Month: April 2019

April. 24, 2019

Three technologies from the Department of Science and Technology-Industrial Technology Development Institute (DOST-ITDI) were handed over to the Maranao People Development Center, Inc. (MARADECA, Inc.) for the livelihood and development of the Marawi siege victims on April 10-11, 2019 at the Provincial Capitol, Marawi City.

One of the technologies was the Essential Oil Extractor which extracts essential oils from Citronella Grass and other plant materials that are abundant in Marawi City.

Essential oils are the aroma-giving constituents of aromatic plants. These oils are water-insoluble organic liquids or solids.

The second was the Charcoal Briquetting Equipment which was made up of ITDI Modified Drum Carbonizer, Crusher, Mixer, and Manual Briquettor.

Briquetting is a process of molding or compacting materials such as charcoal fines of biomass or coal, with or without binder under pressure.

The other technology was the Tea Bag Processing Equipment. The participants were trained on herbal processing from the collection of plant materials to Herbal Tea and Herbal Capsule production.

The Marawi IDPs were able to processed Moringa Herbal Tea and Turmeric Herbal Tea out of the collected Moringa and Turmeric plant materials.

The three equipment are now available anytime for the use and livelihood of the Marawi IDPs.

Aside from the turned-over equipment, DOST-ITDI also trained the Maranaos on Personal and Home Care products wherein the participants were able to produce Dishwashing Liquid, Hand Wash, and different kinds of soap.

The conduct of the activity was in collaboration with DOST, DOST-ITDI, Task Force Bangon Marawi, NDRRMC, The Ethne Essence Project, LGU-Marawi, and the Province of Lanao del Sur.

Together, they expected an impact of improved living quality of Maranaos through sustainable livelihood programs using their natural resources.

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April. 17, 2019

Words of gratitude and glee filled the City Mayor’s Office of Ozamiz City as the Supervising Administrative Officer of the Local Government Unit, Ms. Maria Lucy R. Cabalit together with the Ozamiz City Complementary Food Production Facility (CFPF) Head, Ms. Lelita G. Navarez received the 60,000 pieces of Rice Mongo Sesame (RMS) Baby Food Blend packaging material last 08 April 2019.

In 2016, LGU Ozamiz City was one of the beneficiaries of the DOST-Food Nutrition Research Institute (FNRI) project on the roll-out of complementary food production facility to address malnutrition of young children ages 6 to 59 months old. Ozamiz City CFPF is capable of producing RMS baby food blend for 6 to 24 months old toddlers and Rice Mongo (RM) Crunchies for 25 to 59 months old children.

To continually improve and hasten production of these complementary food products, DOST Region 10 through the Provincial Science and Technology Center of Misamis Occidental headed by Ms. Eufresnie Ann D. Simbajon extended additional support to the facility amounting to more than P300,000.00. Mechanical bean roaster and electric double deep fryer were turned over last 11 February 2019.

To compete with the existing commercial brands of baby food products in the market, DOST also provided assistance on the packaging and labelling design and initial execution of the RMS baby food blend. “Naa na gyud maka compete sa commercial brand (RMS baby food blend can now compete with the commercial brands)” Ms. Cabalit said.

To support waste management, Ms. Navarez eagerly said that discounts will be given to the next purchase of the customers who will return the used packaging materials. These will then be utilized to produce eco bags, wallets and other novelty materials.
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March.5,2019
In an effort to improve and boost technology assessment, the Technology Application and Promotion Institute of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST-TAPI) in partnership with the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development (DOST-PCAARRD) conducted the “First Technology Assessment and Intellectual Property (IP) Rights Protection Forum for Agriculture, Aquatic, and Natural Resources (AANR) Technologies,” on 25 January 2019 at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC), Pasay City.

Speakers of the 1st Technology Assessment and IPR Protection Forum in AANR on 25 January 2018 at the PICC, Pasay City

The forum aims to foster and strengthen the current trends in generation and commercialization as well as IP Protection of AANR technologies in the country.

“This event successfully brought together some of the leading experts in science, technology, and innovation (STI) as well as in technology transfer,” said Mr. Caezar Angelito E. Arceo, Supervising Science Research Specialist and lead organizer of the forum.

“We are honored to stimulate discussions and initially assess research prioritization along AANR areas,” Arceo added.

Also present in the forum were representatives from the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL), the lead agency in IP registration and IPR conflict resolution in the Philippines.

