Science roadshow goes to Cebu this week

• Source: http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?nid=13&rid=772345
• Sunday, June 14, 2015

By Ma. Cristina C. Arayata [(PNA), CTB/MCCA/SSC]

MANILA, June 14 (PNA) -– Mark your calendars. The “Science Nation Tour: Agham na Ramdam”, a nationwide science roadshow by the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), is set to rock Cebu this June 18-20.

The event kick-off will be held at Cebu City Marriott Hotel. Technology and Innovation Exposition featuring the 2015 Regional Invention Contest and Exhibit (RICE) and Entrepreneurship Conference will be staged here. The conference will discuss the role of science and technology (S&T) in raising competitiveness of micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs).

An warding ceremony was also scheduled for the Best SETUP (Small Enterprise Technology Upgrading Program) adopters the in region. SETUP is a DOST flagship program that provides assistance to MSMEs through funding, technology upgrade and manpower training. It helps MSMEs improve product quality, productivity and competitiveness.

This will be capped off by a public-private sector forum night at the same hotel. Among the attendees include DOST Secretary Mario Montejo, Eco-System technologies founder Robert So, Bohol Island State University president Elpidio Magante, Central Visayas Regional Development Council chair and Bohol Governor Edgar Chatto.

On June 19, one of the SETUP adopters, Kimes Foods International in Aragao, Cebu, will be visited. Kimes, a SETUP beneficiary in 2012, is engaged in processing and preservation of fruits and vegetables. To upgrade a drying technology used in production of gluten-free coconut wraps, it received Php 1.4 million assistance in 2012.

The Materials Technology Innovation Center (MATIC) will also be visited. MATIC, located within the S&T complex of DOST-Region VII in Banilad, Cebu, is a repository of material swatches and resources. Also, MATIC serves as an avenue for interactions between design experts, technology suppliers and creative industry players (advertising, animation, architecture, culinary arts, among others). MATIC is a collaboration among the European Chamber of Commerce, DOST Region VII and other government organizations, aiming to facilitate growth of creative sectors.

A visit to Central Visayas campus of the Philippine Science High School is also one of the activities lined up.

On June 20, an awarding ceremony for the 2015 RICE entries is slated.

The science roadshow will tour all 17 regions in the Philippines. It aims to highlight the benefits of DOST programs and technologies while also demonstrating the essential role of S&T in daily life.