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R & D, innovations propel growth

Sunday, April 07, 2019 12:00 AM    Views : 219by:TDT

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de la Peña

The Duterte administration vowed to support research and development (R&D) initiatives by local investors and innovators by promoting Filipino-developed technologies and help the researchers or inventors find investors willing to adopt the technology.

Secretary Fortunato dela Peña of the Department of Science and Technology (DoST) gave the assurance at the National Research and Development Conference held at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) in Pasay City where various government officials presented their R&D results.

The DoST continues to promote Filipino-developed technologies and help researchers or inventors find investors willing to adopt the technology.

These R&D results were funded by the DoST and agencies such as the Departments of Health, Trade and Industry, Agriculture and Environment and Natural Resources.

Experts from different industries like food, pharmaceuticals, academe and agriculture presented a gist of their products or technologies.

The event carrying the theme, Harmonized R&D towards Accelerated National Growth and Prosperity,” aims to promote collaboration and harmonized agenda and priorities.

Some of these technologies were developed a few years back, but still have no early adopters, he admitted.

“We have to consider if these are market-driven, if the (potential adopters) are interested,” he said.

De la Peña remarked that investors would not only spend less if they adopt locally-developed technologies.

“These are also more accessible or are the only ones available. Other technologies or parts, for instance, would have to be sourced from abroad,” he said.

De la Peña cited as an example, the DoST-developed cacao roaster that refines ground cocoa powder to reduce the particle size, thus giving the tablea a smoother texture.

Locally fabricating this cacao roaster would cost P600,000, while imported ones would cost up to P1 million, according to DoST.

The said technology was developed in 2017. Since then, DoST has been encouraging fabricators to adopt this technology.

Last week, the DoST also promoted this technology in a forum held in Alabang, Muntinlupa. DoST-Industrial Technology Development Institute Food Processing Division supervisor, Ma. Dolor Villasenor, said the cacao roaster would address the problem in Philippine tablea, which she said has a gritty texture, has a burnt odor and taste and is non-GMP compliant.

Source: https://tribune.net.ph/index.php/2019/04/07/r-d-innovations-propel-growth/

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