148 Email: dost_stii@yahoo.com; stpost@dost.gov.ph
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Aristotle P. Carandang
Science and Technology Information Institute (DOST) Science and Technology Information Institute-DOST (Library) Ignite the Mind Expo Science 2011 DOST Starbooks
JUL AUG SEP
Third Quarter
2011
whats inside?
whats new?
3 Montejo wants expansion of IT-BPO industry to next-wave cities and towns STII develops DOST STARBOOKS, the first science digital library in PH
3
06
whats cool?
4 5 6 7 DOST energy audit members now AEMAS certified Benchmarking innovation survey in the Philippines Secretary Montejo lauds IAEAs decisive action in Fukushima incident Juan Time syncs time pieces with PST
hits update
8 9 10 OL Trap sites show decrease in dengue cases OL mosquito traps for all classrooms DOST family united in fighting dengue Regional champs for anti-dengue campaign Mass railway transit system breaks ground in UP-Diliman DOST IV-A, DOH roll out 2nd batch of dengue kits
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S&T POST 3QTR.2011
whats whats inside? inside?
11 Brown rice shelf-life can now extend to six months
features
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DOST-PTRIs Philippine textile weaves its way into New York Fashion Week PNoy confers Order of the Golden Heart to Del Mundo, National Scientist Valenzuela studes ace S&T quiz bee PNoy bats for local technologies, expertise in the S&T Week launch
13 14 15
16 -17 Expo Science 2011
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special report
18 20 Clay binds and kills red tide, study shows The Lantapan Experience: Conserving and managing natural resources through participatory R&D
from the regions
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DOST awards best inventions in Region 8 Industry, energy R&D focus in EV set NSTW 2011 at its best in Magandang Gensan DOST 10 labs expand services, offer shelf-life testing Gusa Regional Sci HS, MSU studes shine at the RICE 10
24 28
setup
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Suman sa lihiya unwraps sweet success
business opportunity
29 Baby foods production: A promising venture for entrepreneurs DOST, intl copper org offer tech support and funding for copper use R&D Favorite instant meals for people on the go
research funding
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nutrition
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S&T POST 3QTR.2011
whats new?
Montejo wants expansion of IT-BPO industry to next-wave cities and towns

the new Information and communications technology office under the Department of Science and technology plans to do a survey of selected towns to complement the next-wave cities that the government and industry partners charted for expansion of the highflying business process outsourcing sector. this developed following President aquinos signing of executive order 47 June 23 that transferred the former commission on Information and communication technology and two attached agencies under DoSt. other than internal re-structuring of the cIct that is now called Ict office, the DoSt will prepare a medium-term development plan for Ict research and development and its linkages to the Ict industry. Such linkages are expected to accelerate Ict driven growth because eo 47 empowers the government to harmonize Ict policies, plans, programs, and related resources, DoSt Secretary mario g. montejo explained. a rationalization plan to be completed in three months will also fold the national computer center (ncc) and the telecommunications office (telof) into the reconfigured Icto. we want to help diversify the services that the BPo industry currently provides from voice to non-voice services, which offer attractive compensation package, montejo added. adjacent towns to next-wave cities are leading candidates for the planned survey, along with towns that implement forward looking and innovative governance system. eo 47 enhances DoSts countryside industrial development program that includes technology transfer and technology intervention to local industries, DoSt spokesman raymund e. liboro also said. DoSt is working to diffuse technologies and job opportunities to the provinces and towns. hopefully, we can contribute to reverse migration from urban centers to rural areas, he added. [S&T Media Services]
STII develops DOST STARBOOKS, the first science digital library in PH

By: Louise ian T. de Los Reyes
S&T Media Service, STII
InformatIon technology has strengthened libraries and provided them tools to adapt to the changing times. In this age where information has evolved from print to digital format, information repositories, through It, have likewise evolved into what is known as a digital library. although the concept of digital libraries is not new, not all countries have completely transformed their libraries from traditional libraries, filled with endless rows of shelves of books and other materials, to digital libraries with endless rows of tables of computer units. traditional libraries may make students or researchers feel bored, but digital libraries, because of their dynamic features, can easily make them feel awed. the Department of Science and technologys Science and technology Information Institute (DoSt-StII) is quickly moving forward by transforming its library into the first Philippine Science Digital library more popularly known as
the StarBooKS or the Science & technology academic and research-Based openly-operated Kiosks. StarBooKS is StIIs answer to the clamor of researchers to easier access to information, especially science and technology information. StarBooKS intend to serve as information access portals in key areas in the Philippines. People in the community can have digital access to the scientific information physically available at the DoSt-StII, the DoSt Science and technology Information network of the Philippines (Scinet), Philippine elib project sources, freely-available online resources, and subscribed databases. StarBooKS contains hundreds of thousands of digitized science and technology resources in various formats (text and video/audio) placed in specially designed pods set in a user-friendly interface. Its stellar feature is its being
a stand-alone information kiosk, hence, information access is possible even without internet connection. Information available are on read-only mode which can be printed but not downloaded. moreover, it is a compendium of S&t information gathered from all over the world --- a one-stop S&t information source, and it features videos dubbed tamang DoStkarte livelihood Videos to stimulate every filipinos entrepreneurial capacity. StarBooKS is available for free to interested stakeholders from private companies, educational institutions, local government units and non-government organizations who wish to have a fullyoperational StarBooKS in their area. the benefits of availing StarBooKS include the assistance of DoSt-StII in the development of the clients own online
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whats whats COOL? COOL?
(front row r-l) the DoSt 7 energy audit members engr. Jose mari Bigornia; engr. roberto edra; engr. edilberto Paradela; engr. Juan edgar osorio and Petron corporation Vismin Supervisor engr. ramon cruz, were among those newly certified aemaS energy managers. with them at the back row (third from right) is engr. ernesto casis, aemaS Philippine Director and other invited guests. Photo was taken during the august 26 launching of the aSean energy management Scheme at new world makati city manila hotel. (Photo by DOST-7)
DOST energy audit members now AEMAS certified

By yveTTe Hope LaBus
S&T Media Service, DOST-7
four memBerS of the DoSt central Visayas energy audit team recently received the aSean energy management Scheme (aemaS) energy manager certification the worlds first regional certification system for energy managers and energy end-users. engr. edilberto Paradela, engr. Juan edgar osorio, engr. roberto edra and engr. Jose mari Bigornia obtained individual certificates during the launching of the aemaS on august 26 at new world makati city manila hotel. the certification, received after completing the three-day lecture by aemaS certified-trainers and obtaining
STII DEVELOPS . . . from p3
90% score of the classroom-type test, recognized the engineers fulfillment of all aemaS. the certificates were signed and awarded by christopher g. Zamora, acting Director of aSean centre for energy and ernesto J. casis, aemaS Director in the Philippines. as aemaS certified energy managers, they are now capable of implementing a sustainable energy management system based on the ISo 50001, with the additional benefits of achieving real and measurable energy savings, and co2 emission reductions. the certificates also entitled their companies to acquire the energy management gold
Standard (emgS) certification. this is another achievement that we can be proud of. we intend to undergo this training to further enhance our skills and competence so that we can also be at par with other aSean countries who have been practicing energy efficiency and conservation measures, engr. Paradela said. funded by the european union under the Switch-asia Program, the aemaS is currently implemented by the aSean center for energy in eight aSean member states, namely, cambodia, Indonesia, laos, malaysia, myanmar, Philippines, thailand, and Vietnam.
Public access catalog (oPac) in their respective libraries, and, in case they do not have one yet, development of their own institutional digital library. the clients library staff will be trained in digitization of materials to be included in the StarBooKS database. as a result, there will be an increase in resources available in their library as all digitized materials from other StarBooKS stakeholders libraries will be accessible in all StarBooKS terminals.
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through the StarBooKS, more people can access the same material at the same time. as access to materials is digitally done, two or more people can borrow the material at the same time without the actual book leaving the shelf. thus, there is no need to purchase more than one copy of the book. finally, StarBooKS offers easier researching. Since materials are computer-
ized, researchers can locate more materials relevant to their topic by using the search bar. Interested parties may contact (02) 837-2191 or send letters of intent via email at alfon@stii.dost.gov.ph or addressed to mr. raymund e. liboro, Director, Science and technology Information Institute, gen. Santos ave., Bicutan, taguig city.
whats COOL?
Benchmarking innovation survey in the Philippines

By The planning and evaluation service, dosT
Innovation is a proven driver of growth. New technologies, products and services create jobs, foster start-ups and rejuvenate industries. As the world confronts sharp economic decline, a coherent innovation strategy is key to sustainable growth. Governments can leverage open, global markets and accelerate solutions for climate change, energy independence and health care. But to reap those gains, policy makers need to understand how a borderless, networked world is changing the way we innovate. (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development)
tion performances and concluded the need to strengthen their innovation system. These countries have already instituted frameworks to strengthen innovation policies, guide innovation ventures, and monitor applications. This is parallel to what the OECD stressed that countries need to harness innovation to boost growth and employment. This is the key to a sustainable rise in living standards. International peek Accordingly, innovation is now recognized worldwide as a key to economic progress and social well-being. hence, policy-makers around the world sought to create a policy environment conducive to stimulating and supporting innovation in their economies and societies. A number of developing countries also followed this path. Some are already experienced in designing and developing innovation policies and tools like innovation surveys. For instance, the promotion of technological innovation to enhance national competitiveness has now become the priority of nearly all members of ASEAN countries with Singapore being the most advanced. Philippine response to global track The Philippines has joined the ranks when the National Innovation Summit (NIS) was held in late 2007. This Summit launched the Philippine National Innovation Strategy labeled as Filipinnovation that called to achieve three objectives. First objective is to develop a competitive and multidisciplinary workforce competent in producing value-added knowledgebased services. Second objective is to grow competitive local firms driven by constant innovation brought about by increased R&D. Finally, the third objective is to create a public policy environment that ensures progressive innovation. Filipinnovation prescribes four strategic directions, namely: 1) strengthening human capital; 2) supporting business incubation and acceleration efforts; 3) regenerating the innovation environment; and 4) upgrading the Filipino mindset. This initiative gave the impetus for the formation of the Filipinnovation Network in which individuals and incontinued next page
DoSt undersecretary fortunato t. de la Pea