“Let’s work together in synergizing and synchronizing our efforts to push for an innovation system in support to the country’s economic growth,” said Atty. Mary Grace Cruz-Yap, Director for Documentation, Information and Technology Transfer Bureau of IPOPHL.

Mr. Noel Catibog of DOST-PCAARRD, Atty. Editha Hechanova of the Association of PAQE Professionals, Dr. Linus Plym Forshell of Swedish Patent and Registration Office (PRV), Atty. Mary Grace Cruz-Yap of IPOPHL, Atty. Bayani Loste of Fortun Narvasa Salazar Law Offices, and DOST-TAPI’s in-house patent agents, Mr. Arceo, Mr. Roberto Verzosa, and Ms. Anna Liza Saet discussed the current trends in the generation and commercialization of AANR technologies in the country.

DOST-TAPI and DOST-PCAARD’s partnership

DOST-PCAARRD Acting Executive Director Dr. Reynaldo V. Ebora hoped that with all the efforts and partnerships in place, the protection and management of IP assets in the Philippines will continue to have an upward trend in the coming years.

DOST-PCAARRD Acting Executive Director Dr. Reynaldo V. Ebora delivers the opening message

“For the past two years, our collaboration with DOST-TAPI has achieved great results including eight technology transfer projects worth 53.4 million pesos,” said Ebora.

“These initiatives fell within the following major areas in technology assessment, prior art search, IP protection, freedom to operate review, technology valuation, business plan, and fairness opinion review,” added Ebora.

Signified by DOST-TAPI and DOST-PCAARRD’s partnership, the inauguration Freedom to Operate (FTO) Unit of DOST-TAPI in 2017 was supported and funded by DOST-PCAARRD.

The FTO determines the practicality of a generated technology to be freely commercialized in the country and avoid the risk of infringing IPR of technologies already present in the local market.

Meanwhile, DOST-TAPI Director Edgar I. Garcia expressed his optimism in finding more partnerships and vibrant collaborations with DOST-PCAARRD, IPOPHL and other partner institutions on scientific explorations in IPR.

DOST-TAPI Director Edgar I. Garcia expects more collaboration with other councils and agencies

“I am expecting that there will be new project or programs that you will forge with DOST-TAPI including other councils to work with us,” said Garcia in his closing remarks.

The forum is one of the many initiatives of the Institute which promotes and intensifies the partnership among actors in the STI ecosystem.

DOST-TAPI S&T Media Service

Maricon R. Avila

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Feb. 22,2019
Scientists from the Forest Products Research and Development Institute (FPRDI) have proven the usability of spent tea leaves (STL) as cheap yet reliable additive in producing plywood adhesives.

Their study was able toprove that STL can potentially serve as cheaper replacement for wheat flour when simultaneously used as extender and filler in locally-produced plywood adhesives. Moreover, the STL can effectively reduce the emission of carcinogenic substances when the STL is applied in wood-based panels for home and construction.

The researchers collected STL from a local beverage manufacturing plant, dried the leaves, milled them, and and mixed with urea formaldehyde (UF) resin. The resulting glue mixture was used to fabricate triple-layer plywood panels made of falcata and native mahogany lumber, both of which are commonly found across the Philippines.

Each 5-mm thick panel was tested for its shear strength, cohesive wood failure, and formaldehyde emission. This was done to determine the effect of STL on various glue mixes in compliance with Philippine National Standard 196 and ISO 12466-1 & 12466-2 standards.

“Through this mechanical test, shear strength and wood failure parameters are measured to indicate the performance of the bond between the glued veneers in terms of strength of the bond and amount of wood fibers taken off from either of the two glued layers of veneers being tested,” says Juanito Jimenez, Jr. of FPRDI, a constituent agency of the Department of Science and Technology.

From Trash to Treasure

Nationwide, nearly 18 metric tons of STL mainly derived as by-product from the manufacture of tea-flavored drinks are thrown in landfills or compost pits every day, its ancillary use largely untapped. STL retains much of its valuable fiber and protein components even after multiple uses thus it is seen as a very important material for plywood adhesive..

In relation of this, Jimenez and his fellow researchers at DOST-FPRDI are hoping that technology that may arise based on their methodology would one day be applied for commercial-scale industrial use.

