Last February 8, Senator Paulo Benigno "Bam" Aquino IV congratulated Dr. Gay Jane Perez, winner of the 2018 ASEAN-US Science Prize for Women, as she pays her courtesy call in his office at the Senate of the Philippines in Pasay City. Accompanying Dr. Perez is her mother and Ms. Lita Suerte-Felipe of the DOST Legislative Liaison Office.

 

 

 

 

 

Travellers Pension House & Beach Resort, General Luna, Surigao del Norte

 

The Eco-Friendly Septic System or Eco-Sep is a self-sustaining, portable, and movable wastewater treatment system that uses an innovative combination of bio-stimulation and filtration enhanced with organominerals, a technology developed by Dr. Merlinda Palencia through the support of DOST-PCIEERD.

The Eco-Sep’s Vigormin Organo Mineral (ViOM) is an odorless, white powder composed of various organo-minerals that has the capability to neutralize the poignant odor and the mucky color in wastewaters or septic water.  Its application significantly improves water quality based on the effluents standards set by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).

Following the successful testing of Eco-Sep in the sewerage systems of the bunkers of Yolanda survivors in Palo, Leyte last 2013 and on a Materials Recovery Facilities (MRFs), hotels, jetty ports, and households in Boracay last 2015, DOST Caraga installed and field-tested Eco-Sep in selected tourism areas and environmentally compromised areas through a DOST-PCIEERD funded project titled, “Field Testing of Eco-Friendly Septic System for the Tourism Sector in Siargao Island, Surigao del Norte” or Project FRESH. 

 

 

 

 

“Since ma-install po ang Eco-Sep dito sa resort na may draining field area, nagkaroon na po kami ng mas maayos na pag-drain ng aming wastewater. Ito po direktang nagiging pandilig sa aming mga halaman. Walang amoy at malinis. Salamat sa DOST dahil isa kami sa mga naging recipient ng Eco-Sep.” said Ms. Gonzales.

Further, she thanked DOST for providing a one-year supply of Virgormin and mentioned that after a year of full implementation of the improved sewerage system thru Eco-Sep, their resort is proud to have met the effluent standards set by DENR.

Enjoining the jumpstart, Sugba Lagoon in the Municipality of Del Carmen, also in Siargao Island will also be launching their Eco-Sep this February 10, 2019.

Realizing the positive outcome, other hotels, beach resorts and LGUs in the island have inquired and expressed adopting Eco-Sep.

Dr. Enrico Paringit, Executive Director of DOST-PCIEERD, expressed assurance that such projects in the future will continually be supported.

“We will continue to provide solutions to societal problems through strategic research and development.” he said.

Dr. Paringit said that DOST-PCIEERD will take the lead in conducting collaborative efforts to maintain and protect the environment and the country’s ecotourism through science and technology interventions.

17 JANUARY 2019 -- To kick off the 2019 UP NIGS (National Institute of Geological Sciences) Lecture Series, Balik Scientist Dr. Daniel Ibarra of Stanford University gave a talk entitled, "The Influence of Erosion, Lithology, and Plants on Weathering."

Dr. Ibarra is currently a post-doctoral fellow at the Department of Geological Sciences in Stanford University. He is hosted by UP NIGS and is currently a part of the Balik Scientist Program (BSP) of DOST.

The Balik Scientist Program (BSP) is a brain-gain initiative to encourage Filipino scientists, technologists, and experts in other countries to return to the Philippines and share their expertise to accelerate scientific, agro-industrial, economic, and human resources development in the country. For more info, visit www.bsp.dost.gov.ph.

 

 

 

 

LOGO & SLOGAN MAKING CONTEST

 

DOST-MIRDC and DOST-ITDI are in search of a logo and slogan for the country's first ADVANCED MANUFACTURING CENTER (AMCen)!

 

DOST is set to unveil the Philippines' first Additive Manufacturing and 3D Printing Center which aspires to be the country's leading research center in innovative 3D printing technologies, processes, and materials. This will be one of the first government-led centers in the ASEAN region that aspires to be a game changer leading to Industry 4.0 goals