DOST joins Biliran anniversary exhibits

Focusing on the Small Enterprise Technology Upgrading Program, DOST Biliran PSTC with the full support from DOST Regional Office No. VIII information services with a team headed by Ms. Mae Anne D. Reyes and Ms. Lucia Dauz, put up its exhibits in support of the celebration of Biliran Provincehood anniversary last May 8-11, 2008 at the Provincial Capitol Grounds.



Hundreds of visitors flocked into the Agro-Industrial Fair and exhibits that features a lot of activities with focus on Agricultural development and its impact in the Province. DOST on its part showcased its support programs for enterprise productivity improvement including the innovation support system, technology acquisition, consultancy services, packaging improvement, and other technical services intended for micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSME).

About Us

About Us

DOST is the country's premier science and technology (S&T) institution whose regional office (DOST 8) is based at the Government Center, Candahug, Palo, Leyte, Philippines 

The Biliran Provincial Science and Technology Office is one of the six (6) Provincial offices of DOST created under the PSTO Act of 2023 or RA 11914. It was created as a Center initially through Republic Act 6959 on July 31, 1990. It is situated inside the campus of the Biliran Province State University, the sole institution of higher learning in Biliran Province, located in the Municipality of Naval, the provincial capital. 

As the provincial arm of DOST 8, the PSTC formulates plan and implements programs and projects of DOST in the province; provides effective and efficient S&T services to the people; and coordinates with other government agencies and with the local government units in the region on S&T matters. The following are the concurrent officers of DOST Biliran PSTO

Dr. Romeo L. Dignos, Provincial S & T Director

Ms. Maria Catherine G. Maniba, Supervising Science Research Specialist 

Ms. Juliet A. Aguirre, Sr. Science Research Specialist 

Ms. Gracevillalyn R. Saldo, Science Research Specialist II

Ms. Nicka V. Salentes, Science Research Specialist I

Mr. Teddy M. Abenido, Project Assistant I

Ms. Christine May Joy Ragsag, Project Tech Aide I

Mr. Romeo T. Lamoste, Driver/Utility

12 Biliranons qualify the 2007 PSHS Final Screening

Twelve grade six pupils from the Biliran division hurdled successfully the tough screening process of the Philippine Science High School National Competitive Examination for School Year 2007-2008. The passers qualify as PSHS scholars in the coming school year and enjoy the benefits accorded by the program such as free tuition, monthly allowance, and other benefits.

Biliran pupils account for 14% of the total passers from Eastern Visayas during the 2nd Screening conducted last December 15, 2007. Out of the total passers from Biliran Division during the first screening conducted on October 13, 2007, 75% passed the Final screening. Broken down per school, 10 come from Naval SPED Center in Poblacion Naval, Biliran, 1 from Lightbringer Learning Center in Caneja St., Naval, Biliran, and 1 from Kawayan Elementary School in Kawayan, Biliran.

The following are the qualifiers:
1. Ambe, Ennah Marie - Kawayan Elementary School
2. Alba, Maxine Lally - Naval SPED Center
3. Apura, Geshabelle - Naval SPED Center
4. Bornillo, Ian Jade - Naval SPED Center
5. Castro, Jen Camille - Naval SPED Center
6. Dacer, Georgette - Lightbringer Learning Center
7. Dagalea, Bryl Adam - Naval SPED Center
8. Daguil, Mark Andrian - Naval SPED Center
9. Diu, Jean Clare - Naval SPED Center
10. Mendoza, John Bryan - Naval SPED Center
11. Naquila, James Michael - Naval SPED Center
12. Sanchez, Joseph Alwin - Naval SPED Center

Congratulations!!

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.