Someday, each Department of Science and Technology (DOST) agency will have an information kiosk containing information on all basic DOST services. At the same time, an online one-stop portal will be available where services offered by all DOST agencies will be searchable.  Plus, guidebooks, directories, brochures, and maps will be available as well.

With all these tools, DOST information officers and the rest of the workforce will be more responsive and accurate when responding to inquiries about DOST services  whether or not the inquiry is about their own agency’s products and services.

The quick response is expected to lead to a higher level of client satisfaction and trust for DOST.

A group of Master of Science Development Communication students from University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB) actually had this as the goal as they worked on a project for their DevC  2018 class on “Communication Approaches in Development Programs.” The group comprises DOST information officers on scholarship under the DOST-Human Resource Development Program off-campus program.

Composed of Salvador R. Serrano (team leader, FNRI), Haziel May C. Natorilla (STII); Ullyann C. Garcia (PCHRD;, Charyl C. Apuyan (NAST); Mary Charlotte O. Fresco, George Robert E. Valencia III , and Ma. Estrella B. Valle (NRCP); and Ana Ciaren H. Itulid (PCHRD), the group launched a communication campaign for this project dubbed “DOST InfoSerbilis” last December 12, 2016 at the Philippine Science Heritage Center auditorium in Bicutan, Taguig City.

DOST InfoSerbilis aims to gather support from the entire DOST community in raising the level of awareness and basic knowledge of all employees on all DOST agencies’ services.

Basically, it envisions a unified information delivery service via various strategies such as an interactive information kiosk at every agency; an online one-stop portal; the development of print materials such as a general guidebook, directories, brochures, and maps; and video tutorials, among others.  

DOST’s Science and Technology Information Institute (STII), through Information Resources and Analysis Division Chief Alan V. Taule, declared its support for InfoSerbilis which is aligned with the proposed new tagline for DOST-- “Communicating Science for the People.”

During the launch, the students turned over InfoSerbilis’ policy brief to Taule who represented STII Director Richard P. Burgos.

“I am certain that many, if not all, DOST agencies have their own respective initiatives to highlight the importance of science to the Filipino public. So I feel that the time is right for us to harmonize and converge these efforts into a comprehensive package,” Taule said in his message.

“We need knowledge workers,” he added. “The important thing here is knowledge at the moment of value. So we must be organizationally able to deliver such services.”

UPLB College of Development Communication Dean Dr. Ma Theresa Velasco also delivered a message while team leader Salvador R. Serrano explained the concept of DOST InfoSerbilis.

Capping the program was the announcement of the InfoSerbilis Online Quiz winners. They are Melissa Bulao (PCHRD), Roselle Martonito (PCHRD), Carla San Diego (PCHRD), Abbie Padrones (FNRI), Erwin Don Racasa (NRCP), Nico Parungao (PCHRD), John Apolinario (DOST Zamboanga), Erika Barias (NAST), Sab Elechosa (PCHRD), Morris Pioquinto (MIRDC), May Ann Devanadera-Gironella (FNRI), Vannizsa Ibañez (FNRI),  Jose Gepanaga (PCHRD), Hazel Tolentino (FNRI), and Sheila Punzalan  (PCHRD).


UPLB College of Development Communication Dean Dr. Ma Theresa Velasco


Velasco and the MS DevCom students under the DOST-HRDP scholarship during the turnover of the InfoSerbilis policy brief to to Alan V. Taule, chief of DOST-STII’s information resources and analysis division (Photos by Henry A. de Leon, S&T Media Service, DOST-STII)