ThE GLOBAL call to promote innovation strategies pushes countries to extend its effort to counter economic decline. Countries such as Canada, United States, and United Kingdom had already assessed their innova-
S&T POST 3QTR.2011
whats COOL?
BENCHMARKING INNOVATION . . . from p5 stitutions collaborated to organize the countrys first NIS. The Filipinnovation Network, now an open and multidisciplinary network with membership from private, government, and academic institutions, has raised the need to measure innovation in the country, particularly the innovative performance of economic actors, and provided an empirical basis for designing innovation policies and monitoring their impact over time. With such, the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) has taken up the challenge of designing and introducing a systems-oriented and policy-relevant innovation survey in the country through the project Towards an Innovation-led Development Path in the Philippines. Data on innovation would not only provide a better understanding of the innovation behavior and activities of the firms, which would enable the assessment of the diffusion of technologies and knowledge, but also essential feedbacks on science, technology, and innovation policies and programs, indicating possible gaps and weaknesses in the countrys innovation system. The project, funded by the International Development Research Centre (IDRC-CRDI), had conducted initial talks with relevant experts in De La Salle University and the project staff of Ateneos Innovation for the Base of the Pyramid, as well as potential partners like the National Statistics Office (NSO) and institutions from Los Baos, Cebu and Davao. Subsequently, DOST tapped NSO to conduct the actual innovation survey and the Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) to carry out the analysis. continued on . . . p30
Secretary Montejo lauds IAEAs decisive action in Fukushima incident

By aLan TauLe
DoSt Secretary mario g. montejo, on the occasion of the International atomic energy agencys 55th general conference in Vienna, austria held 1923 September 2011, commended the Iaea for its decisive action in response to the fukushima nuclear incident. In his remarks to the body, Secretary montejo acknowledged that many countries, including the Philippines, were compelled to revisit and rethink their national position on nuclear power after the incident. nevertheless, he said, the fukushima incident opened a number of new opportunities for member States to explore and discuss ways to improve the modalities in ensuring greater nuclear safety and containment. Secretary montejo also challenged Iaea to continue providing valuable assistance and guidance to countries that are still mulling the inclusion of nuclear power in their energy mix, especially in the face of spiraling oil prices in the global market and concerns over climate change .
S&T POST 3QTR.2011
DOST Secretary Montejo at the 55th IAEA General Conference
the DoSt Secretary also acknowledged Iaea Director-general yukiya amano and his strategic focus on sustainable water management. he mentioned the role of the Philippines as the pilot country for the Iaea water availability enhancement Project (IwaVe). we encourage the agencys continued involvement in this area in order to assist member States in strengthening their national capacities
for conducting comprehensive water resource assessments, montejo said. the Iaea is the worlds center of cooperation in the nuclear field. It was set up as the worlds atoms for Peace organization in 1957 within the united nations family. the agency works with its member States and multiple partners worldwide to promote safe, secure and peaceful nuclear technologies.
whats COOL?
Juan Time syncs time pieces with PST

to Sync all time pieces in the countrys more than 7,100 islands, the Department of Science and technology with several partners re-introduced to the public the Philippine Standard time. Dubbed Juan time, DoSts campaign aims to promote the nationwide use of the PSt (hence Juan time, a word play on one time and Juan being the common name for filipinos) and sync timepieces with the PSt. time is a resource that is very important but often overlooked, said DoSt Secretary mario g. montejo. other than its social and economic value, time is something that can unite us as filipinos. Juan time reminds filipinos that keeping to the PSt avoids the difficulties of having confusing, unsynchronized time, montejo added. established decades ago, the PSt is set by DoSts Philippine atmospheric, geophysical and astronomical Services administration (PagaSa), the countrys official timekeeper since 1978 as mandated by Section 6 of Batas Pambansa Blg. 8. the PSt is set via DoSt-PagaSas timing system that consists of rubidium atomic clock, global Positioning System receiver, time interval counter, distribution amplifier, and a computer. the system automatically calculates its time difference with every satellite within its antennas field of view. the PSt is available online at the DoStPagaSa website (http://www.pagasa. dost.gov.ph). we encourage the broadcast networks to refer to the PSt when giving time check to the public, said montejo. at Juan times official launch Sept. 30 at the music hall of the Sm mall of
at the strike of 7:00 Pm, Vice President Jejomar Binay synchronizes his wristwatch with the Philippine Standard time while Department of Science and technology Secretary mario montejo joins the countdown. through Juan time, DoSt reminds the public to have only one official time and enjoins the media to use the PSt in their time checks. the PSt can be accessed at the website of DoSt-PagaSa the countrys official timekeeper (url: http://www.pagasa.dost.gov.ph or http://www.weather. gov.ph (Photo by Framelia V. Anonas)
asia, DoSt, through the Science and technology Information Institute, and its partners metro manila Development authority, Sm Supermalls, nido fortified Science Discovery center, timex, Petron, chevrolet, Sagitarrius mining corporation, team manila, lamoiyan corporation, PIcar development, Inc, and ama universities, as well as media partners Discovery channel, Businessworld and Peoples television network, Inc. led the nation in synchronizing time pieces with the PSt. the JcI Senate Philippines, proponent of Project
watch (we advocate time consciousness & honesty) also gave support to the campaign. Vice President Jejomar Binay keynoted the launch. Special guests were DoSt Secretary mario montejo, Pcoo Secretary Sonny coloma, Bam aquino, tony meloto, and albert gamboa, among others. exhibits, film showing, and performances were held from 10:00 am4:00 Pm at the venue. musician-educator Jim Paredes hosted the event. (Framelia V. Anonas, S&T Media Service)
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DOSTs OL Trap sites show decrease in dengue cases

InItIal reSultS from various regions revealed decrease in dengue cases after using the mosquito ovicidal larvicidal (ol) trap, data from the Department of Science and technology show. In region 2, for example, five schools in Ballesteros and claveria towns in cagayan reported zero case as of press time, namely the libag elementary School, north central School, caritan elementary School, cataggamman national high School, and university of cagayan Valley. official reports showed that in 2010, there were 210 aggregate cases of dengue among schoolchildren in four barangays where these schools were located. after the ol trap rollout in these barangays, no cases have been reported thus far. Ballesteros and claveria were declared hotspots for dengue cases last year, with the former having 213 cases and the latter, 15 cases. to date, there have been no dengue cases reported since the roll out. with the decrease in dengue cases reported in the region, Dr. antonio labasan, municipal health officer of Solano, nueva Vizcaya said that additional units are needed for other barangays as they found that mosquito eggs and larvae are killed right there and then. It is the only way to stop the eggs from hatching, he added. In the eastern Visayas where the ol trap was initially launched, results showed that five barangays in northern Samar, Southern leyte, and leyte showed zero results after the ol trap was used in said areas. Brgy. Dalakit in catarman, for example, had 44 cases last year while Brgy. airport had 30 cases. meanwhile, Brgy. 109-a in leyte had 64 cases last year. Its neighbor, Brgy 109, also showed significant result having decreased its dengue cases from 122 last year to three this year. Similar positive results were also seen in region 10. Dr. Josephine Ibalo, Department of healths dengue coordinator in Bukidnon noted 36 cases in the whole province this year as of august 10, a significant decrease from last years 1,087 cases and 16 deaths. the use of the trap has increased the awareness of the communities on the nature of the dengue carrying Aedis aegypti mosquito and how to prevent them from breeding any further. the ol trap works by attracting the said mosquito, through the traps black color and organic solution, to lay its eggs in the trap. the solution then kills the eggs and the larvae, thus eliminating the next generation of mosquitoes. the ol trap is one of DoSts r&D strategies in addressing dengue and is part of the governments multi-pronged approach in fighting said fatal disease. this month, DoSt and the Department of education are working together in providing ol traps to elementary and secondary school, both public and private, that are located in hotspot areas in the national capital region. (Framelia V. Anonas, S&T Media Service)
DOST to provide mosquito traps to all classrooms

extenDIng further the benefits of the mosquito ovicidal-larvicidal (ol) trap, Department of Science and technology Secretary mario montejo committed to President Benigno aquino III to make the ol trap available to all public school classrooms in the country by august this year. the move is expected to further reduce the number of dengue-carrying mosquitoes in the country. experts note that the Aedes aegypti mosquito which carries the dengue virus is highly attracted to sweat-soaked skin, making children easy target to this lowflying mosquito. Data have shown that a large fraction of dengue cases involve children. the ol trap is a simple, low technology tool that attracts female mosquitoes to lay their eggs on the soaked lawanit strip inside the container. the black color of the container and the use of organic material in the trap pellets serve as strong attractants to mosquitoes. an ol trap for every classroom will not only help curb the number of dengue cases but will also increase awareness on the threat of dengue and on the use of ol trap as one of the potent solutions to address dengue, especially among schoolchildren, DoSt Secretary mario montejo said. Based on laboratory and field tests, the DoSt-developed ol trap has been proven effective in bringing down the number of dengue-carrying mosquitoes in the country. the latest test results in Samar and leyte show that the ol trap attracted more mosquitoes than any other container. In a memorandum of agreement, DoSt partners with the Department of health to fight dengue through the national roll out of the mosquito ovicidal/ larvicidal trap system. In the partnership, DoSt produces the ol trap while the Doh and the lgus distribute and identify household beneficiaries, respectively. the ol trap is one of the multipronged government solutions in fighting dengue in the country. (Framelia V. Anonas, S&T Media Service)
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DOST family united in fighting dengue

the DePartment of Science and technology held the first-ever Dengue Summit to highlight the urgency of this public health menace and unite the agencies under its wing in fighting this mosquito-borne disease. as of press time, dengue has stricken thousands of filipinos, some with fatal results, in many parts of the country. this Summit, attended by DoSt officials including regional directors and technical personnel, featured discussions on a wide range of topics including the efficacy of ovicidal/larvicidal or ol traps to snare the eggs of breeding mosquitoes and prevent them from becoming fullygrown dengue-carrying bugs. In his talk, DoSt Secretary mario g. montejo focused on the urgency of the problem and the importance of putting up a united front in the battle against the disease. he said, there are only two ways how our involvement will end up: its either we succeed, or we dont. that is why we need the cooperation of everyone
concerned. we need to seize ownership of providing solutions to this problem so that everyone will succeed, especially those most at risk. held at the DoSt executive lounge, the Dengue Summit also touched on the
need for a communication plan to highlight the behavioral impacts of the disease, particularly the possible dangers of daytime mosquito bites. the program ended with the distribution of ol trap kits to all participants. (Alan Taule, S&T Media Service)
DOST wants regional champs for anti-dengue campaign

taguIg cIty, metro manIlaregional offices of the Department of Science and technology (DoSt) are urged to identify focal persons to champion the DoSts anti-dengue campaign. the action is part of the multipronged approach of DoSt to educate the public about the dangers of dengue and how to prevent it using ovicidal-larvicidal trap developed by DoSts Industrial technology Development Institute (ItDI), said Science and technology Information Institute (StII) executive director raymund liboro. the fight for dengue is a year-long campaign and, with the ol trap, we are encouraging regional representatives who will champion the education campaign on preventing dengue and how to reduce mosquito populations with the ol trap, liboro added. the presence of regional antidengue champions would make the communication of efforts easier and would allow the regional offices to better relay the information to their partner agencies and constituents, given their knowledge on the areas dialect and culture. the ol trap attracts breeding mosquitoes using an organic solution in a black container. a lawanit board is dipped on the solution and its rough surface should be facing upwards to attract breeding mosquitoes. the design of the device is based on ItDIs study that mosquitoes are attracted to breed in dark areas and that they lay eggs on damp, rough surfaces. when a mosquito lays its eggs on the ol trap container, it would attract other mosquitoes to breed in the area due to the pheromones released by the eggs, hence becoming an effective tool for population control of mosquitoes, said DoSts Philippine council for health research and Development executive Director Dr. Jaime c. montoya. the anti-dengue campaigners will have to convey some messages effectively to raise the awareness level of people on dengue and the ol trap, and push for the proliferation of ol trap use nationwide. the messages will be conveyed through nationwide distribution of posters and ol traps, promotional tV plugs and interview guestings in local cable tV channels, Internet videos, vehicle body wraps, among others. meanwhile, liboro also urged regional directors to help in the effort of localizing Balitang rapiDoSt, a monthly publication of StII written in the filipino language. (S&T Media Service)
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Mass railway trans

