NextGen Day

Dr. Renato Solidum Jr., the recently appointed head of science and technology, wants to refocus the department’s (DoST) goals so that they are more in line with President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.

According to him, his department would give priority to initiatives in agricultural and food security, transportation, renewable energy, health, and job development during the next six years.

The public was reassured by Solidum that the DoST will keep providing services that will help Filipinos, all the while collaborating closely with other governmental organizations and attending to the issues of their respective constituents.

“All industries are affected when we think about science, technology, and innovation. The DoST has institutes for both service and research and development (R&D), which might offer creative and prompt answers to the problems faced by the nation’s many sectors and regions, “Added he.

According to Solidum, research is being done by R&D institutions to improve the post-harvest, value-chain, and food processing capacities of the sector in the domain of agriculture and food security.

The DoST is collaborating on projects to integrate hybrid and electronic vehicles with local government units (LGUs) and educational institutions, such as the Hybrid Electric Road Train and e-Scooters in Cauayan City in Isabela and the Hybrid Trimaran with Aklan State University.

Additionally, the Niche Centers for R&D (Nicer) for Advanced Batteries is working with academic institutions to advance renewable energy initiatives.

Regarding health, Solidum pushed for the establishment of the Virology Institute of the Philippines (VIP), which Marcos announced in his first State of the Nation Address (SONA) in July. This was done in response to the global health pandemic.

DoST also seeks to maintain its flagship program for micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), the Small Enterprise Technology Upgrading Program, in order to strengthen livelihood and employment initiatives (Setup).

The S&T chief stated that “[Setup] has been there for local businesses in the regions for the past decades, providing funding assistance to acquire machinery and technologies that would enhance its general production and operation as well as technical knowledge to ensure the quality and safety of its products.”

Additionally, Solidum intends to enhance the capabilities of our forecasters, geologists, and volcanologists as well as add tools and facilities to deal with natural disasters in order to enhance the services of Phivolcs and the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa).

The Department of Science and Technology (DoST) also guaranteed the ongoing provision of scholarship opportunities for STEM students at the secondary, undergraduate, graduate, and PhD levels in order to help the nation increase its pool of highly qualified and committed local scientists and engineers.

He emphasized that an all-encompassing strategy would result in solutions that are pertinent and novel, which, in turn, would fill the gaps of all sectors and communities to achieve inclusive development through partnerships with government partners, private organizations, and the academic community.

Solidum served as the Undersecretary for Scientific and Technical Services and officer-in-charge of the Philippine Institute for Volcanology and Seismology prior to being appointed as the DoST chairman (Phivolcs). He has spent 38 years working with the DoST.

The Presidential Citation for Public Service, the Presidential Lingkod Bayan (Civil Servant) Award, the Excellence Award for Government Service from the Philippine Federation of Professional Associations, the Presidential Career Executive Service Award from the Career Executive Service Board, and the Professional of the Year in the field of Geology from the Professional Regulation Commission are just a few of the honors he has received.

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