DOST to scholars: Help improve PH export

PALO, Leyte, Sept. 20  -- The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) urged their scholars to contribute in improving the country’s economy, noting that Philippines lags behind in export earnings compared to neighboring Asian countries.

Speaking to 40 scholars who graduated with honors during the awarding event Tuesday night at the Oriental Hotel here, DOST Secretary Fortunato de la Peña said scholars should  make technology work to improve local products and cope up with the ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) integration.

The integration establishes a common market that dramatically reduced tariffs and non-tariff barriers across ASEAN member countries. This resulted in the freer movement of goods, services, investment, skilled labor and capital.

Citing latest figures, De la Peña said the country is left way behind in terms of total export value.

The 2016 report showed the country’s total shipped product value was pegged at USD56 billion. 

Although the country has vast land for farming, only USD5 billion or nine percent from the total was earned from agriculture.

“The country’s total export is just the same as the value of shipped farm products by Thailand. This is a very big challenge to us. I’m sure our scholars can contribute to increase our export,” de la Peña told the new graduates.

Other neighbors showed higher export earnings such as Thailand (USD250 billion), Malaysia (USD176 billion), Vietnam (USD170 billion), and Indonesia (USD144 billion). The share of farm products in the export earning is as high as 24 percent in these countries.

The report prompted De la Peña to ask new graduates to invest their time to help improve agricultural output through application of science and technology.

DOST scholar-graduates are required to render service in the country preferably along various fields of specialization on a full-time basis for a minimum period equivalent to the length of their scholarship.

Republic Act No. 7687, also known as the “Science and Technology Scholarship Act of 1994”, provides scholarships to talented and deserving students whose families’ socio-economic status does not exceed the set cut-off values of certain indicators.

Qualifiers must pursue priority fields of study in the basic sciences, engineering, other applied sciences, and science and mathematics.

The DOST Merit Scholarship Program is awarded to students with high aptitude in science and mathematics and are willing to pursue careers in the fields of science and technology.

Qualified students enroll in state universities and colleges and Commission on Higher Education (CHED) center of excellence schools.

The awards night is part of the Regional Science and Technology Week (RSTW) celebration from Sept. 19 to 21, 2017.

The DOST in the region is putting a “mass appeal” into this year’s RSTW with the theme “Science for the People.”

The event highlights technology investment forum, science and technology services, technology-aided entrepreneurship and the invention contest and exhibits to show the public how science and technology can better the lives of everyone.

“President Rodrigo Duterte has been emphasizing the need to reduce inequality. The fastest way to achieve inclusive growth is through application of science and technology especially in poor regions like Eastern Visayas,” said De la Peña during the opening program on Tuesday of the week-long celebration at Robinsons Place here.

One of the programs is the Small Enterprise Technology Upgrading Program that assisted about 250 small and medium entrepreneurs (SMEs) in Eastern Visayas this year.

The program encourages and assists SMEs to adopt technology innovations to improve operations and boost their productivity and competitiveness.

DOST Regional Director Edgardo Esperancilla said one of the highlights of the celebration is the showcase of technologies that would make life easier for every Filipino.

“We strengthen our resolve to serve the people by making them understand and appreciate the importance of science and technology in improving the quality of life. We would like to ensure the science and technology and innovation works to the people towards more inclusive socioeconomic development for the country,” Esperancilla said.

Esperancilla added that they have already touched base with the community promoting entrepreneurship and integrating science and technology to help increase and improve production and identified products in the region.

The celebration likewise features the Regional Invention Contest and Exhibits (RICE), a nationwide activity conducted in different regions to recognize the indispensability of the Filipino inventors in the Philippine society and in the landscape of national economic development.

The invention contest, with 77 participants, encourages inventors to use their inventive capability by competing for cash rewards.

Entries this year compete in six categories that include Outstanding Invention (Tuklas Award); 

Outstanding Utility Model, Outstanding Industrial Design, Outstanding Creative Research (Likha Award) and Outstanding Creative Research (Sibol Award) for high school and college students.

RICE aims to recognize the contribution of science and technology in the development of the country and garner support from the public and private institutions for its sustainable development.

Among the activities lined up for the RSTW are technology investment forums on technologies, product packaging, label and design forum, technology exhibits, judging of RICE entries, SETUP forums and awarding ceremony. (SQM/ACR/with reports from Pearl Marie Ecaldre & Ma. Myrelle Montallana, OJT/PNA)