In a mutual accord sealed through a memorandum of agreement led by Department of Science and technology Secretary mario montejo and university of the Philippines President alfredo Pascual, the countrys lead science agency and premier university will build a mass railway transit that will run on a two-kilometer stretch across key spots in the sprawling 493-hectare campus. called the automated guideway transit or agt, the rail-based local mass transit is very similar to the mrt and lrt, except that it is fully automated, driverless, and runs on a single rail which acts as its sole support and guideway. according to Sec. montejo, the first agt prototype tested on DoSt grounds has earned
Sec. mario montejo and uP President alfredo Pascual lead the ground breaking ceremonies for the automated guideway transit.
DOST IV-A, DOH roll out 2nd batch of dengue kits

DIrIctor alexanDer r. madrigal of DoSt-calaBarZon has started rolling out the second batch of dengue kits following the initial roll out in the region last april 2011. the Industrial technology Development Institute (DoSt-ItDI), which developed the dengue kit known as the DoSt mosquito ovicidal/ larvicidal (ol) trap system, has pledged a second batch of half a million kits and a six month-supply of the organic pellets for national roll out. DoSt-ItDI developed the technology to reduce the population of dengue viruscarrying aedes aegypti mosquitoes. more importantly, the system will aid in the reduction of transmission of the dengue virus. In support, madrigal, together with Dr. Juanito taleon, regional director of
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the center for health Development (DohchD IV), identified antipolo city in rizal, and Pagsanjan and los Baos in laguna as the recipients of the second batch of kits. Some 1,750 households in the three municipalities will receive 7,000 pc of the kit and pellet. antipolo citys kits were earlier delivered on July 12, 2011. a survey conducted by DoSt in several regions across the country has shown the relative success of using the ol trap System. Similarly, with two cities in Batangas and three cities in laguna as pilot sites of the first batch of dengue kits, madrigal reports that some 3,470 units of ol trap Systems have attracted the aedes mosquitoes to lay their eggs in the system. recipients are cautioned, however, not to rely on the system as the sole
means of controlling rapid increase of aedes mosquito population. this is because the ol trap System is designed to decrease population of next generation aedes mosquitoes. thus a search and destroy method of adult mosquitoes in their feeding places, such as playgrounds, gardens, inside houses or buildings, is considered critical and the optimum method of control. affected communities are thus advised to thoroughly clean breeding places not only during the rainy months but also during the dry season. this is because the laid aedes mosquito eggs can survive for very long periods in a dry state, often for more than a year. however, they hatch immediately once submerged in water. (AMGuevarra, S&T Media Service, DOST-4A)
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hits UPdate
sit system breaks ground in UP-Diliman

the nod of President Benigno aquino III. we have redesigned this second prototype as an improvement of the first, Sec. montejo said. montejo also informed that the prototype will have 50-60 kph speed, but will later increase to 100-120 kph in the next phase. uP Pres. Pascual revealed that the benefits of agt has been proven across the world, such as in Japan, canada, uK, and uS. according to DoSt studies, local agt costs just a fraction compared with the imported kind, Pascual said. DoSt believes that local S&t can work to respond to peoples need, Pascual told, and uP is open to be the laboratory for such an idea. the DoSt-uP railway transit project is a collaborative study to determine the feasibility of the agt as a low-cost transportation. DoSt and uP aim that in the future, the agt will be included not only in the peoples transportation choices but also in their lifestyle, Pascual said. the moa signing was followed by a groundbreaking ceremony held at Jacinto cor. lakandula Streets, uP Diliman campus. montejo and Pascual were joined by DoSt-metals Industry research and Development center Director arthur lucas cruz, uP Diliman chancellor caesar Saloma, DoStPhilippine council for Industry, energy, and emerging technology research and Development Director amelia guevara, and uP Vice President for Development elvira Zamora. DoSt asec. robert Dizon, project leader, said that President aquino wants the agt project to be tested thoroughly. the President wants quality to be translated to commuter safety and transport reliability, he said. the agt is one of DoSts major projects that showcase filipino ingenuity, creativity, and competitiveness. we save so much when we develop technologies locally, emphasized Sec. montejo. these technologies highlight the fact that we filipinos are very competitive. (Framelia V. Anonas, S&T Media Service)
DOST research extends brown rice shelf-life to six months

a reSearch by the Department of Science and technology shows that brown rice shelf-life can be extended up to six months. according to engr. marie garcia of the DoSt-food and nutrition research Institute (fnrI), her group subjects storage temperature of brown rice to a 10 celsius higher to achieve a longer shelf-life. we are now awaiting the results of our field runs conducted last July to fully verify if brown rice could go beyond six months in storage, engr. garcia added. further research though is needed to achieve the desired shelf-life comparable to well-milled rice in the market today, she added. In their research, the DoSt-fnrI team used four varieties good for brown rice production, namely the Philippine rice research Institute recommended nSIc rc160, 42011, the hybrid mestizo and an organically grown rice variety from Zaragoza, nueva ecija. a normal storage temperature of 27-30c makes brown rice prone to oxidation resulting in the formation of germs which makes it rancid after sometime. early last year, DoSt Secretary mario g. montejo challenged DoSt-fnrI scientists to working on a technology that would extend the shelf-life of brown rice. once successful, the technology will make brown rice a good alternative to the commercial white rice. DoSt-fnrI hopes for the eventual acceptance of brown rice by the consumers and cut the countrys dependency on imported rice. consumption of brown rice will also help solve the rice shortage, montejo said. montejo said that the production of brown rice would increase the yields of rice by 10 percent. Brown rice, according to studies, has more minerals and vitamins compared with white or well-milled rice. It is also responsible for triggering the cholecystokinin, a peptide hormone that tells the body that it had enough food for a meal. as a result, one would feel prolonged fullness, resulting in less rice consumption which is good for weight maintenance and reduction. new studies show that replacing 50g of white rice with the same amount of brown rice would lower the risk for type 2 diabetes by 16%. It has a low glycemic Index of 52, its oil content has a cholesterol lowering effect and it has no significant difference in the iron absorption with white rice. DoSt-fnrI is set to roll out the technology and transfer it to interested private companies. (Joy M. Lazcano, S&T Media Service)
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S&T POST 3QTR.2011
FeatURes FeatURes
DOST-PTRIs Philippine textiles weaves its way into

By Joy CamiLLe BaLdo
New York Fashion
S&T Media Service, PTRI
ndigenous fibers woven into artful garbs were strutted on the catwalk of high fashion at the columbus circle in new york city in celebration of the new york fashion week Sept. 8-15 this year. models flaunted creatively designed wedding ensembles made of pia, cotton, silk, saluyot and water hyacinth fibers as part of a wedding couture collection. the collection is an interplay of the Department of Science and technology - Philippine textile research Institutedeveloped local tropical fabrics and century-old weaving techniques from Paoay, Ilocos norte; Vigan, Ilocos Sur; Kalibo, aklan; Iloilo; and cotabato city. In PtrI, we constantly search for the judicious use of indigenous natural sources of fiber, as well as develop eco-friendly technologies in processing them, said PtrI Director carlos c. tomboc. Such technology could greatly add premium and value to our ethnic textiles, making them in competitive in the fashion industry without losing our cultural heritage, tomboc added.
Model dons handwoven pia gown adorned with floral embellishments, an output of a collaborative project of PTRI with Anthony Legarda and the Dela Cruz House of Pia of Kalibo, Aklan.
Week
the ethnic designs featured in the project include the inabel of Ilocos norte, binakel or pinilian of abra, woven pia and jusi of aklan, hablon of Iloilo, tinalak of lake Sebu, hinabol of the higaonons in Bukidnon, inaul of maguindanao, and the colourful fabrics of the yakans and maranaos of mindanao. this project aims to sew the neo-ethnic Philippine tropical fabrics into their place in mainstream fashion, given their eco-character and faithfulness to the filipno heritage. It is a concrete demonstration of filipino craftsmanship and artistry, cabansag added. Part of the collection is the inabel gown from the famous inabel fabric of Vigan, Ilocos Sur which was woven using PtrIs enhanced loom weaving technologies. the cotton and saluyot threads for the shawl of this gown were also processed at the Institutes pilot plant. PtrI was also involved in the natural dyeing of the pure silk threads for the maguindanaos inaul gown, pants and barong. among the collection is a wedding gown made purely from pia liniuan fibers. the Institute, in partnership with the Dela cruz house of Pia of Kalibo, aklan, created a special weave construction twisting the pia liniuan fibers to fashion a thicker and denser feel compared with commonly woven pia fibers. the water hyacinth and cottonblended saluyot threads used for the embroidery designs and floral embellishments of the gowns and the water
Jeanie lynn cabansag, who leads the study on the development of neoethnic Philippine textiles, said, to boost textile production in the country, DoSt-PtrI developed a holistic approach to revive and to show the evolution of our ethnic textiles into these new and cosmopolitan designs. we aim to do this through PtrIs eco-friendly dyeing technologies and materials, she told.
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FeatURes
PNoy confers Order of the Golden Heart to Del Mundo, National Scientist
resident Benigno aquino III conferred the order of the golden heart, rank of grand collar (marangal na Kuwintas) posthumously to Dr. fe del mundo during the necrological service held in Del mundos honor at the Department of Science and technology in Bicutan, taguig city, metro manila on 11 august 2011. the grand Dame of Philippine medicine and the first female national Scientist, the 99-year old Del mundo died august 6 after a long and distinguished career. In his eulogy, Pres. aquino specially recognized Del mundos significant contribution to the Philippine society, even without holding a position in the government or being a successful entrepreneur (Pinatunayan niyang hindi kailangang magkatunkulan sa gobyerno, o maging matagumpay na negosyante upang maka-ambag sa pagunlad ng bansa.) Pres. aquino also noted that Del mundo did not desire to be wealthy or powerful; she only focused her efforts on the health and sake of the children and the filipino family. (hindi niya hinangad na magpakayaman at kumapit sa kapangyarihan, tanging ang kapakanan at kalusugan ng mga bata at pami-
lyang Pilipino ang kanyang tinutukan.) meanwhile DoSt Secretary mario montejo noted that del mundos stellar reputation and her various academic and professional recognitions were overshadowed by her passion and quiet dignity. even in death, she continues to live in the hearts of those whose lives she touched warmly, montejo said. Del mundo earned local and international recognitions for her pioneering works in pediatrics and research works in dengue, polio, and measles. aside from authoring the first local textbook on pediatrics in the country, Del mundo also showed her remarkable ingenuity when she developed an incubator made of bamboo which saved many babies in communities without electricity. Del mundo likewise moved for the immersion of physicians and other medical personnel in far-flung communities to effect greater coordination among medical professionals and the public, and improve the delivery of health programs such as immunization and nutrition. her initiatives on addressing the medical needs of children and indigents, and on strengthening the role
of medical professionals in the greater community gave significant contributions to Philippine medicine. the order of the golden heart was first conferred in 1954 by the late President ramon magsaysay to recognize those who have rendered distinguished services or given noteworthy monetary or other material aid, encouragement to the campaign for the amelioration and improvement of the moral, social, and economic conditions of the filipino masses, and for volunteerism in the service of the filipino masses. (Framelia V. Anonas, S&T Media Service)
hyacinth fibers for the construction of a pia-silk-hyacinth dress were also products of PtrIs researches. the collection is a product of a collaboration among PtrI, anthony cruz legarda, and the non-timber forest Products-task force (ntfP-tf), and filipino artisans from various provinces. our Philippine textiles and our natural dyes are worth sharing, attested ruth canlas of the ntfP-tf, a collaborative network of Philippine grassroots-based non-government organizations and peoples organizations addressing the livelihood needs of upland forest peoples, during the send off
program and photoshoot held at an Intramuros courtyard. In collaboration with new yorkbased filipino fashion designer anthony cruz legarda, these neo-ethnic Philippine tropical fabrics were transformed into a collection of six gowns and two grooms jackets infused with PtrI-developed technologies on weave design and natural dyeing. the wedding collection brandishes naturally-dyed and intricately handwoven fabrics embellished and embroidered by the Philippines finest master artisans using intricate techniques of calado or open cut work embroidery, bobbin lacework,
and jewelry beadwork to create fine detailing and elaborate designs. Sharing DoSt-PtrIs vision, mr. legarda wants to prove that Philippine indigenous textiles can compete in the world of high fashion. PtrIs newly developed fibers and textile technologies make me more competitive in the world of fashion. we really need to develop new things that the world desires, says mr. legarda. PtrI will tap legardas expertise for its 45th anniversary fashion show in January 2012 in support of the local textile industry.
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FeatURes
Valenzuela studes ace S&T quiz bee

