The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) - MIMAROPA Regional Office announces the first qualifiers for the national level competitions for researchers and inventors set for 2014, as entries from Romblon, Occidental and Oriental Mindoro emerged as winners of the 2nd Regional Invention Contest and Exhibits (RICE) for MIMAROPA last April 17, 2013 at the Filipiniana Hotel in Calapan City, Oriental Mindoro.

RICE-MIMAROPA is a project of DOST thru its attached agency, the Technology Application and Promotion Institute (TAPI) and DOST-MIMAROPA in cooperation with the Provincial Government of Oriental Mindoro, Local Government Unit of Calapan City, and Mindoro State College of Agriculture and Technology (MinSCAT).

Copping the top prizes were: Veronica Pasion of Occidental Mindoro State College for her flavored salted egg products as Most Outstanding Utility Model, Engr. Orley Fadriquel of Romblon State University for his versatile Tigergrass Pollen Remover con Woodworking Machine as Most Outstanding Creative Research or LIKHA Award, Aira C. Antonio of Bansud National High School – Regional Science High School for MIMAROPA for her innovative RubBush Pusher with features that are useful for car suspension system maintenance as Most Outstanding Student Creative Research for High School, and Chrisna Alla Aira B. Busto of Occidental Mindoro State College for her entry, Varying Levels of Fermented Nami Extracts as Organic Insecticide on Rice Bugs, as Most Outstanding Student Creative Research for College. The last two student winners fall under the SIBOL Award for both high school and college categories.

The RICE - MIMAROPA leg, which opened on April 16 in Oriental Mindoro’s capital city, kickstarted the 2013 edition of the competition in various regions of the Philippines – a ramp-up to the national level contest of inventions to be held during the 2014 National Science and Technology Week, a major S&T activity in the country.

With the theme “Inventions and Innovations for a Smarter Philippines,” RICE aims to generate appreciation of local inventions especially those for practical use in daily living and thus have the potential for commercialization. On a larger scale, the event also seeks to discover world-class inventions which the Philippines can be proud of and can penetrate the international market.

“(The) government is here to assist you, but you have to come up with world-class products which can be winners and compete on the global stage,” said DOST Assistant Secretary and concurrently Science and Technology Information Institute (STII) Director Raymund Liboro during the opening ceremony. Asst. Secretary Liboro exhorted the participants to adopt a forward-thinking approach as researchers and inventors in order to produce high-impact inventions good enough for the global market. STII is DOST’s information and communication arm.

Dir. Liboro stressed that DOST is presently moving toward fresh directions which other sectors haven’t explored. In particular, the Department is now focusing its efforts on innovating for the poor such as tapping biodiversity to foster technological innovations for health initiatives such as lagundi-based medicines.

He emphasized, however, that government cannot do this alone. Instead, the innovation ecosystem, composed of the government, the private sector, and the academe, should join hands to assist and direct this innovation process – from the idea phase to the market phase of the product.

TAPI Invention Development Division Chief Dr. George M. Colorado echoed Dir. Liboro’s statements as he emphasized the need to intensify the country’s science and technology activities. “Technology is one single input which does not depreciate, no matter where you use it, whether in agriculture or any other sector. And this is what DOST is emphasizing,” Dr. Colorado remarked.

The winners, who received cash prizes among others, bested entries from other schools and universities in the MIMAROPA region which is composed of Mindoro Oriental and Occidental, Marinduque, Romblon, and Palawan. They will represent MIMAROPA in the national championship in 2014.

2nd REGIONAL INVENTION CONTEST AND EXHIBITION IN MIMAROPA. The ceremonial cutting of the ribbon for the 2nd Regional Invention Contest and Exhibition in Calapan City, Oriental Mindoro officially opened the MIMAROPA leg of the annual event leading to the national competitions set for 2014 during the National Science and Technology Week. Participating in the ceremony are (from left): Dr. Marfeo E. Marasigan, executive assistant of the Provincial Government of Oriental Mindoro; Dr. Teoticia C. Taguibao. regional director of the Commission on Higher Education-MIMAROPA; Raymund E. Liboro, DOST assistant secretary and director of the DOST-Science and Technology Information Institute; and Dr. Ma. Josefina P. Abilay, regional director of DOST-MIMAROPA. The competition cum exhibition, which ran from April 16-17, 2013, attracted the participation of high school and university students, researchers, as well as startup and professional inventors. (Photo by Gerry Palad, S&T Media Service, DOST-STII)

