R&D spending in Davao Region expected up this year

         DAVAO CITY, March 06 (PIA) --- Spending on Research and Development is expected to increase this year in the Davao Region as the Regional Development Council (RDC) XI counts Science and Technology (S&T) as vital component of development.

            Addressing the Science in Nation Tour this morning, RDC XI Chairperson Rodolfo P. del Rosario revealed targets of the  Davao Region to increase R&D spending from 0.11 percent of the gross regional development plan to 0.40 percent.

            The Region also targets to level up the average number of R&D human resource from 181 per one million population in 2009 to 500 per one million population in 2016.

            Del Rosario also revealed plans of RDC XI to mainstream and bring down S&T to the grassroots level through policy agenda that can be done through creation of S&T and R&D committees at the regional, provincial, city and municipal levels.

            Small farmers and fisherfolks will also be benefitting from efforts to widen the adoption of R&D adoption and innovation del Rosario said while also revealing efforts to boost S&T infrastructure and human capital investments, “in addition to mainstreaming disaster resiliency in our communities”.

            It was in this context that del Rosario thanked the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) for turning over to the local chief executives in the Davao Region the 56 hydro meteorological sensors that it installed last year in the Davao Region.

            Del Rosario was among the LCEs that penned the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the DOST for the maintenance and stewardship of the hydromet equipment to monitor water levels in river basins as an early warning means to mitigate adverse impact of flooding.

            In a separate press conference, DOST Secretary Mario G. Montejo said the MOA stated the commitment of the local government units to take care of the hydromet units by installing cages for such units.

            Meanwhile, Del Rosario also expressed his gratitude for DOST for choosing Davao City as the host of the first Science Nation Tour dubbed as Science Jam, “Agham na Ramdam” which will be held tonight at the University of Southeastern Philippines (USEP).

            The event will feature the awarding of science ambassadors aside from presenting the various programs and projects of the DOST.  (PIA XI/ Jeanevive D. Abangan)