mIKel JaSon allas and Jemel mikey Dominguez of Valenzuela city Science high School bagged this years S&t quiz bee in a tight brain race with 11 other challengers from the metros best science and private schools. Placing second were ramon florentino Santos and Shanna estrelle Joy Daguit of the Quezon city Science high School. running third were Donna angeles and Joel famador, Jr of the Pasay city Science high School. coaches of the winners were merlyn gamboa (VcSch), rosavilla Dacquel (QcShS), and michelle miramonte (PcShS). the winners and their coaches received trophies, certificates, and tokens. one of the main features of the Science expo 2011, the S&t Quiz Bee aims to bring out the competitive spirit of students from secondary schools at the national capital region to excel in various S&t fields such as mathematics, physics, chemistry, biology, and
Mikel Jason Allas and Jemel Mikey Dominguez of the Valenzuela City Science High School get the plum prize at the Science Expo 2011 National S&T Week Quiz Bee (NCR). Coach is Merlyn Gamboa. (Photo by Framelia V. Anonas, S&T Media Service)
research. the quiz bee was organized and sponsored by the Department of Science and technologys Philippine Science high School, the countrys
premiere S&t school in the secondary level. Quizmaster was mardan llanura of DoSt-PShS. (Framelia V. Anonas, S&T Media Service)
The Science Expo 2011 National S&T Week Quiz Bee (NCR) winners with coaches, judges, and Department of Science and Technology officials. (Photo by Framelia V. Anonas, S&T Media Service)
S&T POST 3QTR.2011
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FeatURes
PNoy bats for local technologies, expertise in the S&T Week launch
SImPle, InexPenSIVe, and highly useful. that was how President Benigno S. aquino III described the technologies developed locally as he assured that these projects are something that we can be proud of and will make our lives more comfortable. Speaking before scientists, researchers, and science workers at the opening of the national Science and technology week, President aquino played salesman of the science departments projects that are expected to impact a large part of the filipino population. who could have thought that a black can with a lawanit stick and organic solution actually helped bring down dengue cases in the country this year? he asked, referring to the mosquito ovicidal-larvicidal traps, as he informed that 250,000 pieces have been distributed nationwide. he also shared the advantages of the monorail which offers more convenient and less expensive mode of transportation. formally called the automated guideway transit, the monorail is the latest technology launched by the Department of Science and technology to address the environmental concerns and congestion faced by urban commuters. the President was also enthusiastic about several projects that show great potential to the countryside, including the automated weather systems that detect various environmental conditions such as the landslide sensor, water filter that can help make safe and potable water available, and the rxBox that can transmit medical information to remote specialists. the nStw ran July 27-30 at the Smx convention center, mall of asia, Pasay city. with the theme nasa Siyensya ang Pag-asa, this years biggest S&t event forwarded to the public high impact technology solutions that give hope to every filipino household. In his State of the nation address, Pres. aquino raised the hope of the nation by revealing several innovative technologies that are developed by filipinos for the country (...galing sa kapwa natin Pilipino, para sa Pilipinas). coco fiber that can strengthen cement; landslide sensors; water level sensors; and the monorail as an efficient mass transport system. the President also hailed the scholarship offered by the Department of Science and technology to students who have the capability to embark on a science career. he likewise gave special mention to DoSts Philippine atmospheric, geophysical and astronomical Services administration (PagaSa) for its credible weather forecast. Do you remember the times when even in our dreams we could not picture such kinds of projects? aquino asked the nation in filipino. now I tell you: we can dream, we can do something for these dreams, and we can actually achieve them. arent we glad that we are filipinos living in these times? other showcased projects in the nStw that can make filipinos proud include brown rice, baby foods, water filter, Pc tablet, rxBox; and the latest projects in genomics, biotechnology, and nanotechnology, among others. the nStw, dubbed expo Science 2011, was participated in by government offices, the business sector, and the academic community, mostly with their respective exhibits. activities during the four-day event include: opening ceremonies, S&t awards, press conference, (July 27, Smx convention center); exhibit (July 27-29, Smx convention center); hItS forum and tagisang robotics (July 28, Sm mall of asiamusic hall), S&t Stakeholders Summit and S&t Quiz Bee (July 29, Smx convention center), In touch with excellence (July 29, landbank auditorium, malate, manila), and on3 Pitching national competition (July 30, Smx convention center). (Framelia V. Anonas, S&T Media Service)
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FeatURes
This years celebration of the National Technology Week (ExpoScience 2011) is made brighter by the participation of President Benigno Aquino III who signalled the official start of the celebration and awarded the title of National Scientist to economist Raul Fabella and former Ateneo de Manila University President Fr. Bienvenido Nebres.
Various products of DOST-Assisted companies were on exhibit. At the centerpiece were the high Impact Technology Solutions (hITS). STII led the promotional activities of NSTW, including the press conference and use of NSTW vehicle body wrap (righmost photos). Opposite page: Various scenes during the In Touch with Excellence, Tagisang Robotics, ON03 Pitching Competition, and hITS Fora
sPeCiaL sPeCiaL RePORt RePORt
Clay binds and kills re

By aRJay m. esCondo
all clay in mineral or powder form can easily bind with red tide organisms suspended on the water surface and settle them to the sea bottom where said organisms become inactive. this is what experts from the Department of Science and technologys Philippine council for aquatic and marine research and Development (DoSt-PcamrD) and the university of the Philippines marine Science Institute (uP-mSI) found out in their study on mitigating harmful algal Blooms (haBs), commonly known as red tide.
the PhilhaBS, a uP-led program supported by DoSt-PcamrD, focuses on the ecology and oceanography of harmful algal Blooms in the Philippines.
clays that are used to mitigate these algal blooms are purely natural, azanza added. In actual Pyrodinium bloom in masinloc Bay, Zambales earlier this year, the efficiency of ball clay application was put to test. Prototype clay dispersal unit formed the clay slurry which were developed by the project on algal blooms. the equipment mixes ball clay particles with seawater drawn from the area. mixing ball clay with seawater will improve the efficiency of ball clay to collide and eventually aggregate with algal cells, according to azanza.
azanzas team found that the cells of Pyrodinium at the surface and bottom of the bay were no longer present after clay application. the study also showed no negative effects on other marine organisms such as green mussels and milkfish, among others. During the projects initial phase, the researchers used 100 kg of clay soil from camarines Province area for clay application in Zambales and Pangasinan. In the future, clay materials native to affected areas will be used. the DoSt-PcamrD. through PhilhaBs, has been working with the uPs mSI, and national Institute of geological Sciences (nIgS), as well as DoSts Philippine nuclear research Institute (PnrI), on different projects to miti-
algal cells die when they stick to clay particles, according to Dr. rhodora V. azanza, program leader of PhilhaBS and co-project leader for the ball clay technology. clay minerals further entrail the algal cells as they settle at the sea floor.
S&T POST 3QTR.2011
18
sPeCiaL RePORt
gate the occurrence and proliferation of major algal blooms in the tropics. the PhilhaBs is the countrys harmful algal Blooms (haBs) research and Development Program which contributes to the improvement of the prediction and management of haBs occurrence by understanding their ecology and oceanography. It monitors and studies the occurrence, movement, toxicity, and other environmental effects of algal blooms in different locations within the country. the program has done intensive studies in 10 areas affected by haBs, namely: manila Bay; Sorsogon Bay, Sorsogon; Bolinao and anda, Pangasinan; matarinao Bay, eastern Samar; cancabato Bay, leyte; murcielagos Bay, Zamboanga del
red tide or haBs causes economic, public health, and/or environmental harm. common algal blooms in the Philippines are attributed to Pyrodinium bahamense var. compressum, the causal organism for Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning (PSP). other causal organisms for PSP are Alexandrium sp. and Gymnodinium catenatum. Diarrhetic Shellfish Poisoning (DSP) causing organisms are Dinophysis miles, Dinophysis acuminata, Dinophysis caudata, and Prorocentrum lima. ciguatera fish Poisoning (cfP) causing species is gambierdiscus toxicus; while some Pseudonitzschia species may cause amnesic Shellfish Poisoning (aSP). Species that can cause fish kills through oxygen depletion (anoxia, hypoxia) includes Skeletonema costatum, Prorocentrum micans, Noctiluca scintillans, Ceratium furca, and Ceratium fusus.
In the Philippines, some 540 outbreaks of harmful algal blooms have been reported since 1983. the most recent outbreaks were in masinloc Bay, Zambales; Bolinao and anda, Pangasinan; murcielagos Bay in Zamboanga del norte; and Dumanquillas Bay, Zamboanga del Sur. the DoSt-PcamrD and uP-mSI will host the 3rd national harmful algal Bloom conference and eaSt asia haB 7 International meeting this november 2011 at tagbilaran city, Bohol. the conference will focus on recent developments on haB research, monitoring, and management, and their implications to the national concerns on harmful algal blooms. (Photos by DOST-PCAMRD)
ed tide, study shows

