DOST Officials with Senator Miguel Zubiri and other dignitaries during the closing ceremony of the 2024 Philippine Textile Congress at Luxe Hotel, Cagayan de Oro. (Photo by DOST Media Service)
Academic researchers, scientists, and industry experts gathered for the closing ceremony of the 2024 Philippine Textile Congress, themed “Fostering Transdisciplinary Textile Knowledge Generation and Translation,” held on November 29, 2024, at Luxe Hotel, Cagayan de Oro City.
The 2024 Philippine Textile Congress served as a premier platform uniting experts from various disciplines to promote mutual exchange and learning, shaping a forward-looking future for the Philippine textile industry.
One of the keynote lecturers was former DOST secretary and National Academy of Science and Technology Academician William G. Padolina, who shared insights on PAGTANAW 2050: The Philippine Science, Technology, and Innovation Foresight. This document illustrates a strategic path by anticipating factors that will influence the development of the Philippines’ scientific capital in the years leading up to 2050.
Academician Padolina emphasized that PAGTANAW 2050 confronts the archipelagic and maritime attributes of the country, which have long been overlooked. He further discussed the crucial role of science and technology as a provisioning system, bridging biophysical inputs and social outcomes.
After identifying local conditions, he outlined recommendations for progress, such as reinforcing the recruitment of knowledge workers, accelerating reforms, aligning institutional deliverables, and prioritizing research and development investments, among others.
The event was also graced by Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri, who echoed the importance of science and technology during his speech.
“That is always the goal of any strand of science—to move us forward while rooting innovation in the context of our reality,” affirmed Zubiri. “If the arts and culture are the soul of the nation, I believe that research and development is its beating heart.”
Meanwhile, Dr. Julius L. Leaño, Director of DOST-PTRI, provided a synthesis of the congress, highlighting the Philippine textile industry’s strength in integrating various sectors and areas of expertise. The event featured 14 sessions covering diverse topics such as textile material processing, textile education and training, apparel design, digitalization, and more.
Looking ahead, the 2025 Philippine Textile Congress will be held in May 2025. The theme will be “Championing an Inclusive Circular Textile Innovation Ecosystem,” focusing on the role of circularity in textile science, engineering, design, and art in building a sustainable future across all layers of the industry.
The closing ceremony of the 2024 Philippine Textile Congress was part of this year’s National Science, Technology, and Innovation Week, held from November 27 to December 1, 2024, in Cagayan de Oro City. (By Kesha Shua V. Leosala, DOST-STII)
