DOST, DAR conducts Food Safety training

The Food Safety Team headed by Engr. Gopo

Food safety is everybody's business and the Eastern Visayas Food Safety Team is serious on its mandate of spreading awareness of ensuring fitness for consumption the food products produced even by micro-enterprises from rural areas. The Balaquid Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Cooperative, from Brgy. Balaquid, Cabucgayan, Biliran is the latest to receive the training on Food Safety and Good Manufacturing Practices conducted last May 29-30, 2013.

Department of Agrarian Reform Biliran Provincial office provided the funding for the two-day training under its Agrarian Reform Infrastructure Support Program III. The Department of Science and Technology Regional Office No. VIII through the Food Safety Team and the Biliran Provincial Science and Technology Center joined hands in organizing the activity.

The training held at Balaquid Women's Building was participated by twelve members of the cooperative who are producers of fruit and vegetable pickles. Engr. Rosella Gopo, Sr. Science Research Specialist and Provincial Science and Technology Director of Samar Provincial Science and Technology Center, headed the Food Safety team's training group. Engr. Isabelita M. Pamposa and Mr. Alfred Calibuso both Science Research Specialist II of DOST-8 was part of the team. Engr. Donnie Rey Duhig, SRS I, and Mr. Teddy Abenido, SRA of DOST Biliran assisted the trainers during the activities. Ms. Nancy Obligado, Provincial Marketing Assistance Officer and Development Facilitator of DARPO Biliran served as facilitator.

The participants were taught on different aspects of Food Safety including: hand washing techniques, Chemical, Allergens, and Physical Hazards, Cross contamination, Personal hygiene, and other topics related to good manufacturing practices. Hands-on activities were conducted to let the attendees experience first hand the topics discussed.

"Damo an amon mabaruan para mas malimpyo pa ang producto (We learned a lot to make our product more clean and safe)" was the general feedback of the participants.

BARBC is mostly composed of women who are family members of Agrarian Reform beneficiaries from the Agrarian Reform Community of Balaquid Cabucgayan. Their products are papaya pickles, mango pickles, and others. Their food processing venture is an added source of income. BARBC members are all farmers.

DOST supports NSU Research & Development efforts

Mr. Amosco & Mr Dignos during the critiquing

To boost the Naval State University's effort to improve its Research and Development capabilities, the Department of Science and Technology Regional Office No. VIII provided support by training NSU personnel on Statistical Procedures for Research and Development.

A training on Statistical Analysis, Data Interpretation, and Presentation was conducted by NSU in partnership with DOST-8 for the College of Education and College of Arts and Sciences in February 2013 and for the College of Engineering last April 25-26, 2013. Participants were taught on how to identify the best suited statistical analysis based on the design of their project. A matrix was provided to the researchers as easy reference.

Mr. Arnaldo T. Amosco, Jr., Provincial Science and Technology Director of Eastern Samar and the only qualified statistics expert of DOST-8 served as speaker during the series of trainings. DOST Biliran PSTD, Mr. Romeo L. Dignos assisted in the critiquing of the research proposals for the two separate trainings.

Research is one of the four-pronged mandates of state universities alongside instruction, production, and extension. However, many SUCs would admit they have limited capabilities as far as Research is concerned due to a lot of reasons. Among these is limited knowledge of researchers on experimental designs and data analysis and interpretation.

Statistical analysis in researches is a highly specialized knowledge that many researchers think its the sole responsibility of qualified statisticians. But good researchers agree that without knowledge of how the research is to be conducted and data analyzed good research is difficult to achieve.

DOST SEI SY 2013-2014 Scholarship Results

Listed below are the passers for the DOST SEI 2012 Scholarship Examinations from Biliran Province who will be considered scholars starting SY 2013-2014.

1. Apolinar, Lovely D.  Kawayan NHS  RA7687
2. Arche, Hizly Rose N. Naval SF  RA7687
3. Bagdoc, Analyn P.   Almeria NHS RA7687
4, Egipto, Rafael  C. Biliran NAHS  RA7687
5. Palconit, Patrick G.  Biliran NAHS  RA7687
6. Prudenciado, Renz    Maripipi NVS    RA7687
7. Racho, Jetran J.  Naval SF  RA7687
8. Rosel, Vanessa Joy C.  Manlabang NHS  RA7687
9. Tomenio, Rowel A. Culaba NVS  RA7687
10. Montes, Margie P.   Sisters of Mary School,

Congratulations Biliran passers!

Complete List of Passers from Region VIII , click here
Complete List of Passers Nationwide,click here

The DOST SEI SY 2013-2014 Scholarship qualifiers are entitled to free tuition and other school fees, book allowance, PE or NSTP uniform allowance, free round trip for one economy-class transportation if they study outside their home province, monthly living allowance, group health and accident insurance and post-graduation clothing allowance.

As DOST SEI scholars they can enroll in State Universities and Colleges (SUC) and other higher education institutions recognized by the Commission on Higher Education as Centers of Excellence or Centers of Development.