norte; Balete Bay, Davao oriental; Pujada Bay, Davao oriental; and Benoni lagoon, camiguin. the program has forged close collaboration with concerned lgus (local government units) to enhance community coping mechanisms. Various activities of the program include information dissemination, emergency response, and mapping of causative organisms, and clay dispersal on actual blooms. Some on-going mitigating efforts include training and seminars on haBs facilitated by the uP-mSI, culturing of causative organisms for research and development, and PhilhaBs emergency response including ball clay application on actual blooms.
1 4 3
Developed prototype clay dispersal unit; complete set-up of the unit: (1) host that suck in seawater to the mixing chamber, (2) compartment where ball clay powder is poured, (3) mixing chamber where ball clay powder is mixed with seawater to make a slurry, and (4) host that is connected with the sprinkler which carries the slurry out from the unit; Spraying of the ball clay-seawater slurry on the surface of the water column; and Ball clay poured on the chamber.
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The Lantapan Experience:
Conserving and managing natural resources through participatory R&D

ne of the major challenges among environmental researchers is the search for suitable and effective sustainable agriculture and natural resource management practices in areas threatened by environmental degradation. take for example the manupali watershed in lantapan. It is a natural continuously threatened by environmental pressures due to increase in demand for residential and agricultural lands. this is the reason why it became the focus of the Sanrem project under the Sustainable agriculture and natural resources management collaborative research Support Program (Sanrem crSP).
Sanrem crSP is a research, network and training program undertaken by a consortium of uS-based universities in partnership with individuals, community groups, universities, ngos, and government agencies in africa, asia, and latin america. By the time the Sanrem project took on manupali, banana and sugar cane plantations have invaded the mid to high elevations of the watershed. Such invasion endangered the watersheds environmental resources, subjecting it to forest degradation, losses
of biodiversity, and soil and riverbank erosion. R&D program for Lantapan faced with these alarming threats, Sanrem, together with PcarrD, the municipal government of lantapan, and other collaborators, packaged an innovative research and development program. the initiative on manupali watershed conservation was based on the proponents discussions and consultations with private individuals, local organizations, and officials of the
S&T POST 3QTR.2011
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What made the project a success is its holistic approach that involved all stakeholders closely-- from the planning process down to the implementation of the identified projects.
municipality of lantapan and the provincial government of Bukidnon the program focused on helping farmers, local organizations, community leaders, and local government officials make better decisions to effectively manage and conserve the manupali watershed. first on the list of to-dos was a participatory landscape appraisal done by Sanrem, with the assistance of its partner agencies and other individuals. taking one step forward, Sanem also organized rural institutions to help protect and maintain the watershed. among these institutions were the land care movement, lantapan watershed management council, agroforestry trees Seeds association of lantapan, Kitanglad guard Volunteers, and tigbantay wahig or water watchers. Impact assessment In 2009, Sanrem conducted an impact assessment through the university of Southeastern Philippines. funded by PcarrD, the assessment came up with encouraging results. for one, it mitigated the environmental degradation caused by the expansion of agri-industrial crops in the area. It also reduced soil erosion of riverbanks and preserved the waters good quality. an offshoot of the project was the natural resource management and Development Plan of lantapan. with its valuable inputs in formulating watershed management strategies, the plan became a model for local initiatives on environmental management to other towns in the Philippines. In addition, the Department of environment and natural resources also recognized the lantapan experience as
the national model for resource management planning in the country. the local government of lantapan complemented the very good outcomes with implementation of several local environment-related ordinances to protect the natural resources of manupali watershed. Specifically, the ordinances put to order garbage disposal, livestock concentration and movement across the watershed, transport of potatoes, and adoption of contour farming on sloping lands. overall, there was minimal change in areas covered by primary and secondary growth forest in the manupali watershed but areas planted with trees and shrubs increased by 26 percent. the program also produced a significant body of knowledge on natural resources conservation and management, mainly due to researches and policy analyses conducted by local and foreign scientists and researchers. researchers looked into the areas biodiversity with the residents participating closely. In their assessment, there are still many areas that are avenues for further research such as agroforestation, soil and water conservation, home gardening, and water quality monitoring. another important area for study is household survey for ethnographic and socioeconomic characterization of the project sites. the program was able to beef up local capacities from various trainings conducted for the local government units, farmers and other stakeholders. It strengthened partnerships with community-based groups and institutions. this was because the program brought
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S&T POST
the stakeholders together in trainings, fora, and various meetings and workshops for information sharing on environmental protection and management. looking over the accomplishments of the project, it is no doubt that it achieved its objectives adequately. what made the project a success, in hidsight, is its holistic approach that involved all stakeholders closely-- from the planning process down to the implementation of the identified projects. the pressure on the lantapan watershed is expected to continue and even increase in the future. this is largely due to the ever-increasing population and the corresponding rising demand for more land for agriculture and settlement. these inevitable developments require proper management to ensure the watersheds sustainability. another essential component in sustaining the success of the lantapan project is maintaining institutional support for the program from the local government and the rest of the stakeholders of Sanrem. (A reprint of the article published at PCARRD Impact Assessment Bulletin No.1 2011; Photos courtesy of DOST-PCARRD).
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FROM the
ReGiOns
clockwise: Design and fabrication of equipment to Produce Bioethanol from coconut Sap by northern Samar-based engr. Jaime gilbuela; outstanding student creative research - high School category, the Blood and Bacteria Staining robotic arm by Jose mendoza and Villablanca of the Philippine Science high School: Smart eloading machine by remnan Piczon and Jason arroyo.
DOST awards best inventions in Region 8

IngenuIty anD big market potential are the hallmarks of this years winners in the Department of Science and technologysponsored regional Invention contest and exhibition held aug. 22-25 at the robnsons Place in tacloban city. Bagging first prize for the likha award or outstanding utility model is the Design and fabrication of equipment to Produce Bioethanol from coconut Sap by northern Samar-based engr. Jaime gilbuela. the equipment, according to gilbuela, is cheap and convenient, and quickly processes ethanol. Placing second and third respectively are the Improvised touch remote Switch for electrical loads by Jeff homeres and a novel cooking Stove by Pedro Japon. In the Sibol award or outstanding Student creative research high school category, the Blood and Bacteria Staining robotic arm by carlex randolph Jose III, Bryan mendoza, and Jawn marc Villablanca of the Philippine Science high School earned the judges nod. according to the student researchers, their developed device makes quicker wright and tram staining because the robot arm can hold multiple slides. the arm also reduces contamination and maximizes the use of the reagents, they said. moreover, the equipment enables medical technologists to do muti-tasking jobs. the rest of the high school level entries though did not make it to the minimum score set by the Board of Judges. meanwhile, the Samar State university in catbalogan, Samar made a grandslam as its students clinched the first, second, and third prizes in the outstanding Student creative research college category. topping the category is the device called Smart eloading machine by remnan Piczon and Jason arroyo which is a do-it-yourself phone loading machine that eliminates errors and load wastage because all information are keyed in by the customer him or herself. other winners are the Development of fingerprint and SmS-enabled Student School attendance monitoring System by ariel abalos, francis Deo abria, and Judeel Sheen cabanas, lusanto francisco, clemar Pabua and Syra may raz (second place) and the electronic Board messaging thru SmS by Jose marie Baculi, miguel lorenz tabon, and Jemuel erilla (third place). the rIce lined up several activities to carry the theme Imbensyon at Inobasyon: Kabalikat sa Pag-unlad, such as the Patent Drafting trainingworkshop at the eastern Visayas State university graduate School function room. Inventions and innovations are marks of a countrys competitiveness, DoSt- technology application and Promotion Diector edgar garcia said. this can be gauged through the number of patent applications filed. a high level of competitiveness beckons investment and development, driving a country towards progress. If you find a market for your product, DoSt-taPI will support you, garcia said, encouraging the participating inventors and students to apply for patent through taPI. taPI, DoSt 8s partner in organizing the rIce, is the DoSts lead agency in promoting the commercialization of technologies, including inventions. other sponsors to the rIce 8 are the eastern Visayas cluster on Industry and energy research and Development and robinson's Place. (Framelia V. Anonas, S&T Media Service)
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S&T POST
ReGiOns
FROM the
Industry, energy R&D focus in EV

