Sci-Tech Writing

By: Mr. Michael Edward N. de Villa

DOST launches 'Siyensikat' TV program

Manila in its bid to reach wider audience and inform the public about the wonders of
science, the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) officially launched "Siyensikat" on
GMA News Channel on Sunday. DOST Secretary Fortunato dela Pena told the Philippine News
Agency (PNA) that he will be hosting the program, which would run 26 episodes and would air
every Sunday from 4 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.

He said different technologies and/or programs will be featured each week. For its pilot
episode, the DOST featured the Axis Knee System, a knee replacement system especially
designed for Asians. It was developed by a Filipino company, Orthopedic International Inc., in
partnership with the DOST-Philippine Council for Health Research and Development (PCHRD).
Since this was designed for the Asian anatomy, it lessens the risk for failed implant. According
to PCHRD, the Axis Knee System is the only knee replacement system manufactured in the
Philippines and in Southeast Asia, and costs 40-50 percent lower than imported knee implants.
It was developed by Filipino engineers and orthopedic surgeons.

DOST marks World Metrology Day with lab inauguration

MANILA -- The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) celebrated World
Metrology Day on Monday by inaugurating the state-of-the-art National Metrology Laboratory
(NML) at its compound in Bicutan, Taguig City.

DOST Undersecretary Rowena Cristina Guevara said private firms can now have their
equipment calibrated at the NML, instead of sending their equipment to foreign laboratories, as
she assured of NML equipment's calibration accuracy.

The NML's newly-renovated Mass Standards Laboratory (MSL) offers a wider scope of
calibration services. For calibration of non-automatic weighing instruments, the laboratory
features equipment that could calibrate up to 300 kg.

"Research results on new measurement methods, including those using quantum phenomena,
underpin the change. The SI (International Systems of Units) is now based on a set of definitions
each linked to the law of physics and has the advantage of being able to embrace further
improvements in measurement science and technology to meet the needs of future users for
many years to come," the DOST said in a statement. the laboratory can best cater to the food,
manufacturing, and pharmaceutical industries.The World Metrology Day highlights the impact
of measurement on people.
With the goal of providing stakeholders more accurate measurements, the DOST opened the
NML equipped with state of the art tools and equipment. Guevara said this laboratory is open
to the public, although only the DOST staff are allowed to operate the equipment.

DOST seeks innovative teaching methods

The Department of Science and Technology - Science Education Institute (DOST-SEI) has
urged Science and Math teachers to submit innovative teaching proposals to receive funding.

Nine approved proposals (three teachers or groups allowed in three categories) will each
receive a PHP50,000 funding support to develop a prototype. One winner per category will
receive PHP100,000 in cash prize and a plaque of recognition, SEI information officer, Lovely
Aquino, told the Philippine News Agency (PNA) on Friday.

Now on its second year, the SEI's project, "InnoBox", encourages teachers to develop
innovative teaching resources and come up with a more practical and creative method of
teaching Science and Math. The contest has three categories: Grades 3-6; Grades 7-10; and
Grades 11-12, and is open to Science and Math teachers of public and private schools
nationwide.

"The lead proponent has the option to join (the contest) individually, or organize a team. The
seed money is still PHP50,000 for every chosen proposal," Aquino said. If the winning entries
are from a team of teachers, the cash prize of PHP100,000 will be for the entire winning team,
she added. Interested parties have until July 12 to send their proposals to
innobox.seidost@gmail.com. Aquino said the announcement of the approved proposals would
probably be in the last week of July, as the technical committee is scheduled to review them on
July 23-24.

DOST chief cites techs to address PH's environmental woes

Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Secretary Fortunato dela Peña on Wednesday
cited the various strategies to address the challenges in the country's carrying capacity.

During the two-day National Academy of Science and Technology’s (NAST) annual scientific
conference in Ortigas, Pasig City, dela Pena noted the DOST has developed different
technologies and researches to address the matter.

He defined the carrying capacity as the maximum capacity of an ecosystem to sustain and
support a population with a tolerable sustained damage. Among the major issues, he said, are
plastic pollution, sustainable marine food security, sustainable education and talent
development. Dela Pena said prior to the annual scientific meeting, NAST has partnered with
DOST regional offices to hold meetings to discuss these key topics.

"This is in line with President (Rodrigo) Duterte's thrust to bring science closer to the people,"
he said.

To address the problem on plastic pollution, he said the DOST-Industrial Technology

Development Institute (ITDI) has developed the electric plastic densifier, and the styro plastic
densifier that could turn plastics and styrofoam into other materials such as bricks, plant boxes,
and wires. It also developed the biodegradable polymer, which he said, is an environment-
friendly alternative to single-use plastic materials.

With regard to sustaining the country's "blue economy" or the sea-based economic sector, dela
Pena said the DOST-Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic, and Natural Resources Research
and Development (PCAARRD) has provided research to address issues in the marine sector.
Among the PCAARRD-funded research and development (R&D) projects include a research to
cut the invasive knifefish population in Laguna de Bay; a research to assess the human resource
requirements for a robust aquaculture and fisheries development; as well as the Impact
Assessment of the Closed Fishing Season Policy for Sardines in the Visayan Sea. The PCAARRD
also helps develop various aquatic products like mussels through its Mussels Industry Strategic
S&T Program. It also assists small and medium enterprises in producing live and frozen fish
products through seminars and technical assistance.

