DOST Region VIII CEST empowering communities in Biliran Province

Governor Rogelio Espina and Direct Ernesto Granada during turn-over
of financial assistance

July 12, 2021. Naval, Biliran.  The hardworking Regional Director of DOST-8, Engr. Ernesto M. Granada personally visited Biliran Province today to meet the equally hardworking Governor of Biliran Province Hon Rogelio J. Espina to jointly hand down funding assistance to two economically challenged communities in the Province under the Community Empowerment through Science and Technology (CEST). 

The turn-over ceremonies are witnessed by the faculty and staff of BiPSU Main campus and BiPSU Biliran campus together with the barangay Chairpersons from Higatangan, representative of LGU-Naval, the PIA Biliran, and the beneficiary groups’ representatives. Governor Espina was appreciative of how DOST was able to support the governments’ trust of helping the people most in need of assistance and lauded the efforts of DOST-8 management through DOST-Biliran PSTC to involve the LGU in planning and project implementation. Hon. Espina further stressed, he is very willing to support endeavors of the national agencies if needed. 

Culaba's traditional bread a heritage made possible thru grassroots innovation

Have you tasted the most delicious bread from Culaba, Biliran?

Well. despite, the rise of many state of the art bakeries in the urban areas, a traditional bread remained  sought after by residents in the town of Culaba, Biliran. The bread is produced by a family in the rural community of  Brgy Bool East, Culaba, Biliran.

One could be challenged by the claims of many who tasted the bread as the "pinakamasarap na tinapay."

Responding to the request of Dr. Faustito Aure, of the Eastern Visayas State University in Tacloban City who happened to have a close encounter with the traditional bread maker, to assess the product for possible DOST assistance, the DOST Biliran PSTC staff in coordination with the Culaba Municipal Planning and Development Office through Engr. Albert Fiel its MPDO, went to where the bread is. 

The DOST-Biliran team went there to discover the truth and find scientific and technological basis why such a claim. The team found out that the bread's popularity even spread beyond the borders of Culaba to the nearby towns of Kawayan and reached even Naval, the capital of Biliran Province. But the most solid evidence of the breads unique taste, as claimed, is the technology used by its makers.