“Our paper presents the encouraging results to prove STL’s potential in plywood manufacture as glue extender to replace wheat flour, as filler to replace coconut shell flour, and as formaldehyde scavenger,” he said.

He cautioned, however, that the use of STL as fuel for energy has commenced as an easy disposal option.

“The challenge now is to match or outdo the revenues/savings generated as energy resource by instead utilizing STL for higher value products, like glue additive, with an extra health benefit,” Jimenez said.
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Regional offices meet technology generators

Feb. 8, 2019

Muntinlupa City – As a preparatory event of the Technology Transfer Day, the Technology Application and Promotion Institute of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST-TAPI) organized the “ROs Meet Tech Gens” on 04 February 2019 at the Crimson Hotel Filinvest City, Manila.
DOST-TAPI conducted the ROs Meet Tech Gens on 04 February 2019 at the Crimson Hotel, Alabang, Muntinlupa City

The preparatory event created a venue to bring together technology generators and DOST Regional Offices for a market pitching of DOST-funded and -generated technologies.

DOST Undersecretary for Research and Development Rowena Cristina L. Guevara said that each region has different needs and that the technologies to be offered must meet the regions’ unique needs.

“We want to bring the technologies closer to the ones who make decisions so that our technologies can find home to those who are capable of adopting them,” added Guevara.

Fourteen technologies from the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic, and Natural Resources Research and Development (DOST-PCAARRD) and seven technologies from the Forest Products Research and Development Institute (DOST-FPRDI) were presented during the event.

DOST Regional Offices Directors and technical staff were able to choose technologies which can be beneficial to their regions for future adoption and commercialization.

The event has also presented the mechanics of the Technology Transfer Day including the signing of term sheets, Fairness Opinion Board evaluation, issuance of Fairness Opinion Reports (FOR) and Technology Licensing Agreements (TLA).

“Through the Technology Transfer Day, the Institute has issued 72 FOR, 31 of which successfully signed the TLA since 2016,” said DOST-TAPI Supervising Science Research Specialist Caezar Angelito E. Arceo.

Moreover, six technologies were commercialized by seven adoptors all over the regions from 2016 to 2017.

“The commercialized technologies include the portable pellet machine by the Central Luzon State University, salt iodization and salt washer machines by the Industrial Technology Development Institute (DOST-ITDI), and liquefied petroleum gas fired spray dryer, rice transplanter, and rice harvester attachment for hand tractor by the Metals Industry Research and Development Center (DOST-MIRDC),” said Officer-in-Charge of DOST-TAPI’s Investment and Business Operations Division.

A total of 110 participants attended the event.

DOST-TAPI S&T Media Service
Jund Rian A. Doringo–
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Feb.8,2019
The Technology Application and Promotion Institute of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST-TAPI) brought together the technology generators and DOST Regional Offices to facilitate a technology pitching on 04 February 2019 at the Crimson Hotel Filinvest City, Manila.

The event, “ROs Meet Tech Gens,” is a preparatory activity of the Technology Transfer Day which creates a venue to fast-track the adoption and commercialization of DOST-funded and -generated technologies.
Participants of ROs Meet Tech Gens on 04 February 2019 at the Crimson Hotel Filinvest City, Manila

A total of 21 technologies from the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic, and Natural Resources Research and Development (DOST-PCAARRD) and the Forest Products Research and Development Institute (DOST-FPRDI) were presented during the event.

“We want our technologies to find home to capable adoptors,” said DOST Undersecretary for Research and Development Rowena Cristina L. Guevara.

Discussed in the event are the step-by-step guide in technology transfer and adoption through the signing of the term sheets, issuance of the Fairness Opinion Report, and signing of the Technology Licensing Agreements.

Agricultural Machineries

Among the technologies presented are machines for agricultural productivity including the coffee depulper – helps reduce the breakage of coffee cherries and attain high quality coffee beans, coffee moisture meter – provides accurate results in determining the moisture content of coffee beans, peanut stripper – separates and
sorts the peanut pods from the vines, and peanut sheller – separates and sorts the peanut kernels from the pods.

Innovative Infrastructures

Included in the offering are technological infrastructures for postharvest activities such as the coffee dryer which provides a drying alternative through a greenhouse-type solar dryer retrofitted with biomass furnace for coffee beans, operating at low temperature without electricity.

Moreover, the integrated postharvest facility for mango includes an automated table sorter, wash tank, hot water treatment, industrial fan, weight classifier, and table for packing.

