By Clarenz Polo Ocampo Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Secretary Renato U. Solidum Jr INFANTA, Quezon - Department of Scien...
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| Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Secretary Renato U. Solidum Jr |
INFANTA, Quezon - Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Secretary Renato U. Solidum Jr., along with DOST-CALABARZON Regional Director Emelita P. Bagsit attended the 56th Annual Regular General Assembly Meeting of the Infanta Credit and Development Cooperative (ICDeC) and performed an ocular visit to the scholarship testing center of the Southern Luzon State University (SLSU) - Infanta and the Binonoan Producers’ Cooperative (BIPCO) last March 18 in Infanta, Quezon.
ICDeC invited Sec. Solidum as a guest speaker for the organization to share about the importance of science, technology, and innovation and how DOST can reach out in providing such services to communities. Sec. Solidum mentioned that through cooperatives, these services are consolidated and centralized, and in doing so, will reach small-holder farmers.
He also mentioned DOST’s goal to promote human well-being, wealth creation and protection, disaster management, industry development, and access to quality education, clean water, clean energy, and food security. This can be achieved through collaboration with the Local Government Unit (LGU) and communities.
Sec. Solidum reiterated that cooperatives are important since they are one of the venues on how technology and research can be used and distributed to the people and that “through cooperation, we can improve every Filipino’s life.”
Dr. Violeto Coronacion and Campus Director Reydante Oabel, led the tour. They showed the campus’ testing centers for the DOST Undergraduate Scholarship Examination and stated that there were a total of 145 students that took the exam. A total of 14,773 students applied for the scholarship exam in CALABARZON, the highest in all of the regions.
Sec. Solidum and RD Bagsit then proceeded to the campus’ Nipa Sugar Production facility and Lambanog Product Standardization facility. Throughout the visit, the Secretary commended the initiatives while asking for details regarding their operations.
Martial Coronacion, Chairman of BIPCO, welcomed the visitors to BIPCO, a cooperative assisted by the DOST through the Community Empowerment thru Science & Technology (CEST) program and an identified Community-based Forest Management (CBFM) site.
Through CEST, BIPCO was given various S&T interventions which helped the cooperative grow their wealth creation initiatives. The Chairman and Dr. Violeto highlighted the cooperative’s eco-friendly Nipanog distillery which produces alcohol—one of their primary sources of income.
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