From conflict zones to innovation hubs
Department of Science and Technology Secretary (DOST) Renato U. Solidum, Jr. delivers his State of the DOST Address during the July 19, 2025 episode of Radyo Siyensya on Radyo Pilipinas.
Ahead of the State of the Nation Address of President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr., Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Secretary Renato U. Solidum, Jr. reports the initiatives and accomplishments of the Department under its four strategic pillars––a simplified framework aligned with the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
In his State of the DOST Address on July 19, 2025, Sec. Solidum shared that under these pillars, DOST has developed a value chain of assistance for the Filipinos.
“Some may be simple interventions, but they significantly improve people’s lives because science, technology, and innovation lead to development. And the development of a community, no matter how small, is valuable and can provide comfort in life, eventually leading to peace,” he said.
With this, he shared about his team’s recent visit to the mountains of Buenavista in Agusan del Norte. Previously there were conflicted areas, but now, those who once disagreed with the leadership are now participating in various development initiatives.
For instance, the DOST-Philippine Textile Research Institute partnered with the local government unit (LGU) and the local community there to establish the first-ever Bamboo Textile Fiber Innovation in Mindanao, where the machinery used was designed by Filipino engineers from the agency.
Still in Buenavista, the primary source of income for the indigenous people was also improved through the DOST’s coffee sorter––improving the efficiency of processing from four to five kilos per day of sorted quality beans to now hundreds of kilos of coffee beans per day.
DOST’s “Innovation Ecosystem”
The science chief also boasts that the department has built an “innovation ecosystem” focused on translating ideas into reality, reiterating that science, technology, and innovation are not limited to the four walls of a laboratory.
This ecosystem further turns ideas into positive impacts of science––from research and development (R&D), science and technology interventions, up to bringing outputs to the market.
“Over time, DOST continues to deliver its services to communities—including places previously considered remote or difficult to reach. These are called Geographically Isolated and Disadvantaged Areas or GIDAs. We even have interventions in prisons,” he said.
He then said that the future the Department is building through science, technology, and innovation (STI) is based on the four strategic pillars that serve as the guide for its programs and services across the country.
Pillar #1: Promoting Human Well-being
Sec. Solidum said that under the first pillar, Promoting Human Well-being, the Department’s programs consist of various initiatives aimed at improving physical, mental, and social health of individuals and communities.
“These include expanding access to quality education—such as through the Philippine Science High School (PSHS) and the Science Education Institute—enhancing knowledge and skills, wider socio-economic contributions, improved health services, nutrition and food, access to clean water, and efficient transportation systems,” he said.
Further, initiatives under the pillar include the Virology and Vaccine Institute of the Philippines which is seen as a game-changer for the Philippines’ health system strengthening local vaccine production, advance virus research, and ensure faster pandemic response.
He also added that the National Nutrition Survey which provides critical data to guide nutrition policies expanded in its 10th cycle (2023-2024) the coverage to include food environments and mental health.
“It aims to deliver annual LGU-level indicators until 2028 to support policymaking, planning, and monitoring of progress toward the SDGs and Philippine Plan of Action for Nutrition,” said Solidum.
For education, he reported that for School Year 2023-2024, the Department was able to support 10,618 students in the 16 PSHS Campuses, with 1,592 who graduate in June 2025. DOST-SEI scholarships also reached 46,234 undergraduates and 4,524 graduate students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields.
Units deployed by the STARBOOKS or Science and Technology Academic and Research-Based Openly-Operated KioskS, a digital library-in-a-box developed by the DOST-Science and Technology Information Institute, also helped expand access to education nationwide.
He also mentioned about the Project SARAI (Smarter Approaches to Reinvigorate Agriculture as an Industry in the Philippines) and the iPOND: A LoRaWAN-based Pond Water Quality Control and Monitoring System for Shrimp Farms as one of the initiatives by the DOST in agriculture and aquaculture that boosted productivity through research and development.
Further, he boasted of the Safe Drinking Water Treatment System Program and a desalination system launched in 2024 that is now used in coastal communities.
Sec. Solidum also shared that the DOST is now developing an electric passenger ferry for inland waterways like the Pasig River.
Pillar #2: Fostering Wealth Creation
While the first pillar focuses on quality of life, Sec. Solidum said the second pillar focuses on creating wealth––generating jobs, increasing productivity, and supporting inclusive economic growth.
He mentioned programs such as the Fostering the Revitalization of Nascent Textile Innovation Ecosystems in the Region or FRONTIER and Community Empowerment through Science and Technology Program which was able to strengthen 1,737 communities.
DOST continues to provide technical and financial assistance through various programs in venture financing, startup grants, researcher training, Grants And Assistance To Leverage Innovations For National Growth (GALING) program, iFWD PH for OFWs, and Small Enterprise Technology Upgrading Program (SETUP) 4.0.
Pillar #3: Reinforcing Wealth Protection
When wealth is created, it must be protected––which is the heart of the third pillar, Reinforcing Wealth Protection.
Sec. Solidum said that the third pillar strengthens national resilience through climate– and disaster–resilient technologies, science-based information, and empowered communities and sectors, and supports faster disaster recovery.
