Romblon’s marble industry to get boost from new technology

Marcelina V. Servañez (left), provincial science and technology director of DoST-Romblon at the 2026 Regional Science, Technology, and Innovation Week (RSTW)-MIMAROPA. — EDG EVA

Romblon’s marble industry is poised for a technology boost using robotic arms, related technologies, and supporting policies set to be introduced by the end of 2026 under the province’s 10-year roadmap to revitalize the sector, according to the Department of  Science and Technology (DoST) on Monday.

The Sustainable and Globally Competitive Future Roadmap of Romblon’s Marble Industry covers 2025 to 2035 and was developed and is being monitored with the support of DoST.

The roadmap led to the creation of the Romblon Marble Industry Council (RMIC), which aims to oversee its implementation and develop policies to help revitalize the marble industry, Marcelina V. Servañez, provincial  science and technology director of DoST-Romblon, said.

Following a series of council meetings on the implementation of the roadmap, the procurement of a robotic arm is now underway. The equipment is expected to support local artisans and address the declining number of younger workers entering the marble-carving industry.

“We will introduce a robotic arm as an answer to the concern that fewer young artisans are entering the marble-carving industry,” Ms. Servañez said in Filipino during a media interview at the 2026 Regional Science, Technology, and Innovation Week (RSTW)-MIMAROPA.

“Currently, we’re still in the procurement process, and we expect that the modern equipment will arrive before the end of the year. These will help bring back the vitality of the artisan sector and teach them modern ways of working,” she added.

The robotic arm, which is intended to assist local artisans, has six axes and a payload capacity of five to seven kilograms, DoST MIMAROPA told  BusinessWorld via Viber.

The equipment was funded through the “Revitalizing the Romblon Marble Industry through Innovation Culture, Capacity Building, and Digital Transformation” project, which has a total budget of P3.25 million under the 2025 Innovation Grants of the National Innovation Council (NIC) through the Department of Economy, Planning, and Development (DEPDev).

The funding also covers a year-long innovation and capacity-building program that will train local artisans in the use of modern tools.

The grant also provided for the procurement of a laser engraver and desktop 3D printer, DoST said.

Ms. Servañez said DoST also plans to support the development of new marble designs and policies for the industry this year.

Romblon Gov. Trina Firmalo-Fabic told BusinessWorld that the technology interventions are expected to support around 300 artisans in the province.

“We’re very happy with the help being provided by DoST to the marble industry. It will really jumpstart and revitalize our marble industry using science,” Ms. Firmalo-Fabic said in mixed English and Filipino on the sidelines of the opening ceremony of the 2026 RSTW-MIMAROPA.

Ms. Fabic serves as chairperson of the RMIC.

She said the province’s marble industry remains sustainable, but its artisans need financial and technological assistance to further develop and sustain the sector.

During the opening ceremony of the 2026 RSTW-MIMAROPA, the MARBLE Center (Marble Applications in Research for Biodiversity, Land and Environment) of Romblon State University was officially launched, with research and development support from the Department of Science and Technology-Philippine Council for Industry, Energy and Emerging Technology Research and Development (DoST-PCIEERD).

The MARBLE Center will serve as a dedicated hub for developing sustainable ways to harness Romblon’s marble resources and underscores the roadmap’s goals.

The ultimate goal of the Romblon marble industry roadmap is to transform the province’s marble sector from an extraction-based trade into a higher-value, innovation-driven, and globally competitive industry. — Edg Adrian A. Eva