By FRameLia v. anonas
out of the library and into the community, research studies in the eastern Visayas region will now become more relevant to the public in the next five years with the launch of the eastern Visayas consortium for Industry and energy research Strategic Plan 2012-2016. the plan, launched recently during the national Science and technology week celebration, maps out activities to be engaged in for the next five years in the areas of industry and energy in eV. By aligning their studies along priority areas of the Department of Science and technology as highlighted in the plan, researchers can hope for better funding
and practical application of their studies to the needs of the community. the plan reveals that, for the next five years, the DoSt intends to develop and enhance the r&D capability of the region in the areas of industry and energy, address issues and concerns of the industry and energy sectors, fund resource and generation of eVcIerDs operations, adopt and use technologies, and provide information to clients through publication of technologies generated. researchers will have to refer to these priority programs in planning their research activities to enjoy DoSt
support to their studies. I encourage the consortium to move towards sharing of technologies, said Sec. mario montejo as he unveiled the plan before stakeholders. you can share your technologies to other regions while adopting theirs. he cited the famous lechon of tacloban which, when applied with vacuum-pack technology, was able to reach various places nationwide and worldwide. he also advised the consortium to consider aligning educational directions to industry needs, such as call centers, business process outsourcing (BPos), and knowledge processing. Such move comes in the light of the transfer of the Information and communication technology office under the DoSt which gives full support to said It service industries. the five-year strategic plan is the result of a rigorous series of workshops participated in by the consortiums regional technical working group. It was likewise evaluated and approved by the consortiums Board of Directors. the consortium comprises various government line agencies and state universities and colleges involved in research and development, and extension. the eVcIerD was organized to provide r& needs of the industry and energy sectors in the region.
DoSt Sec. mario montejo (second from left), DoSt 8 Director edgar esperancilla (third from right), and DoSt-Philippine council for Industry, energy, and emerging technology research and Development Director amelia guevara lead the unveiling of the eastern Visayas consortium for Industry and energy research Strategic Plan 2012-2016. (Photo by Fram V Anonas)
the consortium now includes international cooperation with Singapore- and taiwan- research and development institutes, according to DoSt 8 Director edgar esperancilla. (Framelia V. Anonas, S&T Media Service)
S&T POST 3QTR.2011
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NSTW
FROM the
ReGiOns
NSTW 2011 at its best in Magandang Gensan

emphasizing the role of S&t in the development of the region, particularly of general Santos city, lady mayor Darlene antonino-custodio said, applied sciences can provide convenience, accessibility and information that will create more livelihood and employment, and add value to more products and services. let us appreciate technology as a tool that will free our people from the clutches of oppression, poverty and ignorance, she told the audience composed of scientists, researchers, entrepreneurs, students, journalists, and science workers. we need to mainstream DoSts programs in region 12. alongside the region 12 nStw celebration, the regional Invention contest and exhibits likewise opened, jointly organized by DoSt 12 and DoSts technology application and Promotion Institute (taPI). In regard to inventions, engr. edgar I. garcia, director of DoSt-taPI, underscored the importance of inventions and innovations in pushing the country to become more competitive by opening and expanding opportunities for industrial and intellectual properties. engr. garcia said, the functional and user-friendly innovations that we will witness and discover at rIce 12 hopefully will contribute in helping the country move forward and keep pace with the changing times. the rIce is a support initiative of the DoSt through taPI for republic act 7459, also known as the national Inventors and Inventions Incentives act of the Philippines. one of the provisions of the law, as implemented by DoSt-taPI, is the selection and granting of cash rewards to outstanding Inventions (tuklas award), outstanding utility models, outstanding Industrial Designs, outstanding creative researches (likha award), and outstanding Student creative researches (Sibol award) for high school and college students. Dr. Zenaida P. hadji raof laidan, DoSt 12 regional Director, amid the pomp and pageantry of the colorful maranaw- and maguindanao-inspired setting, encouraged collaboration among stakeholders citing enhancement of the innovation system. She said, let us continue working together to further enhance and strengthen our innovation system by harnessing an ecosystem of knowledgebased, market driven and technology enabled enterprises in region 12 through synergy and strategic partnership with the community, local government units, adaceme, government agencies and private sector in developing a knowledge economy in region 12. the DoSt continuously recognizes the important role of inventions and innovations in national development as they help accelerate and sustain economic growth.
By aRisToTLe p. CaRandanG
general SantoS city In the tuna capital of the Philippines, this city, a sea of people waited in line for the opening ceremonies of the national Science and technology week (nStw) regional celebrations organized by the Department of Science and technology (DoSt) regional office 12, august 1112, 2011. themed nasa Siyensya ang Pagasa, the nStw in South central mindanao is a convergence of players from the government, academe, and private sector. In his message, Science Secretary mario g. montejo pointed out that the nStw brings into greater focus the vital role of the scientific community in providing solutions to long-standing developmental problems and challenges.
25 3QTR.2011
S&T POST
ReGiOns
FROM the
DOST 10 labs expand services, offer shelf-life testing

By Tess supeRioRidad BaLuyos
Shelf-lIfe teStIng is now part of the services being offered by the regional Standards and testing laboratories (rStl) of the Department of Science and technology 10. the expanded services is in line with DoSt 10s thrust of serving the micro, small and medium enterprises (mSmes), especially those in the food industry, to improve their products and to respond to the urgent need for food safety assurance. this will give the mSmes more confidence in marketing their products. this new development is the result of the completion of the project entitled enhancement of the Shelf-life testing and upgrading of nutrition analysis capability of DoSt-x rStl which has the accelerated Shelf-life evaluation laboratory (aSel) as component. the project was spearheaded and maintained by the Philippine council for Industry, energy and emerging technology research and Development (PcIeerD) and implemented by DoSt regions 4, 7, and 10. In region 10, the project also involved assistance for shelf-life testing of 13 banner food products from region 10, namely: melon with milk by 4 cs food Industries in cagayan de oro city; Passion fruit Puree by malaybalay organic farm, Inc., Bukidnon; mamsies Sweet ham by a&e enterprises, cagayan de oro city; calamansi concentrate by eber livelihood association, lala, lanao del norte; Pastel of Panedotte, tagoloan, misamis oriental; J&a Pastel Buns of Josefas, cagayan de oro city; fishtail Vinegar by ceS Vinegar, claveria, misamis oriental; mangosteen extract by natures gift, oroquieta city; lahoy oil by rPV and Sons enterprise, aloran, misamis occidental; Shrimp Paste by lola luz uyap, Jimenez, misamis occidental, galletas of ofelieths, oroquieta city; coco Sugar by organic coco Sugar, tubod, lanao
del norte; and Barquillos of engallados food Products, Valencia, Bukidnon. the results of the subsidized shelflife evaluation of the above products were recently presented to a DoSt technical panel composed of representatives from PcIeerD, Industrial technology Development Institute (ItDI), food and nutrition research Institute (fnrI) and DoSt regions 4 and 7. the technical panels feedback served as basis for implementation by the rStl. the technical review also recognized the effort of laboratory staff who passed the written examination part of capability-building and training activities. for 2010, the accelerated Shelf-life evaluation laboratory (aSel) of DoSt-10 did a total of 760 tests and served 67 customers. as of July 31, 2011, it has served 40 customers involving 234 tests. among the major accomplishments of aSel included a shelf-life design of six products (tomato jam, shrimp paste, flavored water, buko pie, ice cream, and organic coconut honey), computation of labeling information on nutrition facts of 16 products, and nutrition analysis of 15 products. the DoSt 10 regional Standards and testing laboratories are ISo/
DoSt-rStls food technologist doing shelf-life testing. Iec 17025:2005 accredited. the labs, equipped with state-of-the-art testing equipment and operated by highlyskilled laboratory analysts, offer analytical services with high precision. to maintain a high standard of services, the laboratories are continually upgraded through proficiency tests. laboratory analysts continually go through trainings, both local and international, and take appropriate examinations to upgrade their skills and knowledge.
Participants of the two-day technical review of the shelf-life evaluation result presentation. there were no mistakes, only lessons learned. (Photos by DOST-10)
S&T POST 3QTR.2011
26
FROM the
ReGiOns
Gusa Regional Sci HS, MSU studes shine at the RICE 10

By Tess supeRioRidad BaLuyos
the StuDy on the herbal potential of madre de cacao leaf stalk by a team of students from gusa regional Science high School capped the top prize in the recently-concluded regional Invention contest in region 10. the team received the Sibol award (Student creative research category, high School level) with a P10,000 cash prize. the team is composed of geila mae de los angeles, Patricia nyn heruela and renerio gentallan, Jr. meanwhile, emil Keith antonio of mindanao State university-main campus, marawi city grabbed the top prizes of the other two categories: Sibol award (Student research category, college level) and the likha award (creative research) in which he received P10,000 cash prize for each category. antonios research studies delve on the recycling of wastes from processing sea cucumbers and the eco-friendly citrullus products. runners-up for the Sibol award, high School level are also from the gusa regional Science high School. cheri ann ansale, ace Irish talibong won P2,500 cash prize for their research entitled the effect of Bio-n in Different me-
emil Keith antonio (center) of mindanao State univeristy main campus, marawi city, receives his P10K cash award as the champion of the Sibol award (Student creative research category, college level) during the recently-concluded regional Invention contest sponsored by the Department of Science and technology regional office no. x (DoSt-x) and the technology application and Promotion Institute (taPI). with antonio is DoSt-x regional Director alfonso alamban (left) and taPI Director edgar garcia (right). antonios research is about the novel eco-friendly citrullus Products. he also pocketed the top prize for the likha award (creative research category) for his research recycling wastes from Processing Sea cucumbers: green technology in local formulation/Production of Bio-safe and Indigenous Products. along with the champion-students from gusa regional Science high School, antonio will represent region x in the national Invention contest and exhibit. (Photo by DOST-10) dia on the germination and Vegetative growth of rice. Dave exequiel Suico, meara Pearlnille Suico and Bea marisse Daayata also received P2,500 cash prize for their study on the potential-tocopherol content in oil extracted from ornamental gourd seeds. for the Sibol award, college level, the runners-up include the team from mindanao State university-Iligan Institute of technology for their study entitled, one mans Pest is other mans treasure! ceasing unwanted microbes with the artificial antigen-antibody mimicking Behavior of Snail mucous: a novel Discovery against anti-microbial resistivity. the team, composed of michael lou lapasaran, rheabezy Bendoy, malaya negad and anthon mark Jay rivas won P2,500 cash prize. another runner up is the team
from mindanao university of Science and technology, namely Peter John estillore, andrew aparicio, Dahren gay compra, Jan hamilton leonar and ruvel cuasito. their invention, dubbed Development of a localized computer numerical control lathe machine, won for them a P2,500 cash prize. the other runners-up for the likha award (creative research) include the invention of Dr. elmer Sayre of Initao, misamis oriental which is a singlechamber urine-diverting, dehydration toilets for poor communities with little or no sanitation which won for him a P2,500 cash prize. another runner-up in this category is the study thermal Insulation of rice hulls and waste Polystyrene foam as composite material by Dr. franco flores of capitol university which has a P2,500 cash prize. the regional Invention contest was one of the many activities of the region 10 celebration of the national Science and technology week with the theme nasa Siyensiya ang Pag-asa.
geila mae de los angeles (extreme left), Patricia nyn heruela (center) and renerio gentallan, Jr. (not in photo) bagged the championship for the Sibol award (Student creative research category, high School level) during the regional Invention contest for their study on the herbal potential of madre de cacao leaf stalk. at extreme right is their science project adviser, mrs. erma Dapin.
27 3QTR.2011
S&T POST
set-UP setUP
Suman sa lihiya unwraps sweet success

