Earthquake rocks Biliran

At about 6:15 AM on October 28, 2007 a magnitude 4.4 earthquake was felt in the capital town of Naval in Biliran Province waking the still sleeping residents and caused panic to those who were already awake.
Minor to alarming cracks were noticed in several large buildings of the town. Cracks on the walls of the PSTC Biliran office, which is located at the 1st floor of the Engineering Building of Naval Institute of Technology in Naval, Biliran, are shown in the attached photo.

Report from the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PhiVolcs) of DOST officially showed that the quake was of tectonic origin which occurred 11.53ºN,124.41ºE - 04 km. S34° E of NAVAL (BILIRAN ISLAND).

More details can be found at PhiVolcs official report. You may click the link Official Eartquake report

The finest meat product from Biliran

The Carding Meat store in Naval, Biliran is now producing the finest and cleanest longanisa or chorizo in town. With its operation using the state of the art facility in meat processing, direct human contact of the meat materials was reduced to almost 30%. thereby reducing the potential risk of contamination. The facility also improved the firms production output by 50%. (Photos below show the processes before and after upgrading of the facility)

The process was made possible with the assistance from the Department of Science and Technology-Biliran Provincial Science and Technology Center (DOST Biliran PSTC) through the Small and Medium Enterprise Technology Upgrading Program (SET-UP). Carding Meat Store owned by Mr. Ricardo Victoria, a businessman from Naval, received a comprehensive assistance from DOST SET-UP which covered from plant design, Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP), equipment acquisition, and package and label designs.

With the assistance, Carding would be able to supply the markets of Biliran and the neighboring municipalities from Samar and Leyte provinces.

For more details please contact the PSTC at (053)5009347

Citronella oil plant in Biliran revived

One of the major breakthroughs of DOST-8 in Biliran through the Biliran PSTC is its involvement in the revival of the citronella extraction plant in Brgy Bato, Biliran, Biliran. The SET-UP program is very instrumental in the rehabilitation of the project.

For more than a decade citronella oil extraction in Biliran, Biliran Province has always been on an on-off operation despite the market potential of the product both local and export. The problem then was project management-related with several organizations, from corporation to cooperative to single proprietor, drawn in the course of its ups and downs.

But what happened was history. The industry took a new step ahead in 2004 with the establishment of the new processing plant under the Biliran Essential Oil Manufacturing, Philippines owned by Mr. Jesus F. Doyon, Sr. BEOMP operated with one steam-based distiller at a capacity of 10 liters per batch out of 1000 kg air dried citronella grass. The plant usually produces one batch a day and employed 12 or more persons from harvesting of grass to the operator of distillation equipment.

With the limited production capability and high demand, Mr. Doyon and his plant consultant Engr. Jesus Villamil, envisioned increasing volume of output. They sought the assistance of the DOST-8 through the Biliran Provincial Science and Technology Center (PSTC) Letran, who in turn tapped SET-UP of DOST.

Engineers Melchor Valdecañas and Rosalinda Torres, experts from the Industrial Technology Development Institute (ITDI) were deployed with support from Technology Application and Promotion Institute (TAPI) to evaluate the plant. The two recommended modifications for improving the efficiency of existing equipment and process.

To further boost production volume SET-UP assisted BEOMP in acquiring a new extractor amounting to PhP 365,000. The new equipment is a steam based distilling still with 600-1000 kg grass capacity per batch producing 6-10 liter citronella oil. It is made of stainless steel with vacuum pump to lessen the heating time and temperature of water used. It is designed to use wood as fuel with provision for LPG as alternate fuel in cases of wood fuel shortage.

The equipment, still undergoing minor modifications, was made operational starting the 1^st quarter of 2007 and has increased the production volume of the plant by about 60% at single batch production per day from 10 L to 16 L of oil daily, using the old and new distillers. Average employment of the plant is 16 persons per month. Average gross sales, based on declaration of the owner is approximately PhP 80,000/month.

Currently, the owner of the plant planted another 5 hectares of citronella grass in addition to the existing 50 hectare. Future plans include: the development of another 50 hectares for citronella plantation, acquisition of fire truck which can be used in case of bush fire and for watering the plantation area.

Biliran's Best boneless bangus soon in Reg. 8

DOST SET-UP's approval of Biliran Agri-Center's bangus processing project in Naval soon will pave the way for the introduction in the market of the Biliran's Best boneless bangus.

Initial training in the process of deboning and smoking were conducted by DOST-8, and ITDI on August 8-10, 2007 at Caraycaray, Naval, Biliran with 18 participants who are the expected workers of the processing center. The trainors Ms. Imelda Picorro-DOST 8, and Ms. Charito Villaluz and Mr. Elmer Magora of ITDI joined hands in imparting valuable information and techniques in the deboning, curing, and smoking process.

The activity formed part in the package of services rendered to the Biliran Agri-Center, a firm owned by former Cong. Gerardo S. Espina, Sr., to establish the Bangus Processing Center in Biliran. Other services include innovation support for acquisition of technology such as smoke house, dryer, and freezer and provision of packaging design assistance.

DOST 8 is weaning CNSAT FTTC

Proving its capability to handle its technology transfer program in the province of Biliran and neighboring areas, the CNSAT-FTTC has finally received DOST recognition to go ahead with its programs on food technology transfer without further coddling from DOST-8.

The CNSAT lady administrator Dr. Rosario Bulut, echoed her gratefullness to DOST for the support extended and appreciated the Evaluation Team for the move that will give them liberty to manage freely the center's resources.

The Cabucgayan National School of Arts and Trades (CNSAT) situated in Cabucgayan, Biliran a school supervised by the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority received support from DOST-VIII in the amount of two hundred thousand pesos (PhP 200,000.00) for the acquisition of equipment and tools for food processing when it established the Food Technology Transfer Project in 2001. Since its inception the center was able to competently delivered its regular training courses, community training, and other related services to SMEs, out-of-school youths, private individuals, and other clients in the province.

Regular monitoring and technical support from DOST Biliran Provincial Science and Technology Center were provided to the FTTC in the course of its implementation. Based on actual assessment, the PSTC has recommended that the FTTC has proven its capability to handle its programs alone. These prompted the PSTC to recommend for the donation of the equipment DOST had provided the project in order for them to have full control of its maintenance, operation, and upgrading.

The decision to wean the project from DOST-8 control was made after the assessment conducted by the DOST disposal committee on September 17, 2007. the Team was composed by Ms. Lourdes Salvatierra-Accountant, Ms. Josephine Beringuel -COA representative, Mr. Prospero Peque-DOST Property Officer, Engr. Ramil Uy-DOST TSD, Ms. Evelyn Tablante-TSD Staff, Mr. Romeo Dignos - PSTD DOST Biliran.

The move to wean the project is beneficial to both parties. The DOST will no longer conduct its annual audit and inventory of the center's facility. In the other hand, CNSAT will be able to further enhance the usability of the equipment by infusing modifications, repairs, and maintenance without the restrictions of ownership.

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