LUNA, Apayao September 19 – The Cordillera Regional Peace and Order Council (RPOC-CAR) and the Regional Development Council (RDC-CAR) passed a resolution endorsing the establishment of Regional Research and Development Center for Science and Engineering for funding under the niche centers in the regions for research and development (NICER) of the Science for Change Program of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST).
The two regional bodies stated a careful evaluation by the Secretariat of the Sectoral Committee on Development Administration and Good Governance Committee of the RDC-CAR showed that the project is in line with the goals and priorities of the Cordillera region and the country as a whole considering the need to enhance the aggressive promotion of science and technology interventions in the countryside to develop appropriate potential development projects in the remote villages in the different parts of the region.
The resolution added the Research and Development Project establishment of Regional Research and Development Center for Innovative Science and Engineering has been proposed by the St. Louis University (SLU), University of Baguio (UB) and University of the Philippines College Baguio (UPCB) for funding under the Science for Change Program of the DOST.
The RPOC-CAR and RDC-CAR stipulated the DOST-CAR, through its Science for Change program, endeavors to significantly accelerate science and technology innovations in the country through massive increase in investment on science and technology human resource development and research and development.
Further, the Philippine Development Plan 2017-2022 and the Cordillera Regional Development Plan 2017-20222 recognizes the role of science, technology and innovations in the nation’s long-term economic and social progress, particularly the realization of the administration’s goal of progress for all.
Earlier, the RDC-CAR’s Development Administration and Good governance Committee endorsed the approval of the proposal by the RDC-CAR en banc in its meeting last August 18, 2017 and which was favourably acted upon by the full council during its third quarter meeting last September 7, 2017 held here.
For the past several years, the DOST-CAR, through its various programs and projects, have been providing science, technology and innovations for the sustained conduct of research and development to add value for the local produced agricultural crops among other major products in the region to gain access in the global markets.
The two regional bodies underscored the put up of the Regional Research and Development Center in the Cordillera will definitely allow entrepreneurs to have easier access to needed interventions that will improve their crops and products and command higher buying prices in both the local and international markets.
The RDC-CAR will forward the resolution to the DOST-CAR central office for the inclusion of the funding for the establishment of the Research and Development Center to the existing appropriations of the agency for the put up of said centers in the different regions in the country.
By HENT
