EDITORIAL S&POSTT Aiming high VOL. XXXI No. 4 Editorial Board es, we can! This belief that Filipinos can excel in many things is a strong message that the Y PUBLICATION DIRECtoR Raymund E. Liboro Science Department is sending across the archipelago and even the world. EXECUTIVE EditoR Aristotle P. Carandang, PhD EditoR-IN-CHIEF Framelia V. Anonas For the DOST, there are eight feasible ways where it can contribute to overall competitiveness of the country in the global arena especially MANAGING EditoR Maria Judith L. Sablan that the ASEAN integration is just around the corner. These eight doable, ASSOCIATE EditoR Espie Angelica A. De Leon achievable targets are simply called “8 DOST Outcomes”. ART DIRECtoR Benedict P. Cagaanan For this issue of S&T Post, the last for 2013, the editorial team tries LAYOUT/GRAPHICS James B. Intia to explain in the most understandable manner the details of DOST’s CONTRIBUTING WRITERS DOST Media Core intended “outcomes” through various write-ups. For instance, there is the Science-based know-how and tools that enable the agriculture EditoRIAL ASSISTANT Joy M. Lazcano sector to raise productivity to world-class standards, as one of the eight. PROOFREADER Maria Luisa S. Lumioan Here and for the other seven, science, technology, and innovation PHotoGRAPHY Audio-Visual Unit play a crucial role in raising productivity of the agriculture sector. All the basic questions: what, who, why, where, when and how, including CIRCULATION Ferdinand D. Cartas the question “for whom” are hopefully answered in the feature articles carefully prepared for general readership. They may seem a mouthful; but given enough push (with reality check on the side), one can safely assume that they could really be achievable. And who else shall pursue them aside from the Department’s three sectoral councils, seven research and development institutes, eight The S&T Post is published quarterly by the service institutes, two collegial bodies, and 16 regional offices which Science and Technology Information Institute- are all headed by directors who are experts in their respective fields. Department of Science and Technology (STII-DOST) Steering all these is the command post at the central office headed by with editorial office at DOST Complex, Secretary Mario Montejo who is ably assisted by his undersecretaries, Gen. Santos Avenue, Bicutan, Taguig City. assistant secretaries, and program managers; all working day in and day out and not letting any stone left unturned. Telefax: (02) 837-7520 Tel No.: (02) 837-2071 to 80 local 2148 Email: [email protected]; In the collective, the DOST system is a fortress with networks of scientists, researchers, science administrators, and the most reliable Visit: and capable hands of the rank and file; majority of whom are of the www.stii.dost.gov.ph highest caliber comparable to, if not even better than, their counterparts elsewhere. Like us on Facebook Understandably, with this superstructure, the DOST can truly claim that the identified outcomes that are anchored on science, technology, Science and Technology Information Institute (DOST) and innovation, will soon be felt by everyone even those who are usually Science and Technology Information Institute-DOST (Library) left out. A solid strategy like this may spell the difference in defining Ignite the Mind inclusive development, leading to a truly “Smarter Philippines”. ExpoScience 2013 DOST Starbooks Aristotle P. Carandang, PhD WHAT’S INSIDE? DEPARMENT OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY VOL. XXXI NO. 4 FOURTH QUARTER 2013 DOST news 4 DOST, Microsoft tie up for Imagine Cup to boost support for Pinoy software developers 5 Local researchers develop high-yielding, disease-free abaca hybrids 6 DOST health experts bat for functional food regulations 7 Special working group created to speed up e-Gov 8 DOST’s water hyacinth dryer helps Cainta women 6 weave better lives through handicrafts 9 Wise mariculture practices eyed in forum 10 Local MSMEs poised to be smarter via DOST’s Food Innovation Centers 11 PCIEERD pushes for directed research 12 Online payment system for gov’t transactions on the pipeline 13 Latest IT, advanced science books now available at DOST’s info institute 14 DOST to meg “Smarter Philippines” as world zooms in on emerging economies 12 15 Iloilo ready to level up IT-BPM in its fold 16 DOST, IBM Phils forge alliance for disaster mitigation 17 DOST’s wood ID service helps in applying logging ban in PH 18 PhST to lead towards Smarter Philippines agenda 19 Taguig folks enjoy a science-filled day DOST outcomes 20 Against all odds: The 8 DOST Outcomes along the road less traveled 17 22 Making our country’s aggie sector more verdant 24 Bracing up the industries through S&T support 26 Scaling up local entreps to world-class status 28 Beefing up jobs in the IT-BPM industry 30 Getting things done faster thru seamless government e-services 32 Improving Pinoys’ healthcare 34 Propelling the country