High school and college students in ten campuses of Capiz State University (CAPSU) in Roxas City, Capiz in Region VI can now perform science research work more conveniently with the formal turnover of 35 STARBOOKS units by the Department of Science and Technology-Science and Technology Information Institute (DOST-STII) at the CAPSU Main Campus in Roxas City recently.

The ten CAPSU campuses now equipped with STARBOOKS units are the main campus in Roxas City, Burias, Dumarao, Sigma, Pilar, Pontevedra, Mambusao, Dayao, Sapian, and Tapaz campuses.

A project of STII, STARBOOKS or Science and Technology Academic and Research-Based Openly Operated Kiosk Station, is a user-friendly digital library of science and technology (S&T) information which may be accessed without Internet connection. It is the first science digital library in the Philippines, containing S&T materials in text, video and audio formats from local and international sources including Britannica Ultimate Encyclopedia.

Expressing the need to support S&T projects in all endeavours of society during the turnover rites, DOST Region VI Director Engr. Rowen Gelonga revealed the latest findings of the Global Competitiveness Index wherein the Philippines ranked 52nd out of 144 countries. In 2010, the country posted a ranking of 85th.
“Despite the significant leap forward, we still have a lot of catching up to do,” Dir. Gelonga stated.  

S&T is seen as a major driver of productivity and prosperity for a country to move forward and be more competitive.

According to Dir. Gelonga, DOST is trying to help the Department of Education and the Commission on Higher Education in efforts to boost education and human resource development in the field of S&T via STARBOOKS.

“STARBOOKS is not just an IT component,” emphasized Dir. Gelonga. “In the long term, we expect CAPSU to be able to contribute to our knowledge holdings in STARBOOKS.” He explained that instead of being a mere user, CAPSUwill also get to contribute its own cache of knowledge to the vast database already available in STARBOOKS.

“This can help our students and also our LGUs, particularly those in the field of S&T. We hope to make the best out of what we have today,” said Capiz State University President III Dr. Editha L. Magallanes in her welcome remarks.

Likewise, a total of 50 hard disk drives  containing STARBOOKS were also turned over to Region VI for deployment to select schools as part of DOST-VI’s tie-up project with CAPSU that seeks to deploy a total of 155 hard disks equipped with the digital S&T library among Yolanda-hit areas in Regions VI, VII, and VIII. CAPSU is among 10 other schools in Capiz identified by the Provincial Science and Technology Center as beneficiaries in the region.

Aside from Dir. Gelonga and Dr.Magallanes, signatories for the Memorandum of Understanding for both STARBOOKS and disk deployment were STII OIC  Raymund E. Liboro (represented by STARBOOKS Admin Coordinator Robelyn Cruz),  Department of Education-Capiz Schools Division Superintendent Dr. Miguel Mac Aposin, and DOST-Capiz Provincial S&T Director Engr. Gerbe B. Dellava.

The signing was followed by a STARBOOKS orientation and training session for the attendees composed of  campus administrators and library personnel from the 10 CAPSU campuses.

Also available in STARBOOKS are DOSTkarte livelihood videos, journals, and investigatory materials.  STARBOOKS is also a useful tool for scientists, technopreneurs, and other S&T professionals. Aside from academic institutions, government offices, NGOs, and LGUs across the Philippines’ 17 regions, are now designated STARBOOKS sites.

Meanwhile, the distribution of hard disks in Region VI is the first phase in the three-region deployment of 155 disks.

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STARBOOKS FOR REGION VI SCHOOLS | Department of Science and Technology (DOST)-Region VI Director Engr. Rowen  Gelonga (middle) receives one of 50 hard disk drives from Robelyn Cruz, science research specialist II from DOST’s Science and Technology Information Institute (DOST-STII) during the formal  turnover held at the Capiz State University (CAPSU) in Roxas City, Capiz. The disks contain STARBOOKS (Science and Technology Academic and Research-Based Openly Operated Kiosk Station), a user-friendly digital library of science and technology (S&T) information which may be accessed without Internet connection. A project of DOST-STII, STARBOOKS is the first science digital library in the Philippines. The initiative, part of a STII’s collaboration with DOST-VI and CAPSU, aims to distribute a total of 155 disks pre-installed with STARBOOKS materials. The disks will be deployed to Yolanda-hit areas in Regions VI, VII, and VIII. CAPSU is one of 10 schools in Capiz identified as program beneficiary in Region VI which was the first stop in the three–region deployment of disks.  Photo also shows DOST-Capiz Provincial S&T Director Engr. Gerbe B. Dellava.  (Text and photo by Espie Angelica A. de Leon, S&T Media Service, DOST-STII)