By Jesse m. pine
S&T Media Service, DOST IV-B (Oriental Mindoro)
http://panlasangpinoy.com
uman sa lihiya is made from glutinous rice treated with lye water and wrapped in banana leaves. It is best served with freshly grated coconut. merls native Delicacies has been producing rice cake (suman sa lihiya) and coco jam, two of the most popular delicacies and pasalubong food products in calapan city, oriental mindoro since 2000. the company is owned and managed by mr. ferdinand Bolus with the support of his wife, merlita (fondly called merl) and their children. the firm produced suman sa lihiya as a fallback at a time when their garments and ready-to-wear business were not quite profitable. In 2009, the firm produced an average of 30,000 pieces of rice cake packed with coco jam in sachets and 900 jars of coco jam per month. however, its monthly production capacity ran short of the local demand due to limitations of the capacity of its equipment. It could not meet the requirements of its regular and target clients. likewise, it has not yet explored potential markets in oriental mindoro. the firm sought ways to further improve its productivity and competitiveness. Its efforts paid off when in 2009, it was awarded a PhP65,000.00 grant for label design and execution to enhance market competitiveness. the grant was awarded by DoSt-mImaroPa through DoSt-oriental mindoros gIa Project on Innovative Packaging of Selected food Products. It has likewise benefited from a series of food Safety training from the same office in 2010. the firm also earned DoSts approval for an innovation system support in the amount of PhP780,000.00 and technical assistance under the Small enterprises technology upgrading Program (SetuP) for equipment upgrading compliant with gmP and food Safety Standards. the package of intervention translated to a 250% increase in productivity of the firm from 800 pieces of suman sa lihiya and 30 jars of coco jam per day to an average of 2,800 pieces and 75 jars.Incremental
employment generation was 100% from 11 employees to 22 direct workers in 2010. It had also increased its market reach to ncr and neighboring provinces and accessed high-end markets such as Sm-moa hypermart, amiras Buko tart house in tagaytay city, elishas food Products in Quezon city, Disdak in greenhills, San Juan city, and market! market!, aside from private stalls in muntinlupa city, San Pedro, laguna, and mandaluyong city. It is currently a recipient of free consultancy services aimed at enhancing productivity by at least 30% through DoSt-taPIs manufacturing and Productivity extension (mPex) Program. Initial interventions include provision of plant layout and list of equipment line and production accessories, consultancy, and firm-based training on cgmP (for workers) to further enhance productivity and compliance to cgmP and food Safety. ferdie and merl plan to construct this year the processing plant as part of the long term recommendations of mPex consultants. merls joined facebook to advertise the yummy products on a higher level. the firm can also be reached through its landline at (043) 286-7684 or mobile phones 0916-356-6381 and 0922-847-3458.
It all started as her hobby, ferdie recalls of her wife merl, when she tried testing her first batch of suman sa lihiya from a kilo of glutinous rice she bought from the public market. She displayed the suman in our rtw stalls at the public market. the trial market was quite successful but she kept on thinking of other ways to continuously improve the taste and presentation of the product. everyday, she sold suman until we realized that her innate passion for cooking native delicacies could be an alternative source of income for the whole family, revealed ferdie. then we finally kissed goodbye to our garments business and concentrated on this endeavor. the rest is history. after nearly 11 years in the business, merls native Delicacies made it big in the province and in other parts of ncr and calabarzon. with the steady demand for its products, merls was able to establish eight outlets in calapan city, including the pasalubong outlets at the calapan city Port. It also plans to go through other major industrial centers of the province such as Pinamalayan and roxas,and other popular tourist areas in Southern Philippines, such as Boracay and Iloilo through the Strong republic nautical highway.
S&T POST 3QTR.2011
28
BUsiness OPPORtUnity
A promising venture for entrepreneurs

By FRameLia v. anonas
Baby foods production
or an entrepreneur looking for an opportunity to earn some profit and help raise a generation of healthy kids, baby foods production may be the best venture to go into. Baby foods, particularly complementary foods, have a steady market and consumers continuous demand. complementary foods, according to the Department of Science and technologys food and nutrition research Institute are food or liquids other than breast milk that are fed to young children. these foods address mothers concerns on how to feed their babies six months old and onward when their nutritional needs are rapidly increasing. It is at this stage when malnutrition sets in and may have abject effects to children. DoSt-fnrI developed complementary foods mainly to address the malnutrition problem in the country, particularly among babies 6-35 months of age.
for older children, the Bigmo rice mongo curls has proven to be a hit. this crispy, ready-to-eat snack item is rich in protein (2.4 g per serving of 20 g) and energy (94 g per serving of 20 g). compared with commercial baby foods, the fnrI-developed Bigmo products have much higher protein and energy content, an fnrI study shows. all Bigmo products are produced by extrusion cooking. the Bigmo curls have a shelf-life of four months, while the rice-mongo Instant Blend and the ready-to-eat rice-mongo-Sesame Blend can stand one year in room temperature. Production requirements Interested entrepreneurs, DoSt-fnrIs Joyce tobias says, have to invest in several production equipment, such as weighing scale, mixer, extruder, moisture analyzer, electric dryer, octagonal mixer, impulse sealer, and auto pack machine. for a monthly production capacity of 250,000 packs of Bigmo curls at 20 grams per pack, tobias says that required raw materials include 133,000 kilos of rice; 84,000 kilos of mongo; 2,170 kilos of flavoring; and 2,170 kilos of cooking oil. a baby foods production business does not entail a large cost, tobias informs. all the equipment are fairly
cheap and readily available. the only one with cost is the extruder. the extruder machine shapes and cuts the mixed ingredients into the desired size, and cooks the product using pressure. If entrepreneurs opt to have a fully automated production, they have to shell out P5 million for an imported twin screw extruder that can produce curls of different shapes at a speed of 80 kilos per hour, says tobias. however, there is a cheaper alternativea locally fabricated extruder that costs P1.5 million in which the extruder produces curls in one shape only and automatically packs the products in singles. FNRIs technology interventions adoption of fnrIs baby foods production technology will entitle entrepreneurs of the Institutes technical support, such as proper layout of the production area, hands-on training on the appropriate processing technology, technology transfer document to include quality control assurance from raw materials to the finish product, and basics on good manufacturing Practices implementation.
continued next page
the first two years of life are very crucial to children, said DoSt-fnrI Director mario capanzana. any damages caused by malnutrition may be irreversible. using simple technology and locally available raw materials, the Institute developed baby foods as part of its corporate social responsibility. Several towns from four provinces, namely antique, occidental mindoro, leyte, and Iloilo have so far benefited from the fnrI-developed baby foods. FNRIs Bigmo fnrI has developed a wide variety of complementary food blends and snack foods which it named Bigmo for Bigas (rice) and monggo. for infants 6-12 months old, Bigmo rice-mongo Instant Blend and ready-to-cook rice-mongoSesame Blend are most appropriate.
29 3QTR.2011
S&T POST
BUsiness OPPORtUnity
there is a big potential market for baby foods, assures tobias, who heads the technology transfer unit at fnrI. there is an estimated number of 3.35 million underweight children under five years of age, she says. thus the market is big. moreover, Bigmo curls would appeal to school children and adults looking for healthy foods. there are also many busy parents and teenagers looking for convenient and nutritious foods, she adds. Other FNRI-developed pre-cooked weaning/baby foods according to tobias, fnrI is developing many other baby food combinations, such as paayap-banana, mongokamote-sesame, germinated rice-mongo, germinated rice-cowpea, and other new and exciting flavor combinations. Inquiries on fnrIs baby foods can be addressed to Dr. mario capanzana, fnrI director at telephone numbers (02) 837-2934 or 839-1839 or email mvc@ fnri.dost.gov.ph.
to make it more convenient to adoptors and to maintain fnrIs strict quality control, fnrI has already prepared a recommended layout for Bigmo curls processing plant, plus a process flow.
BENCHMARKING INNOVATION . . . from p6 The project was patterned after the European Community Innovation Survey and adapted to the Philippine setting. It was also based on the internationally comparable concepts, definitions and methodology as embodied in the OECD Oslo Manual Guidelines for Collecting and Interpreting Innovation Data 3rd Edition (2005). The survey was then gathered from 500 firms in selected survey sites, namely Quezon City, Metro Cebu, Davao City, and PEZA Zones in Cavite and Laguna. To ensure the direction of the project, a Project Steering Committee (PSC) was convened, headed by Undersecretary Fortunato T. de la Pea of DOSTs Scientific and Technological Services. Members include Dr. Josef T. Yap of the Philippine Institute of Development Studies (PIDS), Dr. Romulo A. Virola of the National Statistical Coordination Board, Dr. Rowena L. Guevara from UP Diliman, Dr. Cayetano W. Paderanga, represented by Cynthia S. Regalado of the National Economic Development Authority, Undersecretary Adrian S. Cristobal, Jr. of DTI, represented by Myrna M. Sunico, and Mercedes M. Barcelon of the Ayala Foundation, Inc The PSC has already conducted nine meetings from the planning and design of survey instrument, its implementation, and, recently, on analysis with experts, Dr. Jose Ramon G. Albert, Dr. Rafaelita M. Aldaba, and Francis Mark A. Quimba of PIDS, Joan A. Jaque of hydronet Consultants, Inc., and Dr. Bonifacio A. Gabales, Jr. of University of South Eastern Philippines. As the project progressed down to its end, a series of innovation forum was organized and held in Davao City, Cebu City, and Quezon City to tackle and validate the results of the survey, as well as engage the participants in reinforcing and/or identifying strategies to mainstream innovation system approach in these areas and in the country as a whole. Further, the team also organized a national innovation forum. Attendees of the fora were key local and policy-makers, industry associations and key private sector representatives, research/academic community, civil society organizations, financial institutions, multilateral and bilateral donors, private foundations, representatives of key partners and regional, and other specialists that are part of the innovation system, such as in the areas of legal, communications, manufacturers , and others. With the results of the innovation project, the DOST is optimistic that the strategies formulated would strengthen and promote innovation activities in different industries and establish a suitable environment for business ventures that is now recognized as an engine for development. As DOST Sec. Mario G. Montejo has said, innovation emerges from many sources, complex interactions and knowledge flows. It emphasizes the need to nurture the demand for knowledge and technologies among a range of actors, including small businessmen. It is the two-way knowledge flows between these actors that enable innovation that lead to value creation, increased income, job opportunities and reduced poverty, he added.
S&T POST 3QTR.2011
30
ReseaRCh FUndinG
DOST, intl copper org offer tech support and funding for copper use R&D
Dr. amelia guevara (seated, second from left) and mr. Victor Zhou (seated, third from left) signed the memorandum of understanding on behalf of DoSt-PcIeerD and IcaSea, respectively, for the fourth technology Program Proposal call in the Philippines. witnesses include engr. nia escorial (seated, leftmost) and engr. raul Sabularse (seated, rightmost), both of DoStPcIeerD, and (standing, left to right) Shi Jiangao, Bek chee Jin and frank gao of IcaSea, and Jessie todoc, IcaSeas country manager in the Philippines
By maRGaReTTe T. maCeda and dR. viRGinia G. novenaRio-enRiquez
S&T Media Service, PCIEERD
to the countrys economy, said Dr. amelia guevara, PcIeerD executive director. It is our hope that this mou will result in vibrant S&t activities and collaborations in the copper industry, said Dr. guevara. DoSt-PcIeerD is the countrys lead agency in the research and development of technologies in the industry and energy sectors. Proposal selection process a technical review committee, comprising evaluators from PcIeerD and IcaSea, will handle the initial technical and market review. Proposals deemed qualified for possible assistance will be appraised based on the following criteria: market impact (30%), technical feasibility (45%) and project funds allocation (25%). Shortlisted proposals will be submitted to the Ica headquarters in new york for final review. research proposals considered having the greatest potential will be provided
grants or awarded special recognitions. the proposals selected for Ica support will be announced in october 2011. Victor Zhou, Ica regional Director for china and Southeast asia, said that selected proposals will receive funding support from Ica and other assistance, including introductions to cooperating organizations. Zhou further explained that project achievements shall be solely or jointly owned by Ica and cooperating parties, according to the ratio of Ica investment. after winning, the executive team of the technical project shall sign a technical cooperation agreement with Ica, he said. a workshop was also conducted after the mou signing on the proposal submission and selection process, and proposal assessment criteria. Shi Jiangao, Director of laboratory at the east china Sea fisheries research Institute, apprised workshop participants how to successfully prepare research proposals for Ica assistance.
fIlIPIno ScIentIStS and engineers who are into research and development of copper use now have more funding opportunities through the joint effort of Department of Science and technology Philippine council for Industry, energy and emerging technology research and Development (DoSt-PcIeerD) and the International copper association (Ica). this new r&D funding opportunity was ironed out through a memorandum of understanding (mou) signed recently by DoSt-PcIeerD and the Ica Southeast asia IcaSea) at the new world hotel in makati city, which launched the fourth technology Program Proposal call in the Philippines. IcaSea represents Ica in the region. this partnership between DoSt and Ica underlines the important contribution of the mining and minerals industry
31 3QTR.2011
S&T POST
nUtRitiOn
Favorite instant meals for people on the go

