Biliran Governor Rogelio Espina Supports Science & Technology Based project for environmental management of Higatangan Island

Hon. Governor Rogelio Espina with
Dr. Dignos DOST-Biliran PD

The Honorable Governor, Doctor Rogelio J. Espina of Biliran signed today the Memorandum of Agreement between the Department of Science and Technology Regional Office No. 8 and the Biliran Province State University for the implementation of the Community Empowerment through Science and Technology project in the tourist island of Higatangan.

Governor Espina, enthusiastically expressed his full support to the project which has three components that would benefit not only the Higatangan Island constituents but also every tourist who will visit the beautiful island.  

The first component is the "Adoption of Eco-Sep Technology for Waste Treatment in Two (2) Selected Tourist Sites in Higatangan Island. This component will put up a communal CR to be used by tourists. This facility will be equipped with the eco-friendly septic tank that will use vigormin, a nature friendly formula to treat the wastewater from comfort rooms before it will be discharged to the ground or used to water ornaments and other plants. The Barangay LGUs will be tapped to identify appropriate location for the CRs one for each barangay. The said project will showcase the Eco-Sep Technology developed by Adamson University and will serve as model to be followed by local tourism facility operators of the island. The project will ultimately lessen or eliminate the problem of waste water contamination of the beaches in this tourism haven.

The second component of the project involves the adoption of solar power generation system that will be used to power the water purification project that was established in 2020 with Mayor Gerard Roger Espina of Naval and DOST-8 also in partnership with BiPSU. The said water purification project was currently powered by fossil based generator. The use of the solar system will therefore lessen the cost of potable water production.

The third component involves the use of Drone Technology in mapping the island for better planning or emergency response and assessment of the islands terrain which will be used to create disaster and risk management plan for Higatangan. The project will acquire a drone to be later managed by the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office to be used not only in the island but also for the entire Province of Biliran.

The DOST CEST Program will release its counterpart funds worth one million to BiPSU for the acquisition of equipment needed to accomplish the targeted outcomes. PLGU Biliran on its part will manage its counterpart for the construction of comfort rooms and other logistics support. The BiPSU, who possess the manpower and expertise shall be leading the implementation of the project which will run for one year.

The Municipal and Barangay LGU will also be tapped for support in the identification of locations and overall implementation of the project.