Qualifiers of the DOST SEI SY 2013-2014 Scholarship are advised to wait for formal notice of qualification with the schedule of scholarship orientation and signing of scholarship agreement and the requirements to be submitted. For further information they can reach our office at (053)5009347.

DOST brings S & T to the countryside

A shot during the Forum

Mang Pandoy heaves a sigh of hope after hearing a presentation of DOST's Small Enterprise Technology Upgrading Program (SETUP). Finally, from the corner of his entrepreneurial mind he saw a beam of light that lifted up his small metal fabrication shop to a higher plane. "Puede ak niyo mabuligan?" ("Can you help me?")was his only question.

Mang Pandoy (Fernando Goyjodo) was one of the participants during the Forum on the SETUP Program conducted in the Municipal Session Hall of Caibiran, Biliran last January 8, 2013. He is engaged in fabrication of farm implements, metal grilles, and similar products and had been in this venture for more than five years now. Just like other metal fabrication shops he just relied on experience without adopting improved welding and finishing techniques that could have helped improve his products. Thanks to the forum, he has realized he could upgrade his shop and there is an agency that could assist him. And thanks to the local government of Caibiran headed by Mayor Eulalio Maderazo who generously offered support for the activity that was conducted by the Biliran Provincial Science and Technology Center.
In response to Mr. Goyjudo's question, DOST-Biliran, conducted a follow through activity in a form of Technology Needs Assessment of his firm. The TNA would ultimately determine what technological assistance DOST could provide to enhance his productivity and competitiveness. DOST lined up several programs to support him should he need them. These include the Manufacturing Productivity Enhancement program (MPEX), Cleaner Production Technology (CPT), Energy Audit, and others.

Preparation of support proposals will follow once technological needs are identified for Mang Pandoy's firm. This is also true to others who signified interest to avail DOST's Programs aas long as they belong to the priority sectors and their needs are technical. DOST-Biliran is always open for client's queries and they can be reached at (053)5009347 and their office is located at NSU Compound Naval, Biliran. (Donnie Rey D. Duhig, SRSI)

DOST helps improve Almeria's puffed rice product

Mayor Agajan of Almeria (2nd fr left)

Turning the simple puffed rice, popularly known as "ampaw" into a better marketable product is a challenge picked by the Department of Science and Technology Biliran Provincial Office by providing a package of assistance in a form of scientific and technological interventions to improve the product formulation and the processing techniques.

Development assistance through the DOST-8 GIA Program was provided to LGU-Almeria in the amount of Two Hundred Forty Five Thousand Pesos (PhP245,000.00) and was handed by Mr. Romeo L. Dignos, DOST Biliran Provincial Director to Hon. Dominador O. Agajan, Almeria's Chief Executive during a simple ceremony at the Municipal Hall in Almeria, Biliran last December 21, 2012.

The Municipality of Almeria in Biliran Province identified "ampaw" as one of the rice based products for which the town considers as its focus for improvement under the One Town One Product.

This financial assistance will be used for acquisition of equipment and will be housed in a facility which will serve the local producers of "ampaw" from the municipality. The Community based project is expected to provide training and technology demonstration as well as a common service facility for "ampaw" production. Establishing this facility is will benefit directly the local producers and indirectly the rice producers and the retailers of the improved ampaw products. The facility will focus on product quality improvement through technology and equipment acquisition plus packaging improvement.

"Ampaw" processing involves cooking the rice, drying the cooked rice, and then deep frying it. After which, caramelized sugar is added and the mixture is formed into balls or molded and cut like gold bars.

The product is a traditional snack or dessert items across all ages as long as the consumers have the capability to chew harder food, which is one of the characteristics of the product aside from its crispiness. Hardness could sometimes be a disadvantage among younger or older consumers.

But latest technological innovations developed better process and formulations that makes "ampaw" more easily chewable and even more nutritious. These technologies are essentially needed to be transferred to the local manufacturers not only to enhance product quality but also to make it more convenient for the consumers.

4 Biliran studes qualify the PSHS scholarships for SY 2013-2014

Four students from Biliran Division all coming from the Naval SPED Center in Naval, Biliran Province has been named to qualify as scholars for the premier science high school of the country- The Philippine Science High School. This developed after they passed the National Competitive Examinations conducted in September 2012.

(1) ANCERO, Velle Aila Maamo; (2) NAQUILA, Erika Mae Vicente; and (3) CAIRO, Maria Sheena Gudula Sabong qualify for the Eastern Visayas Campus, in Palo Leyte while (4) BADUYA, Mary Snow Haya Pilapil qualifies for the Central Visayas Campus in Cebu City.

For a complete list of passers, please click Complete List from PSHS site.

The passers are advised to refer to the respective campuses where they qualify after they received the official notice from the PSHS system.

As scholars, the qualifiers will have the privilege to study at the designated campus with benefits including free tuition, monthly stipend, and the opportunity to be among the best high school students of the country.

CONGRATULATIONS to all the passers.