Phivolcs to launch 4 disaster mitigation apps

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology will soon launch four
applications (apps) in relation to disaster risk reduction and mitigation.

In an interview with the Philippine News Agency (PNA) on Tuesday, Phivolcs director Renato
Solidum said these apps are the GeoMapper-Exposure Data Mapper, GeoMapper-Situation
Data Mapper, Geo Analytics, and HazardHunter PH.

These were developed under the GeoRiskPhilippines Initiative project of DOST. Solidum said
that basically, this project, which runs from 2018-2020, is a geographic information system (GIS)
that integrates hazard maps, exposure data, and have these accessed by the public and
government agencies. "The apps were already developed. But the data are still to be
contributed," he clarified.

From August 2018 to July 2019, the DOST have allotted PHP24 million for this project. Solidum
said a big chunk of this amount was used to buy computers and software. Among the four apps,
only the HazardHunter would be accessible to the public, as the other three were made for
government agencies' use, according to Solidum.

HazardHunter will be launched on July 16, and this can be accessed either through a computer
or mobile phone.

This app would help people know if their location is at risk for volcanic eruptions, tsunamis, and
other hazards. Phivolc's fault finder is also included in this app.

The HazardHunter is also helpful for businesses or those planning to put up establishments,
since they would find if the area they are eyeing is at risk. One may type the location in the app
to know if it is a hazard area, Solidum said.

The three other apps were made for government use, as they target to collect exposure data.
The GeoMapper-Situation Data Mapper, for instance, will be used by the Office of Civil
Defense. "We will collect exposure data and send this to proper authorities to assess the
hazard," Solidum said. The GeoRisk platform, he said, can be accessed by government agencies.
They could find Phivolcs' hazard map there and also send data.

These apps provide a very specific location point. "Not all facilities are properly located, like for
example in Google, you could only see a flag to locate a school. Our app could locate a specific
building in a school compound," he said."The school principal, therefore, should locate and
describe the facilities they have so we could add this to our data," Solidum explained. (PNA)

Public urged to join Nat'l Science & Technology Week celebration

The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) is inviting everyone to join the
celebration of the National Science & Technology Week (NSTW) from July 17 to 21 at the World
Trade Center in Pasay City.

The National S&T Week is being observed annually every July. The DOST regional offices also
prepare various activities and celebrate the Regional S&T Week on different dates.

The NSTW serves as an avenue for DOST and its attached agencies to showcase to the public
the achievements in the field of S&T, its impact on the people, livelihood and health, among
others.

For this year, the NSTW carries the theme "Science for the People: Enabling Technologies for
Sustainable Development". Exhibits, fora, and film showing were prepared and are open to the
public from July 17 (12 p.m. to 6 p.m.) and July 18-21 (9 a.m. to 6 p.m.). Interested visitors must
pre-register online at www.nstw.dost.gov.ph. During the celebration, the public would see
exhibits and demonstrations of various products on energy, health and medical care, resilience
and innovation, food products, among others. The DOST will also launch its newest mobile
science learning facility called NuLab during the NSTW at the World Trade Center.

NuLab aims to enable senior high school students to discover their potentials in the various
science, technology, engineering, mathematics fields, and take tertiary courses where they are
most inclined to succeed and excel.
The NuLab can accommodate 24 students in one session and hold two sessions per day,
according to DOST. Balik scientists' (returning scientists') host institutions will also give talks
about their experiences and the impact of the Balik Scientist program and law.

Huawei focuses on digital transformation in PH

Information and communications technology infrastructure and smart devices maker,

Huawei, is bringing in innovative technology to the Philippines to benefit from the application
of digital transformation.

Huawei Technologies Philippines, Inc. Vice President Daniel Guo said here that the company is
now in partnership with the two telecommunication giants in the Philippines to rollout the 5G
technology in the country. Guo added that Huawei is also ready to partner with the new telco
player, which include Chinese firm China Telecommunications Corp., for future projects in the
Philippines. Huawei has been working with state-owned company in China.

“Our focus, to help the people to benefit from the digital transformation. That is why we are
here. The focus currently, we are trying to help operators to improve the telecom services for
the Filipino. So Filipinos can benefit from low-cost and highly efficient network experience,” he
told Filipino reporters on the sidelines of the Mobile World Congress (MWC) Shanghai 2019
from June 26 to 28 here.

“We worked together with operators, design the network with low-cost, efficient solution and
then implement into the government with the practical provider or contractors,” the executive
added.

Guo said the 5G deployment in the Philippines will focus initially in the National Capital Region
(NCR) since Metro Manila has the infrastructure to host 5G network. “Philippines need to build
the backbone for the country first, which means the fiber link to all the cities. Currently, Globe
and PLDT don’t have the backbone for the country. But in China or other countries, they have
that long time ago,” he said, noting that it is faster for other countries to deploy 5G network. He
stressed that this telecommunication infrastructure gap outside Metro Manila should be
addressed in order for the whole country to benefit from this latest technology.

As Huawei often stressed, 5G is not just about faster network, but its application leads to digital
transformation. In his keynote speech at the MWC 2019, Huawei Deputy Chairman Ken Hu
stressed the need to accelerate 5G development to maximize the benefit of the technology in
different sectors to innovate and improve services to end-users.