By saLvadoR seRRano
S&T Media Service, FNRI
onveniently portable, quick and easy to prepare, and most of all, preservativefree and nutritious. these are exactly what people on the go want their food to be. and these innovative features can be found in Quikeats Instant meals which makes Quikeats ahead over other instant meal brands in the market today.
manufactured by five n and I food corporation under strict supervision of the Department of Science and technologys food and nutrition research Institute (DoStfnrI), Quikeats Instant rice meals are produced using fnrIs dehydrated iron-fortified rice technology. fnrI developed this iron-fortified rice technology to help address iron deficiency anemia (IDa) which is still prevalent among four out of 10 and three out of 10 pregnant and lactating women, respectively, according to DoSt-fnrIs Seventh national nutrition Survey (7th nnS) in 2008. IDa also affects two out of 10 children six months to five years old, as well as the six- to 12-year-olds. one out of ten 13- to 19-year-old teens are likewise affected by IDa, the survey results further revealed. fortifying rice with iron is a strategic nutrition intervention in helping address IDa because rice is the staple food of most filipinos. with this nutritional and marketing advantage, Quikeats initially unveiled the Pork adobo Instant rice meal last year and eventually came-up this year with Pinoy Beef Steak and Seafood Superb variants as well. Sporting slim and light-weight biodegradable boxes, the Quikeats Instant meals are easily prepared by just adding hot water to rehydrate and warm the ingredients. after ten minutes, the ingredients in pouches are mixed with the rehydrated and warm iron-fortified rice to give you your favorite instant meal on the go. Instant rice meal Pork adobo comes in a 75-gram single serving size box which packs 210 calories of energy, only 1.5 grams of total fat, 46 grams of total carbohydrates, 5 grams
S&T POST 3QTR.2011
of total protein, 520 milligrams of sodium. Six micrograms retinol equivalent (re) of vitamin a or 1 percent of the recommended energy and nutrient intakes (renI) for vitamin a, and 2 milligrams of iron, or 20 percent of the renI for iron of a person 19 years old and above. aside from dehydrated iron-fortified rice, Instant rice meal Pork adobo contains dehydrated meat, wheat protein, choice spices and condiments, modified starch, and vegetable oil. Instant rice meal Pinoy Beef Steak also weighs a net 75 grams in a single serving size box which provides 220 calories of energy, 1.5 grams total fat, 46 grams total carbohydrates, 5 grams total protein, 630 milligrams sodium, 9 micrograms re of vitamin a or 2 percent of the renI for vitamin a, and 3 milligrams of iron, or 21 percent of the renI for iron of a person 19 years old and above. In addition to dehydrated iron-fortified rice, Instant rice meal Pinoy Beef Steaks ingredients include dehydrated meat, wheat protein, choice spices, condiments and vegetable oil. Instant rice meal Seafood Superb weighs a bit lighter at a net 60 grams single serving size box but provides comparable nutrients than the other variants at 220 calories of energy, 3 grams total fat, 47 grams total carbohydrates, 4 grams total protein, 550 milligrams sodium, 1 microgram re of vitamin a, and 2 milligrams of iron, or 17 percent of the renI for iron of a person 19 years old and above.
Similarly, Instant rice meal Seafood Superb uses dehydrated iron-fortified rice. other ingredients include sesame oil, shrimp powder, dried seafood, dried vegetables, choice spices, condiments, and annatto powder as color enhancer. Quikeats Instant rice meals are ideal for busy people who usually do not have time to prepare food or sneak out of the office or school to grab a bite to quickly satisfy that hunger in between deadlines. these are also perfect for people who travel a lot, health buffs and sports enthusiasts who go on camping, mountain climbing or any outdoor activity, and for those who simply want a quick meal to go. Quikeats Instant rice meals are now available initially in selected convenience stores and supermarkets in metro manila, but the five n and I food corporation plans to distribute to provincial outlets soon. Suggested introductory retail price is P35.50, which is reasonable considering the nutritional value and convenient features of the product. Interested buyers or distributors may contact mr. noel lim at telephone numbers: (02) 355-7237 and 542-1335; telefax: (02) 936-2588; email: fnifoodcorp@gamil.com. For any other inquiries on food and nutrition, contact Dr. Mario V. Capanzana, FNRI Director, at telephone numbers: (02) 8372934 and 839-1839 (direct lines); 837-3164 (telefax); mvc@fnri.dost.gov.ph, mar_v_c@ yahoo.com; or visit our website at http:// www.fnri.dost.gov.ph.
32
news in PhOtO
President Benigno S. Aquino III is being briefed by DOST Secretary Mario G. Montejo and PCAMRD Director Cesario Pagdilao (lower center) on an ongoing coral reef restoration project during the opening ceremonies of the 2011 National Science and Technology Week at the SMX Convention Center. Pres. Aquino was the 2011 NSTWs Guest of Honor and Keynote Speaker. At far left is DOST Undersecretary Fortunato de la Pena, the overall head of the 2011 NSTW Steering Committee. (Photo by Gerardo G. Palad, s&T Media service)
Department of Science and Technology Secretary Mario G. Montejo (center) shares a light moment during the Kapihan sa Diamond Hotel in Manila. Secretary Montejo stressed that the government broadband network will enhance and improve the governments delivery of important social services to the people. Also in photo are veteran broadcaster Jimmy Gil (Left) and veteran journalist Rolly Estabillo. (Photo by Joy M. Lazcano, s&T Media service)
DOST Region 9 Director Brenda Nazareth-Manzano (left, holding microphone) poses a question to ITDI Director Nuna E. Almanzor (right) about the status of OL trap distribution during the Dengue Summit held at the DOST Executive Lounge. Also in picture are DOST Region 11 Director Anthony Sales (center) and STII Director Raymund E. Liboro (center right). The Dengue Summit seeks to bring the agencies under the Department of Science and Technology toward a common course of action to fight and reduce the incidence of this mosquito-borne disease, now a national public health issue. (Photo by Alan Taule, s&T Media service)
The DOST-developed OvicidalLarvicidal (OL) Trap was launched during the NSTW 2011 Regional Celebrations themed Nasa Siyensya ang Pag-asa in General Santos City on 11 August 2011. With OL Trap, the region hopes to curb the rising incidence of dengue cases. Shown in photo are (L-R) DOST Undersecretary Carol M. Yorobe, Mindanao Development Authority Secretary Luwalhati R. Antonino, DOST-ITDI Director Nuna E. Almanzor, DOST Region 12 Director Zenaida P. Hadji Raof Laidan, DOST Region 12 staff, and DOST Undersecretary Fortunato T. Dela Pea. (Photo by DOsT-12)
33

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A publication of the Department of Science and Technology

SCIENCE and TECHNOLOGY

VOL. XXIX No. 3

THIRD QUARTER 2011

With PST, Filipino time is Juan time!

S&T information on the aggressive

SCIENCE and TECHNOLOGY

JUL AUG SEP

S&T POST 3QTR.2011

whats whats inside? inside?

11 Brown rice shelf-life can now extend to six months

16 -17 Expo Science 2011

from the regions

Suman sa lihiya unwraps sweet success

Montejo wants expansion of IT-BPO industry to next-wave cities and towns

STII develops DOST STARBOOKS, the first science digital library in PH

S&T POST 3QTR.2011

whats whats COOL? COOL?

DOST energy audit members now AEMAS certified

Benchmarking innovation survey in the Philippines

DoSt undersecretary fortunato t. de la Pea

S&T POST 3QTR.2011

Secretary Montejo lauds IAEAs decisive action in Fukushima incident

DOST Secretary Montejo at the 55th IAEA General Conference

Juan Time syncs time pieces with PST

S&T POST 3QTR.2011

hits hits UPdate UPdate

DOSTs OL Trap sites show decrease in dengue cases

DOST to provide mosquito traps to all classrooms

S&T POST 3QTR.2011

DOST family united in fighting dengue

DOST wants regional champs for anti-dengue campaign

S&T POST 3QTR.2011

hits hits UPdate UPdate

Mass railway trans

DOST IV-A, DOH roll out 2nd batch of dengue kits

sit system breaks ground in UP-Diliman

DOST research extends brown rice shelf-life to six months

S&T POST 3QTR.2011

DOST-PTRIs Philippine textiles weaves its way into

New York Fashion

S&T Media Service, PTRI

S&T POST 3QTR.2011

Valenzuela studes ace S&T quiz bee

sPeCiaL sPeCiaL RePORt RePORt

Clay binds and kills re

ed tide, study shows

sPeCiaL sPeCiaL RePORt RePORt

The Lantapan Experience:

Conserving and managing natural resources through participatory R&D

S&T POST 3QTR.2011

sPeCiaL sPeCiaL RePORt RePORt

S&T POST 3QTR.2011

DOST awards best inventions in Region 8

Industry, energy R&D focus in EV

S&T POST 3QTR.2011

NSTW 2011 at its best in Magandang Gensan

DOST 10 labs expand services, offer shelf-life testing

S&T POST 3QTR.2011

Gusa Regional Sci HS, MSU studes shine at the RICE 10

Suman sa lihiya unwraps sweet success

A promising venture for entrepreneurs