Sustainable Nourishment

To ensure that agricultural products attain their maximum potential, it is important that their source has the optimal environment setting or nutritional status for growth and development.

Pellet feeds are bite-size pieces and nutritionally-balanced mixture of forage and grain ingredients, which provides nourishment to goats.

The protein-enriched copra meal (PECM) is the product of the bioprocessing of copra meal through solid state fermentation to improve its nutritive value.

Hi-Yeast is a yeast-based biocontrol agent (BCA) that prevents fruit and vegetable decay caused by pathogens during postharvest handling. This technology is designed as an alternative and/or supplement to reduce the use of chemicals in nature and reduce the human health and environmental risks that comes with the use of existing synthetic control agents.

Kakawate Fertilizer is an organic liquid plant supplement used for improving the flowering and fruiting of various plants including chili pepper, tomato, cucumber, eggplant, and squash.

MicroMix is a biostimulant composed of a consortium of bacteria that enhances the growth of crops, particularly bell pepper and bittergourd. It was developed as a response to the excessive use of costly chemical stimulants and fertilizers that significantly increases crop production costs.

Fraud Prevention

The meat detection kit authenticates and identifies various meats, and can be used by regulation agencies to prevent frauds in the meat industry.

Useful Wastes

To reduce wastage and environment impacts from byproducts, pineapple wastes are transformed into useful products through the forms of molded and briquetted coals for cooking, bran as feed supplements for chicken and fowls, and multi-use marinade or meat tenderizing product for food processing and other food preparation processes.

Forest Products

Forest products were also presented for the direct consumption or commercial use of stakeholders, such as the wine barrels from santol, high-pressure sap displacement (HPSD) system to force the bamboo sap out, do-it-yourself bamboo shelter, kiln for the production of bamboo charcoal, bamboo veneer lathe is for varying thickness bamboo veneers production, non-wood dryer, and dryer with heat facility for eliminating insect pests and disease-infesting wooden packaging materials.

DOST-TAPI S&T Media Service
Jund Rian A. Doringo

The National Technology Transfer Day provides the necessary mechanism in speeding up the transfer and commercialization of funded and generated technologies of the Department by virtue of the Republic Act (RA) 10055 or the Philippine Technology Transfer Act of 2009.

“We realized that the objective of RA 10055 in the speeding up and cascading of technologies generated from publicly funded research and development (R&D) into the market fell into our hands to challenge the current system by creating innovative infrastructures for the benefit of the ordinary Filipino population,” said DOST Secretary Fortunato T. de la Peña during the keynote speech.

This year’s celebration presented an opening for micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME), investors, fabricators, and adaptors to invest in local technologies developed by Filipino technology generators and innovators, particularly in areas of agricultural productivity, disaster resilience, information technology development, MSME competitiveness, and quality health care.

“The technologies we present today focus on the five-pillar innovation ecosystem which provides great contribution in raising the country’s performance in the Global Competitiveness Index by the World Economic Forum,” added De La Peña.

The new format of the Technology Transfer Day supports the provision of a platform for recognition and dissemination of top and recent DOST breakthroughs which have potential significant impacts for global competitiveness.

The new format includes two preparatory activities – Regional Offices (RO) meet Technology Generators (Tech Gen) and Tech Gen meet Chief Executive Officers (CEO) before the actual Technology Transfer Day.

“Businessmen may not have the patience to wait that long in order to obtain a clearance before they can finally get a license from government-funded technologies,” said DOST-TAPI Director Edgar I. Garcia during the Technology Transfer Day Rationale.

“It is for this reason that we have our industry-based ideal licensing or spinoff terms that you may be interested to use, where we can substantially reduce the time of waiting from 60 to 90 days, to one to 15 days,” added Garcia.

In the 2019 ROs meet Tech Gens, 21 selected technologies of the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic, and Natural Resources Research and Development (DOST-PCAARRD) and the Forest Products Research and Development Institute (DOST-FPRDI) were presented to the ROs.

Since the conception of the Technology Transfer Day in 2016, six technologies were commercialized by seven adoptors all over the regions.

This year, a total of 21 technologies were pitched to possible investors and adoptors.

Moreover, the program also highlighted the ceremonial signing of the amended implementing rules and regulations of RA 10055 between DOST represented by Secretary De La Peña and the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines represented by Director General Josephine R. Santiago.