Leyte and Biliran LGUs project cooperation

Mayor Ramon Oñate, Palompon (2nd from left) with Mayor Gemma Adobo
of Cabucgayan (3rd from left). The fish dryer in background

Fish processing opportunity is what encouraged Mayor Ramon Oñate of Palompon, Leyte to visit the town of Cabucgayan in Biliran Province, hoping they would learn from Cabucgayan's experience in utilizing technology to produce quality dried fish products.

Cabucgayan has tested the mechanical fish dryer designed by DOST's Industrial Technology Development Institute (ITDI-DOST) with positive results and in his plan to pilot test the said dryer in his town, Mayor Oñate seek the support of DOST to transfer the equipment used by Cabucgayan for its pilot testing project to Palompon. The dryer will be used in improving the dried "danggit" which is a popular product of Palompon, Leyte.

Cabucgayan received assistance from DOST through PSTC Biliran in 2007 for the use of fish dryer and smoke house as a technology demonstration to improve its fish products. The LGU was able to produce better quality dried fish using fish species available in the area like "besogo", stick fish ("tubo-tubo"), and others.

Since the project has been completed, Palompon signified interest to use the facilities from Cabucgayan to pilot its use for "danggit" and if found to be viable they will adopt the technology for commercial production.

DOST Biliran in coordination with DOST Leyte and the DOST VIII Regional office is currently facilitating the rehabilitation and speedy transfer of the dryer to Palompon.

Wanted Civil Engineers

DOST is in need of two(2) Project Assistant III (Contractual), SG12 with monthly salary of PhP18,333.00.

QUALIFICATIONS

1.Education: Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering
2.Eligibility: Licensure Examination for Civil Engineers
3. Experience: 3 years Experience in Building Construction and Supervision (at least 2 storey building)

REQUIREMENTS
1. Curriculum Vitae
2. Certified Photocopy of Transcript of Records
3. Certified Photocopy of License
4. NBI Clearance
5. Service Record/Record of Employment Issued by Previous Employer(s)

OTHER REQUIREMENT
1. Proficient in Microsoft Word and Excell
2. Proficiency in AutoCAD operation is an advantage

DURATION OF CONTRACT: Six (6) months (May to October 2012)

AREA OF ASSIGNMENT: PSTC Biliran, NSU, Naval, Biliran and PSTC Samar, SSU, Catbalogan City, Samar

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
1. Supervise all phases of construction for the Establishment of PSTC Biliran Office Building.
2. Prepare and submit required reports on time.
3. Evaluate the quality and quantity of construction materials used in all construction works.
4. Evaluate building structures to ensure its conformance to specifications and building standards.
5. Perform other relevant duties to ensure timely and smooth completion of the construction of office buildings.

Interested applicants may submit application letter together with the requirements not later than March 15, 2012 to:

RUFINO E. MENGOTE
ARD for Finance and Administrative Services
Department of Science and Technology
Regional Office No. VIII
Government Center, Candahug, Palo, Leyte
Tel/Fax: (053) 323-6356
Email: rufinomengote@yahoo.com

OL Trap rolls out in Biliran

When life is at stake, heroes always come running. It was proven true when 132 school principals and school nurses from the elementary and secondary schools in the Biliran Division joined the roll-out training of the Ovicidal-Larvicidal Trap (OL Trap) conducted by the Department of Science and Technology on February 15, 2012 at the Department of Education's Library Hub in Brgy. Larrazabal, Naval, Biliran.

What is noble with the activity is its purview of reducing the deadly dengue menace. Dengue had been one of the growing problem that even caused fatalities mostly among school aged children through-out the country. It is currently the subject of intense campaign of the government to reduce if not eliminate the causes.

Ms. Rosario Canlas, representing Dr. Pedro T Escobarte, Jr., the Biliran Schools Division Superintendent of the Department of Education, welcomed the enthusiastic participants while Ms. Mae Anne Reyes, Supervising Science Research Specialist and OL Trap Project Coordinator of DOST Region VIII, presented the life cycle of the dengue carrier mosquito and the nitty-gritty of operating and using the device to reduce the mosquito population. Mr. Romeo Dignos, Senior Science Research Specialist and Provincial Director for DOST Biliran, encouraged the school principals and head teachers to be serious in accomplishing the tasks required of them since the project's vision is a dignified one.

The OL Trap a sytem developed by DOST's Industrial Technology Development Institute (ITDI) in cooperation with the DOST-Philippine Council for Health Research and Development and the Department of Health is designed to attract the Aedes egypti mosquitoes, the carrier of the dengue virus, to lay their eggs in it and kill the offsprings before it could live and spread further.

DOST VIII  through the project will provide every rooms in all schools about 4 sets of the device including supplies that will be used and monitored for the next 6 months. The school heads will report the data to DOST Biliran Provincial office who will submit the same to the Regional Office for analysis.

The OL trap system roll-out in Biliran is a part of the project of DOST Secretary, Hon. Mario G. Montejo to promote the use of the ingenious gadget throughout the country. "As we are conducting this training, other parts of the country, may also be doing the same this time," Ms. Reyes disclosed.

