MANILA — The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) featured 40 research projects made by the University of the Philippines (UP) in the first staging of “Aghambayan”, a networking platform for researchers, at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) in Pasay City on Wednesday.
Aside from panel discussions and technology demonstrations, an exhibit of the UP System’s scientific works was mounted at the event.
DOST Secretary Fortunato Dela Peña told the Philippine News Agency (PNA) that UP is the biggest recipient of the agency’s research project grants.
“About 50 percent of our research grants went to UP,” he said.
The DOST chief said the event aimed to let the public know about these research projects that have national impact.
The first “Aghambayan” featured technologies developed by UP. Some of these are ready for commercialization, and also those that are for pilot testing.
“Most of these are for commercialization. These cater to health, agriculture industries, etc. Some of the projects have already been rolled out by the government,” Dela Peña said.
The event was attended by representatives from government agencies, the academe, technology entrepreneurs, start-ups, and investors.
Dela Peña said “Aghambayan” will be held yearly, depending on the number of research projects that UP could produce within the year.
He said the DOST might stage similar science festivals but with other partner institutions or universities.
Meanwhile, Dela Peña noted that the DOST is encouraging researchers to show the DOST the benefits of their works, so they could get funding support.
“They must be able to show us the benefits of their products, who are the possible partners, the number of people in human resource development, the intellectual property that their works could generate, among others,” he explained.
He also reiterated that the DOST does not limit the funding that it would provide to researchers, as long as they could justify the nature of their expenses. (Ma. Cristina Arayata/PNA)
