Batac City, Ilocos Norte --- Ilocos folks are now in for a weeklong showcase of Ilocandia’s finest in science and technology as the Department of Science and Technology kicked off the regional celebration of the 2012 National Science and Technology Week (NSTW) July 30 at the Teatro Ilocandia of the Mariano Marcos State University in this city.
“The NSTW highlights the Filipino’s competitiveness, creativity, and ingenuity through DOST’s intervention,” Science Secretary Mario Montejo said in a speech delivered for him by Asst. Sec. Maria Lourdes Orijola.
Students and other guests, some even coming from Vigan City and other towns from nearby Ilocos Sur, eagerly viewed the exhibits of DOST agencies and partner institutions, inquiring on matters of their interest.
At the opening program, provincial administrator Atty Wendel Chua, speaking in behalf of Gov. Imee Marcos, stressed the importance of science and technology in sustainable development as observed in developed nations such as in European countries and Japan. The holding of the NSTW in Batac is then a very welcome event for Ilocos Norte, he said.
“Let us raise the flag of Ilocandia,” Atty. Chua encouraged the crowd composed mostly of locals and DOST personnel from Regions 1, 2, and CAR, the main participants in the event.
The technology forum in the afternoon featured the DOST-Food and Nutrition Research Institute’s technologies on lengthening the shelf life of brown rice and the development of complementary foods for babies 6-35 months old. Brown rice normally lasts only for six months before getting rancid because of the breakdown of its fatty acid content. With FNRI’s technology, brown rice can be made more accessible, available, and affordable to more people, thus reducing the demand for the more expensive but less nutritious well-milled white rice.
Meanwhile, complementary foods for babies are designed to provide more nutrients, particularly energy and protein, to kids just weaned from breast milk. At this age, kids are prone to malnutrition because of unhealthy food commonly fed to them.
The 2012 National Science and Technology Week at the Mariano Marcos State University in Batac, La will run July 30-August 3 featuring the latest locally developed technologies and other science and technology developments in the country. The weeklong technology fair formally opens with the ribbon cutting ceremony led by DOST Asst. Secretary for Technology Transfer Ma. Lourdes Orijola (in red, second from right) and MMSU President Miriam Pascua (in blue, third from left). Others in photo are (L-R) DOST Region 2 Director Urduja Tejada, DOST Region 1 Director Elsa Chan, Ilocos Norte Provincial Administrator Wendel Chua, DOST-Technology Application and Promotion Institute Director Edgar Garcia, DOST Mimaropa Director Josepine Abilay, DOST- Phil. Council for Industry, Energy, and Emerging Technology Research and Development Director Rowena Cristina Guevara, and Batac City Councilor Florencio Laud. (Photos by Arjay Escondo, S&T Media Service)
Schedule of DOST technologies for discussion can be accessed at http://region1.dost.gov.ph. Meanwhile, the weeklong schedule of the 2012 NSTW for Northern Luzon Cluster can be viewed at nstw.dost.gov.ph. Photos of the opening day activities are available at https://www.facebook.com/dost.stii .
The annual NSTW is DOST’s venue in showcasing the local science community’s research and development, as well as technology, outputs and raising the awareness and appreciation of the public for science and technology. It is also designed to make researchers, scientists, and investors interact for technology transfer and commercialization, making S&T outputs usable and accessible to people.(Framelia V. Anonas, S&T Media Service)
