The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) urges the public, especially business owners, scientists, researchers, and those in the academe, to send their research and development (R&D) proposals to it for funding.
DOST currently holds the Mindanao leg of its Call Conference to showcase the projects the department has supported in the region, and encourage stakeholders to avail of its funding support.
DOST Undersecretary Leah Buendia told the recent Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon televised briefing, they have aided various sectors in Mindanao. She cited as an example the P72 million funding for the creation of the Sea Cucumber R&D Center at the Mindanao State University, which develops hatcheries in coastal communities.
“Dried sea cucumber can sell from P8,000 to P20,000 per kilo in the international market. We provide funding for this so the researchers could further study how to increase sea cucumber production in Mindanao,” Buendia said. Sea cucumber is a food delicacy that contains bioactive compounds used in pharmaceuticals.
The DOST also supports the establishment of the Seaweed Research and Development Center at the Mindanao State University Tawi-Tawi College of Technology and Oceanography, to improve the quality of seaweeds and enhance their production.
“We encourage our scientists, budding researchers to submit proposals and ideas so we could fund these and help us in providing solutions,”she said, adding that the is not just in Mindanao but also in other regions of the country. (With PNA)
