The Department of Science and Technology (DOST)-Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon) unveiled Monday, Oct. 11, five new projects that will help the country cope up with the new normal in food processing, food security, and agricultural production and extension.
The launch of five projects was held during the opening ceremony of 2021 Regional Science and Technology Week (RSTW) in Calabarzon on Monday.
DOST-Calabarzon Officer-in-Charge Regional Director Emelita P. Bagsit bared the new projects in the region.
These are the following:
-DOST Technology in the Region for Upscaling of Community Knowledge (DOSTRUCK);
-Calabarzon Food Solutions Hub (CFOSH) Vacuum Freeze Drying Facilities;
-Gulayan sa Pamayanan Project with Caritas Manila, Inc.
-Development of Field-Test Kit for Detection of Methanol Contamination in Alcoholic Beverages project; and
-Technology Piloting of a Tissue Culture Growth Chamber for Mass Propagation of Coffee and Embryo-Cultured Makapuno (ECM) project
Bagsit said DOSTRUCK, a joint initiative between DOST-Calabarzon and the DOST-Metals Industry Research and Development Center (MIRDC), is a deployable food processing hub that can cater to micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and capacitate to become food safety compliant.
DOSTRUCK is expected to provide MSMEs a temporary food safety-compliant facility.
“Para sa aming pilot testing, ang DOSTRUCK ay patatakbuhin ng LGU-Magallanes, Cavite na gagabayan sa teknikal na aspeto ng Cavite State University (For our pilot testing, DOSTRUCK will be run by LGU-Magallanes, Cavite who will be guided on the technical aspects by the Cavite State University),” Bagsit said.
The second project is the provision of a vacuum freeze dryer to the Calabarzon Food Solutions Hub or CFOSH.
CFOSH is a beneficiary of the Shared Service Facility (SSF) program of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) IV-A, in partnership with Association of the Laguna Food Processors Inc. (ALAFOP), Laguna State Polytechnic University (LSPU), and DOST-Calabarzon.
Bagsit said the project seeks to strengthen CFOSH’s capacity to assist food processing companies to develop innovative food products.
Another featured project is Gulayan sa Pamayanan Project with Caritas Manila Inc., which is related to DOST-Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development’s (PCAARRD) GALING-PCAARRD Kontra COVID-19 Program.
The project “aims to rehabilitate the three existing greenhouse facilities in the Bukid Kabataan Center through the adoption of CLSU hydroponics technology, as an intensive vegetable gardening system,” DOST Secretary Fortunato “Boy” T. de la Peña noted.
In his keynote message, de la Peña commended the DOST-Calabarzon for being one of the agency’s innovative regional offices.
He said DOST-Calabarzon has been known in leading and implementing several breakthrough projects such as Makapuno Island Project, RxBox 1000, DARIUS (Development of Data Analytics-Ready Info Unified System), and Food Safety Human Resource Development Program.
“Let this Regional Science and Technology Week celebration be a venue where we can build and nurture partnerships among our stakeholders, along with government agencies towards improving the lives of the people in the region,” the DOST chief said in closing.