FLAVORED SALTED EGGS AS BEST UTILITY MODEL. The salted egg industry may be in for a heavy boost with the utility model developed by Veronica Pasion (2nd from left) of Occidental Mindoro State College, shown here receiving a Certificate of Recognition from Department of Science and Technology (DOST) -MIMAROPA Regional Director Dr. Josefina P. Abilay. Pasion’s pioneering multi-flavored salted egg products were judged Most Outstanding Utility Model during the 2nd Regional Invention Contest and Exhibits (RICE) - MIMAROPA held in Calapan City, Oriental Mindoro from April 16-17, 2013. Developed using brine mixtures of herbs, spices, and various flavors, the eggs are delicious, hygienic, and free from artificial coloring, Also in photo are DOST-Oriental Mindoro Provincial Science and Technology Director Jesse Pine (far left) and Technology Application and Promotion Institute (TAPI) Invention Development Division Chief Dr. George M. Colorado (far right) among others. TAPI is an attached agency of DOST. Not in photo is Engr. Orley Fadriquel of Romblon State University whose Tigergrass Pollen Remover con Wood Working Machine was chosen as Most Outstanding Creative Research, also called the LIKHA Award. It is a portable, affordable, safe and health-friendly machine for mechanized production and processing of soft brooms made from tiger grass. This innovation will improve the quality of soft broom handles in Romblon and allow tiger grass production to generate P 3.6 M – P7.3 M in annual revenues. (Text by Angelica A. de Leon, Photo by Gerry Palad, S&T Media Service, DOST-STII)

Pasion (left) shows off her flavored salted egg creations at her booth during the 2nd RICE-MIMAROPA in Calapan City, Oriental Mindoro. (Photo by Teddy Amante, S&T Media Service, DOST-STII).

Among the uniquely interesting salted egg flavors available are adobo and honey. (Photo by Gerry Palad, S&T Media Service, DOST-STII)

CAR MAINTENANCE DEVICE IS BEST STUDENT CREATIVE RESEARCH FOR HS. Aira C. Antonio (3rd from right) of Bansud National High School – Regional Science High School for MIMAROPA receives a Certificate of Recognition from Department of Science and Technology (DOST)-MIMAROPA Regional Director Dr. Josefina P. Abilay, for her research work on the RubBush Pusher, an innovative device which aims to replace the environmentally harmful acetylene torch as a tool in the removal and installation of rubber bushing in vehicles. The RubBush Pusher is more economical and lessens time spent removing the worn-out rubber bushing and installing a new one, thus improving car systems maintenance processes. The device won for Antonio the Most Outstanding Student Creative Research for High School award, or the SIBOL Award during the 2nd Regional Invention Contest and Exhibits (RICE) – MIMAROPA, held from April 16-17, 2013 in Calapan City, Oriental Mindoro. Also in photo are DOST-Oriental Mindoro Provincial Science and Technology Director Jesse Pine (far left), Runner-up Marionne Vida A. Rodil (4th from right), and Technology Application and Promotion Institute (TAPI) Invention Development Division Chief Dr. George M. Colorado (far right), among others. TAPI is an attached agency of DOST. (Text by Angelica A. de Leon; Photo by Gerry Palad, S&T Media Service, DOST-STII)

Scrap metals and other materials needed in making the RubBush Pusher. (Photo by Teddy Amante, S&T Media Service, DOST-STII)

INSECTICIDE VERSUS RICE BUGS IS BEST STUDENT CREATIVE RESEARCH FOR COLLEGE. An environmentally safe insecticide which effectively eliminates rice bugs – deadly pests that significantly affect farmers’ productivity and rice yield – may be in the works soon as Occidental Mindoro State College’s Chrisna Alla Aina B. Busto (4th from left) grabs the top prize for Most Outstanding Student Creative Research for College, also called the SIBOL Award, for her entry. Titled “Varying Levels of Fermented Nami Extracts as Organic Insecticide on Rice Bugs,” her research study emphasizes the benefits of nami extracts as organic insecticides over chemical insecticides, popularly used by today’s farmers but are detrimental to the environment. Shown in photo is grand prize winner Busto as she receives her Certificate of Recognition from Department of Science and Technology (DOST) -MIMAROPA Regional Director Dr. Josefina P. Abilay, during the 2nd Regional Invention Contest and Exhibits (RICE) - MIMAROPA held in Calapan City, Oriental Mindoro from April 16-17, 2013. With them are DOST-Oriental Mindoro Provincial Science and Technology Director Jesse Pine (far left), Veronica Pasion (2nd from left) whose flavoured salted eggs won as Most Outstanding Utility Model, and DOST’s Technology Application and Promotion Institute (TAPI) Invention Development Division Chief Dr. George M. Colorado (2nd from right), among others. (Photo by Gerry Palad /Text by Angelica A. de Leon, S&T Media Service, DOST-STII)

Fermented nami extracts in 250, 500, and 750 ml, on exhibit during the 2nd RICE-MIMAROPA from April 16-17, 2013 in Calapan City, Oriental Mindoro. (Photo by Teddy Amante, S&T Media Service, DOST-STII)