to world competitiveness 36 Preparing for hazard and climate change 30 NBW news 40 Coconut can help lower the cost of bakery products 41 Abaca fiber can help speed up car industry 42 National Biotech Week fetes S&T writers in 2013 Jose G. Burgos Awards 43 Cine Bioteknolohiya shows biotech uses in everyday life Feature news 44 Dressing up your breakfast delights with science 41 46 Loco over coco through DOST biomass-fired steam kettle 47 PHL broadcasters sync to PhST for 2014 countdown 48 Expert shows how healthcare can be made smarter 2 S&T POST WHAT’S INSIDE? OUR COVER The gears, representing S&T, form the number 8 shape to illustrate DOST’s 8 outcomes. Inside the gears are images of the outcomes (agriculture, enterprises, industry, IT-BPM sector, government connectivity, health, education, and disaster preparedness). The gears are made to work together to push the country towards “Smarter Philippines” and reach the summit of inclusive growth and global competitiveness. 49 We can decrease child deaths, says DOST Academician 50 PH to move up the value chain with DOST’s electronics dev’t hub 52 Stem cell treatment: Sparking controversy, creating benefits 54 Halal: From the dining table to the world market 56 Call slip for more skillful, better trained engineers 52 Disaster preparedness 57 DOST’s info institute leads “Sulong-Tabang”, S&T initiative for Visayas 58 DOST’s relief efforts for Yolanda victims The wrath of Yolanda 59 Solidum warns metro to check structures’ compliance to Building Code 60 Tulang Diyot: Defying the odds with community preparedness 62 DOST-PHIVOLCS chief belies “Triangle of Life” earthquake safety theory 58 63 DOST-DREAM Project extended to cover whole PH in 3D flood maps 64 More rain gauges in flood-prone CAMANAVA 65 Baguio folks learn about Project NOAH’s landslide mapping project 66 How I survived Yolanda – Mario Peñaranda, PAGASA Tacloban OIC 67 Hope and prayers for Salvacion Avestruz and family S&T Fair/RICE 68 “Difunctional Shoe” inventors: The perfect fit for victory 70 Eco-friendly products shine in DOST’s Central Visayas invention tilt 66 71 Iloilo entreps grow through DOST’s SETUP Who’s who? 72 Engr. Rene Burt N. Llanto: Public Service Became Him 74 DOST Sec. Montejo conferred honorary degree by PUP 75 DOST research council names new head 76 DOST’s textile research institute has new director 77 Former Romblon prof, DOST’s Most Outstanding Provincial S&T Director 78 DOST Exec accredited as engineering specialist 74 79 Jimenez named FORESPI’s Outstanding Young Scientist 80 UPLB prof-scientist gets 2013 DOST award on molecular research 82 DOST-FPRDI scientist hailed outstanding Filipino for 2013 Regional news 83 DOST sun dryers ensure quicker and cleaner drying of fish products in Cagayan CDO hosts world-class lab training for chemists 83 84 DOST-MIMAROPA assisted MSMEs beef up biz acumen in workshop FOURTH QUARTER 2013 3 DOST NEWS DOST, Microsoft tie up for Imagine Cup to boost support for Pinoy software developers By ALLAN MAURO V. MARFAL S&T Media Service, DOST-STII THE DEPARTMENT of Science and Technology (DOST) has embarked on a partnership with Microsoft Philippines to conduct the 12th edition of Imagine Cup, an annual student competition of software applications addressing national problems in health, education, e-government, and others, as DOST’s Information and Communications Technology Office (ICTO) continues to support local talents in the industry. To be held in April 2014, Imagine Cup aims to encourage schools to institutionalize ICT-enabled innovation initiatives in their respective campuses in order to become hubs for ideas that will help solve real-life problems. DOST-ICTO Deputy Executive Director The Department of Science and Technology partners with Microsoft Philippines for Monchito Ibrahim, who represented the the 12th edition of Imagine Cup set for April 2014 as part of its support to Filipino Department in the signing of the Memorandum software developers. Shown in photo are Imagine Cup 2012 winners (from left) Jeriah of Understanding with Microsoft last KJell Miranda, Thomas Tiam-Lee, Keven Hernandez and Jenina Chua of Team Signum November 5 at Shangri-la Makati, said that Fidei, after finishing second place in the Microsoft Cup Design Competition in 2011 in Filipino software developers are definitely at New York. The team’s winning technology was a mobile application puzzle game called par with their foreign counterparts as they are Conjuct where the player is required to clear boards overlaid with photos of real-life naturally resourceful and creative. problems around the world. The team earned the right to represent the Philippines in the New York competition after winning the Imagine Cup in the country. (Information and According to him, it is not impossible to photo from website of Microsoft Philippines) see their out-of-the-box concepts implemented and make the operation of government offices faster, more reliable and more efficient.