About false information on radiation from Japan

The text message circulated today about a radiation contamination reaching the Philippines is a hoax. Please visit the following links for more information:

DOST ADVISES THE PUBLIC NOT TO BELIEVE IN HOAX MESSAGES

No increase in radiation level DOST-PNRI assures public

New equipment for SETUP beneficiaries inspected

The DOST 8 Inspection committee conducting the inspection of the newly acquired tools and equipment for  two SETUP beneficiaries in Biliran Province

The DOST Inspection committee inspected on March 1, 2011 the newly acquired tools and equipment for two projects in Biliran. These equipment are part of the assistance provided by the SETUP to MSMEs to improve their productivity. The two firms include: The Caril Furniture in Naval, Biliran and ELSHIRGLOW Food Products from Brgy. Bariis, Caibiran, Biliran.

The team is headed by Engr. John Glenn Ocana of PSTC Leyte. Members of the committee who joined the inspection include: Mr. Manny Lagdamen, Ms. Beverly Chu, Engr. Ma. Catherine Gonda, Engr. Lorenzo Moron, Engr. Joseph Albert Lledo, and Mr. Prospero Peque.

The inspection is part of the standard process employed by SETUP to make sure equipment acquired are based on the approved requirements of the firm.

DOST launches OL trap for dengue mosquito

From left: Tacloban Mayor Alfred Romualdez, DOST-ITDI Director Nuna Almanzor, DOH Secretary Enrique Ona, DOST Secretary Mario Montejo, Leyte Governor Jericho Petilla, DOH Undersecretary David Joaquin Lozada, and DOST Undersecretary Carol Yorobe. (Photo by Joy M. Lazcano from: www.stii.dost.gov.ph)

Read full story at STII

Biliran studes qualify the 2011 PSHS NCE

Two students from Biliran Province passed the 2011 Philippine Science High School National Competitive Examination conducted last November 6, 2010. The students were Roxanne Blanca Juarez and Angelica Marie Banquilay Rostata both from Naval SPED Center, Naval, Biliran.

The official result was sent by Philippine Science High School, Diliman to the DOST PSTC Biliran with the communication dated January 31, 2011. The document included a total of 93 PSHS passers for 2010 for Region VIII. Biliran has a total of about 80 applicants for the PSHS qualifying exam held at Naval State University last November 2010. Total National passing percentage is about 6% or 1,114 examinees out of 20,233 applicants.

Both of the passers qualify to enroll in the PSHS Eastern Visayas campus located at Government Center, Palo, Leyte. The PSHS Management advised the passers to coordinate immediately with the Registrar of the campus they qualify.

DOST assisted papaya pickles product

A group of papaya producers in Culaba town Province of Biliran will soon be producing this papaya pickles through funding support from DOST 8.

Papaya is the town's identified product under the OTOP program. DOST's support include the acquisition of necessary equipment and utensils for the Community based project that would support the processing needs of the Culaba Papaya Producers Association. The Common Service Facility will be managed by the Municipal Agricultural Office through Mrs. Estefania T. Loyola, the Mun. Agriculturist.

Earlier in January 2011, the DOST 8 released PhP 214,000.00 funding assistance to the Local Government Unit of Culaba to finance the equipment component and packaging development for papaya pickles production. The facility will be housed in a newly renovated processing area within the LGU compound. Hon. Enrico Uyvico, Culaba's Chief Executive is optimistic this assistance will be able to come up with better product out of the local raw materials available in the area.

The immediate beneficiaries of the project are the papaya growers/farmers, processors and SME’s in the municipality of Culaba. At present, there are 311 papaya farmers/growers in the municipality covering 10 hectares of land area. This constitutes 3.21% of the total agricultural land area of the municipality. The estimated monthly output is 3,504 kgs. Fifty percent (50%) of the total monthly output will be processed into pickles, jams and dried papaya.

Charcoal briquette as air freshener

Charcoal is a good air and water filter in addition to its common use as alternative fuel for domestic use, and its many industrial uses. Because of this fact, Almeria Seafarers Multi-purpose Cooperative developed this small air-cleaning product made of charcoal briquette.

While common air fresheners emits some harmful compounds into the air, this small "thing" absorbs harmful and odor causing compounds from air making them fresh again. This is therefore the true air-freshener in a sense. The product's environment friendly character is also reinforced by the fact that it utilizes biomass wastes that are charred and powdered then compacted using briquetting machine.

Soon ASEMCO will be producing the charcoal briquette and the air-freshener when operation of the charcoal briquetting facility supported by Department of Science and Technology through Small Enterprise Technology Upgrading Program (SETUP) will start commercial production.

The air-freshener is a small item that can be placed on top of tables or cabinets in rooms where air need to be cleaned. This is useful in newly painted rooms or in rooms sprayed by insect repellant. It could even be placed inside the refrigerator to remove undesirable odors.

DOST assisted ASEMCO in the acquisition of equipment which are designed by both FPRDI and the ERDB-DENR in Laguna.