By Aira Juarez
ZAMBOANGA CITY – More technologies developed by the country’s premier science and technology department were pitched to the business sector in Mindanao as the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Stakeholders’ Forum and Caravan came to its fourth and last leg in Zamboanga City on December 7-9, 2022.
The DOST Stakeholders’ Forum and Caravan dubbed as “Lakbay Teknolohiya para kay Juan at Juana” is a project initiated by the Institutional Support for Trade and Exhibitions (ISTE) Unit of the Technology Application and Promotion Institute which aims to promote DOST’s latest technologies that are ready for commercialization to be transferred to willing adoptors in the regions.
The three-day festivities were hosted by the DOST Regional Office IX at the Garden Orchid Hotel, Zamboanga City in conjunction with their celebration of the Regional Science and Technology Week. It highlighted three activities – a technology transfer exhibit at the Convention Center which was open to the public, a technology pitching and business-to-business meeting, and a stakeholders’ forum on technology transfer and commercialization.
The Lakbay Teknolohiya para kay Juan at Juana for the Visayas Cluster kicked off in Ormoc City, Leyte last August 25-27, followed by the South Luzon Cluster in Batangas City last October 17-19 and North Luzon Cluster in Batac City, Ilocos Norte and Lingayen, Pangasinan last October 25, Nov. 10-11.
DOST IX Regional Director Martin Wee, Mr. Caezar Angelito Arceo of DOST-TAPI, Zamboanga City Mayor John Dalipe and other government officials in Zamboanga Peninsula led the ribbon-cutting ceremony.
During the launching of the project in Mindanao, Chief Science Research Specialist of the Invention Development Division of DOST-TAPI, Mr. Caezar Angelito Arceo, encouraged everyone to participate in the activities prepared by the DOST IX and take advantage of the opportunities offered by the DOST to students, researchers, MSMEs and entrepreneurs in the region.
“We hope that our appreciation of the application of science and technology will manifest all throughout the year as the very foundation in our every endeavor, may it be in entrepreneurship, social development, and policy-making,” Mr. Arceo said in his speech.
Mr. Caezar Angelito Arceo, Chief SRS of the Invention Development Division of DOST-TAPI gave his speech during the Opening and Ribbon-Cutting Ceremonies of the Regional Science and Technology Week.
Viewing of exhibits started on December 7 where thousands of students from various provinces in Region IX flocked at the Convention Center of the hotel as early as 8 a.m. Students enjoyed participating in the mini quizzes conducted from time-to-time at the Center Stage and mini activities from the surrounding booths.
For the Lakbay Teknolohiya Technology Transfer Exhibit, around 30 technologies were featured including the DIY Bamboo Shelter, Local Riding-Type Rice Transplanter, Prototype Mechanical Cacao Sheller, Sweet Sorghum Juicer, Ethnobotanical Dewormer for Native Chicken, Meat Detection Kit, CATCH-ALL- Contactless Apprehension of Traffic Violators on a 24-Hour Basis and All-Vehicle Detection System (CATCH-ALL), AGAPAY Project, Effective Microorganisms (EMs) as biofungicide for rubber, Protein-Enriched Copra Meal (PECM) as Feeds, Project e-Bayanihan: A Nationwide Web – Mobile Based System for Participatory Disaster Management, Blended fabric for toxic heavy metal removal, Disaster Early Warning System (DEWS), Plastic Densifier, Gitara ni Juan, Sambong tablet, Lagundi tablet, Lagundi syrup, Ready-to-Eat Complementary Food (Momsie™ ), Production of Rice Wine using ITDI Bubod, Queen Pineapple Multi-Use Marinade, and Ready-to-Drink Green Mango Juice with Nata (Fruity™ ).
It also showcased top DOST-assisted MSME products brought by staff of Region X and Region XII.
Students viewing the exhibits on December 7, 2022.
Meanwhile, in the Technology Pitching and Business-to-Business meeting, eight technologies developed by the DOST-ITDI were pitched through a hybrid presentation. Dr. Lorelle Baracol of DOST-ITDI presented the Bioreactor, Dietary Fiber Powder from Calamansi Wastes, Salt Washer, Salt Iodizing Machine, DOST Tablea, Coconut Sap Sugar, and Dual Drum Composter. Meanwhile, Dr. Renann Baldovino of De La Salle University pitched the technology Agapay Exoskeleton, a 3D-printed wearable robot that is biomimetically designed to account for all the movement of the upper limbs.
The small group meeting attended by around 30 MSMEs in Zamboanga Peninsula allowed the country’s technology generators, innovators, and researchers to reach their target end-users such as the business sector here in Zamboanga.
Participants of the Technology Pitching and Business to Business Meeting held last December 10 at the Yakan 1 of the Garden Orchid Hotel.
Apart from the technologies, DOST-TAPI picked the interest of participating MSMEs with the presentation of various programs offered by the Institute including the Venture Financing Program.
Venture Financing Program is one of the flagship programs of DOST-TAPI that supports MSMEs in accelerating the commercialization of innovative technologies. As of December 2022, it is categorized into four categories: Venture Financing for Environmentally-Sound Technologies (VFEST), Venture Financing Program (VFP) for Start-Up and Technology-based Projects, Venture Financing for the Commercialization of DOST-Generated Technologies, and the Purchase Order Financing Program (PO Financing).
To know more about the Lakbay Teknolohiya para kay Juan at Juana project and other programs and services offered by the DOST-TAPI, please call (632) 8837 2071 local 2151 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
