The Department of Science and Technology Regional Office VI is now accepting local inventions and research entries for the coming 2013 Regional Invention Contest and Exhibits (RICE) to be held September 2-6, 2013.

The RICE is a biennial invention contest for students and professional inventors that puts the spotlight on various home grown talents in the field of science research and inventions. The event is organized by DOST Regional Offices in cooperation with the Technology Application and Promotion Institute.

The 2013 RICE Region VI leg will be held in Iloilo City and is expected to bring many invention enthusiasts to show their wares and compete for the honor of being the region’s best in their respective categories.

This initiative supports the development of science research and inventions from the grassroots to help produce a very competitive pool of inventors and researchers who are capable of developing practical applications that spur national economic development.

The invention contest will feature categories on Creative Research (Likha Award), Student Creative Research for High School (Sibol Award), and Student Creative Research for College (Sibol Award).

Winners in the Iloilo leg of the 2013 RICE will advance to represent the region during the national invention contest next year.

Just last year, Ydsan France Dungon of Negros Occidental National Science High School bagged the Sibol Award for High School with his research “Manually Operated Extruder Machine: Prototype in Making Leaf Briquettes”. He also placed second during the National Inventions Contests and Exhibits.

Meanwhile, DOST Secretary Mario Montejo urges more students to participate and develop smarter science research and inventions that spur economic development and improve the quality of life in the country.