DOST Secretary and Key Officials Visit USM

The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Secretary Engr. Fortunato T. De la Peña and other key officials visited the University of Southern Mindanao on June 3, 2022. Events during the visit included the inauguration of the PAGASA X-Band Radar Rain Station, the DOST-PCAARRD Technology Center and DOST Office, and the USM-Tuklas Lunas Development Center. There were also exhibits of USM research outputs and food products.

The Vice President for Research, Development and Extension (VPRDE) Dr. Ma. Teodora Cabasan thanked DOST for its support of university RD&E endeavors through increased infrastructure, equipment, and training. During the six years of Dr. De la Peña’s term as Secretary, the DOST has provided funds to 14 programs in USM with a total budget of over 300 million pesos. Among these programs is the identification of USM as the Niche Center in the Regions (NICER) for cacao R&D. The USM Agri-Aqua Technology Business Incubator (AATBI) was also recognized as a premier program for the commercialization of technologies derived from research.

Dr. De la Peña hopes that his programs towards equal allocation of research funding to the various regions would continue. He urged researchers to work towards the utilization of their research outputs, and called for more efforts towards improving the Philippines’ rank in the Global Innovation Index.

USM officials, researchers, incubators, and DOST scholars were in attendance to show their appreciation for DOST’s continued support. Salamat DOST!