“Resilience should not be seen as just surviving, we should also be thriving,” said the science chief.
Initiatives under the third include the PHIVOLCS Modernization Act (RA 12180), signed by President Marcos on April 24, 2025, to strengthen the DOST-PHIVOLCS’ forecasting and risk communication capacity.
Further, the AI-Powered Weather Forecasting for a Resilient Philippines or AI-4RP Project, launched in April 2024, uses high-resolution artificial intelligence (AI) models to improve weather forecasting, lead times, and run times, while developing local expertise and R&D partnerships in AI meteorology.
Initiatives for enhanced weather and climate forecasting in the country included DOST-Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (DOST-PAGASA) issuing 33 El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) advisories and 259 heat index forecasts between July 2022 and April 2025, along with daily monitoring.
The Mobile Command and Control Vehicle (MoCCoV) project equipped LGUs with 11 mobile units (with drones, satellite phones, weather tools) from July 2022 to December 2024, with 7 more targeted under Phase 2.
Further, the Flood Forecasting Program installed systems in major river basins and deployed 8 X-band radars from 2022 to 2024 to improve DOST-PAGASA’s disaster readiness.
Sec. Solidum also reported science communication initiatives to strengthen national disaster resilience from 2022 to 2024 by the Handa Pilipinas Expo in Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao that featured over 200 science-based solutions such as HazardHunterPH, REDAS, and mobile command vehicles.
Pillar #4: Institutionalizing Sustainability
Last but not the least is the efforts of the DOST under the fourth pillar to collaborate with the private sector, LGUs, non-governmental organizations, cooperatives, and communities to mainstream sustainability into daily life.
One initiative he mentioned is the launching of a fuel-efficient floating solid waste collector by the DOST and Department of Environment and Natural Resources.
“The collector is capable of collecting 8 cubic meters of trash per trip to reduce water pollution in Metro Manila, with expansion planned for Laguna Lake, Pampanga River, and Cagayan River,” he said.
He also proudly shared of the several recognitions received by the DOST: 2024 Freedom of Information Champion Award for Scientific and Technological Transparency, two GADtimpala Silver Awards for Gender Mainstreaming by the Philippine Commission on Women, and 34 international awards for 40 technologies presented in 6 international exhibitions.
From 2022 to 2024, thousands of participants, youth and adults alike, flocked the National Science, Technology, and Innovation Week (NSTW) and National Youth Science, Technology, and Innovation Festival that both featured hundreds of technologies, strengthening public interest in science and commercialization of research outputs.
Further, DOST has signed over 25 international agreements, supported dozens of joint research and capacity-building initiatives, participated in hundreds of global engagements, and received recognition as a global STI leader.
“We continue to advance programs in emerging fields: AI, geospatial analytics, quantum computing, industry 4.0, circular economy, smart agriculture, smart technologies, and biologics in pharma,” he added.
Sec. Solidum also said that the agency is actively collaborating to ensure R&D outcomes contribute to national development.
“Despite R&D being high-risk, we pursue it with determination––shared by our partners––believing that science and innovation are crucial for nation-building,” he said.
He shared that among the programs is the DOST’s Program PROPEL aimed at speeding up locally-rooted innovations for global markets by enabling community-level science solutions, connecting startups, and providing business support through hubs, mentoring, and capacity-building.
“Under PROPEL, we will launch “JuanaKNOW”—an AI chatbot to guide innovators from ideation to product iteration and market readiness by providing meta-insights for competitive success,” Solidum shared.
Strong Partnerships
He also highlighted the DOST’s commitment to delivering solutions and opportunities through strong partnerships with government, private sector, academia, and communities.
With this, the Department is leading key legislative initiatives including the Virology and Vaccine Institute Act, PhilATOM Act, National Measurement Infrastructure System Act, and Expanded Philippine Science High School System Act to strengthen STI infrastructure, safety, and STEM education.
“Unity, resilience, and collective action flow through DOST—a reflection of our resolute vision for national development through science and innovation. As One DOST, let us foster a culture of sharing data, systems, and knowledge—driven by a united purpose and hope for a better future,” he said.
Trust and recognition
Sec. Solidum also thanked the public for its continued trust and support to the DOST, as shown in the independent and non-commisioned 2025 Pahayag Second Quarter survey by Publicus Asia, Inc., where the DOST ranked second as the most approved government agency and also one of the most trusted.
The survey period was from June 27-30, 2025 using purposive sampling consisting of 1,500 randomly selected respondents from a market research panel composed of over 200,000 registered Filipino voters managed by the Purespectrum Office in Singapore, a US-based panel marketplace with global presence.
“This success reflects the dedication and hard work of every member of the DOST community who contributed to building a stronger and more resilient Bagong Pilipinas,” he said.
The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) aims at providing science-based, innovative, and inclusive solutions across four strategic pillars: human well-being, wealth creation, wealth protection, and sustainability. These pillars embody the mantra OneDOST4U: Solutions, Opportunities for All. For more information, visit www.dost.gov.ph. (By Rosemarie C. Señora, DOST-STII)