When love and candies meet

Candies and love can be as sweet but they can be sweeter together. This holds true in the case of Santiago and Rose Nierra when their love for candy making turned their love nest into a growing enterprise of producing milk candy and related products. But how did it started? Well, let's find out.

The enterprise name SAN-ROSE Processed Food Products obviously is a mixture of the owners first name. And as candies are bound hard with sugar, SanRose's commitment to pursue the venture is bound with the love and purpose of helping not only themselves but also the community they serve through the people they employ.

This commitment led SanRose to seek assistance from DOST Biliran who in turn enrolled the micro-enterprise under its Small Enterprise Technology Upgrading program (SETUP). The firm later received consultancy support through the MPEX. This year, 2012 a technology acquisition support amounting to Eighty-Five Thousand Pesos (PhP85,000.00) which include improving the packaging system of its products is released to the firm.

Few years ago, Mr. and Mrs. Nierra was suppose to return to Manila to work after a visit to their hometown in Almeria, Biliran. They felt how hard it is in the metropolis with meager income as candy factory worker. Tasked to lead his local church community the couple contemplated on starting a small business instead. Hesitant at first to venture into such a business but after seeing a lot of rural people having no work encouraged them to help. And so armed with enough knowledge on candy making they started very small.

They produced milk candy (yema) initially, hired unemployed women and youth as packers and sell the products to peddlers with motorcycle who in turn distributed the products around Almeria and the neighboring towns. And so San-Rose products became available in stores around the province.

Seeing young people, mostly women with hairnets and aprons, usually inspires rural folk with the thought of having a small candy factory in their remote rural community. This impression is what SANROSE has given to constituents of Brgy. Caucab, Almeria, Biliran about 5 kilometers from Almeria town. The firm generated about four hundred thousand pesos (PhP400,000) worth of products and was able to employ at least 12 workers from the community based on its operation last year.

Mr. Nierra, a local church leader, set a small area near his house as a processing section for milk candy, pastillas, peanut butter, and similar products. With the help of consultants from Naval State University commissioned by DOST's MPEX program, San-Rose was able to improve its processing lay-out as well as the formulation of its candy products.

Micro as it is categorized, the firm strive to increase its production by 20% through the assistance of DOST and other agencies by the coming years.

With the enthusiasm to help and the love and inspiration of family members, the sweetness of San-Rose candy can be an instrument of building a stronger community if properly sustained.

There's future for a roadside bamboo furniture shop

Who would think that a road shoulder in a rural community could be a start of a promising venture?

Ronie Villanueva utilizing a small lot along the Kawayan-Culaba road in  Barangay Bulalacao, Kawayan, Biliran started his small bamboo furniture venture armed with a few thousand pesos, a bunch of willing skilled craftsmen, a backward set of woodworking tools, and an optimistic heart.

And this optimism yielded the support of DOST SET-UP program through a series of consultancy and finally approving a technology acquisition assistance for Ronie Furniture this year 2012 in the amount of PhP 111,000.00.

A security guard turned entrepreneur, Ronie convinced and earned the trust of an unemployed furniture maker from his place and put up a small capital to start the business. The initial arrangement was for him to acquire the materials and sell the finish products, while the partner do the crafting with his family in a makeshift area along the road. This space became their production as well as display area for the products.

Ronie realized that his plan worked well "and it was good," borrowing from the famous lines of Genesis, so he aspired bigger. Hearing about DOST SETUP program, he didn't hesitate to visit the DOST Biliran Provincial office in Naval, Biliran where a collaborative project was hatched.

DOST Biliran facilitated the conduct of technology assessment for Ronie which was then enrolled under the Manufacturing Productivity Expansion Program (MPEX) involving consultants from Naval State University in Naval.

DOST realized that Ronie Furniture's potential could be more harnessed through improving its facilities and so an Innovation Support Project was proposed and technology and equipment need were identified with assistance from the DOST's Forest Products and Natural Resources Research and Development Institute in Los Banos, Laguna through Engr. Vic Revilleza and Ms. Zenaida Reyes.

With the DOST support, soon the ordinary planes and saws used by the workers will be replaced with more efficient cutting, cleaning, and boring tools which will greatly improve the quality of their finished product.

The MPEX consultancy conducted by NSU has earlier created improvement in the lay-out of the production area and the over-all management of the business. 

Biliran studes join DOST Scholarship exams

A total of one hundred twenty three (123) graduating high school students from around Biliran Province and nearby Leyte town flocked to Naval State University where the SY 2012-2013 DOST Scholarship Qualifying Examinations was conducted on November 20, 2011 from 7:00 AM to 6:00PM.

The students came from the different private and public high schools from the Division of Biliran and were members of the top 5% of the graduating class and those from special match and science classes of science accredited high schools.

If this examinees would pass the test, they will be considered DOST scholars who can avail free tuition and monthly stipend and other benefits in accredited universities around the country.