RSTW pushes food security, green energy, resilience, key partnerships in Zambo Peninsula

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Kicking off the Regional Science, Technology, and Innovation Week (RSTW) in the Zamboanga Peninsula, the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) reaffirmed its ongoing initiatives in food security, sustainable energy, and disaster resilience in Dipolog City, August 12, 2026.

Citing national challenges in food, energy, and disaster risk, DOST secretary Renato U. Solidum Jr. affirmed how science, technology, and innovation (STI) ease local concerns through collaborative action.

“The Zamboanga Peninsula has already shown us what is possible when government, academe, industry, and local communities unite around STI,” the secretary said during his speech.

Food Security

To counter regional food insecurity, Solidum reported that interventions for efficient and sustainable agricultural production with greater value are “already underway” for the region's farmers and fisherfolk.

The DOST rolled out assistance on minimizing post-harvest losses and improving productivity in both rice processing and aquaculture to lessen the challenges brought by soaring prices and insufficient agricultural investment.

“Farmers are yielding more, fisherfolk are increasing their returns, entrepreneurs are expanding into high-value goods, and consumers are accessing safer food,” he said.

This is one of the department’s efforts to address the Food and Agriculture Organization findings, which noted that almost five in every 10 Filipinos face moderate to severe food insecurity, the highest rate in Southeast Asia.

Further, the department extended help by providing food innovation centers for product development, equipment such as solar dryers, and global-standard food safety technologies.

Sustainable Energy

Leveraging the region’s industrial base in wholesale and retail, including motor vehicle maintenance, the DOST believed the region has strong talent and industrial capacity enough to drive e-mobility through electric vehicles (EVs).

To date, Dipolog City has one unit of converted tricycle (c-trike), while Dapitan City will receive more besides the six e-trikes and two CharM EV charging stations turned over in 2025.

Moreover, Zamboanga Peninsula is set to advance e-mobility innovation and technical skills through the C-Trike Kit Developer and Training Center, which Solidum noted is being discussed with the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA).

“We are preparing for its establishment to strengthen science and technology services, as well as the deployment of e-tranvia in Dipolog and e-trike in Dapitan, creating opportunities for cleaner and more sustainable mobility,” DOST Undersecretary for Regional Operations Sancho A. Mabborang revealed.

Aside from this, the DOST funded solar-powered systems for micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to boost efficiency and cut operating costs, such as the Dipolog Livelihood Distribution Inc., a local bottled sardines manufacturing facility.

National Resilience

Solidum observed that the Zamboanga Peninsula has demonstrated critical leadership in preparedness against natural hazards, anchored in scientific knowledge, technology, and strategy.

Across the region, 44 local government units (LGUs) have adopted DOST-developed disaster risk technologies and 43 local resolutions have institutionalized science-backed risk reduction.

“True resilience is not built after a disaster strikes; it is established long before. Every investment made in science today prevents catastrophic loss tomorrow,” the secretary reminded.

Zamboanga Peninsula is also recognized as the first region in the Philippines to complete all the modules of the Rapid Earthquake Damage Assessment System (REDAS) platform.

REDAS is a DOST-developed software that performs hazard monitoring, database development, simulation, and impact assessment on various natural hazards such as earthquakes, floods, severe winds, tsunamis, and lahars.

Partnerships

Mabborang, meanwhile, highlighted that DOST provides communities, including the Zamboanga Peninsula, with venues for learning, entrepreneurship, and local problem-solving through its programs.

These include the Smart and Sustainable Communities Program, which is being advanced in Zamboanga, Isabela, and Sulu, and the establishment of innovation hubs such as the DOST-Zamboanga Del Norte iHub and those in Sulu, Basilan, and Zamboanga City.

“Matagal nang bahagi ng ating kultura ang pagtinabangay—ang pagtutulungan sa panahon ng pangangailangan. Science and technology strengthen this tradition through [these programs],” the undersecretary said.

The region has also recorded 57 projects under the Small Enterprises Technology Upgrading Program (SETUP), 40 Grants-in-Aid (GIA) projects, and 31 initiatives for Community Empowerment through Science and Technology (CEST) Program.

The said figures amounted to 245 million pesos for regional science and technology interventions, generating over 4,200 jobs, enhanced productivity, and a yield of 1.12-billion-peso cumulative gross sales.

“These are not just statistical milestones; they are concrete evidence that science works, innovation creates opportunity, and local partnerships transform communities,” Solidum emphasized.

Meanwhile, DOST-Zamboanga Peninsula Regional Director Rosemarie S. Salazar urged stakeholders to leverage Filipino resourcefulness, resilience, experience, and mutual helpfulness to forward inclusive development.

“Let us make sure that our diskarte is strengthened by science, our creativity is empowered by technology, our ideas are transformed into innovations, and our partnerships give us strength to grow further,” the regional director underscored.

About RSTW

The Regional Science, Technology, and Innovation Week (RSTW) is an annual event organized by the DOST regional offices across 17 regions. This celebration showcases local technologies, research and development (R&D) projects, and innovative initiatives that connect communities, local industries, and stakeholders with science-based solutions. These efforts promote inclusive, sustainable, and resilient development in the region. The RSTW is one of the major scientific events leading up to the National Science, Technology, and Innovation Week (NSTW) celebration, which will be held in General Santos City in November.  For more information, visit www.dost.gov.ph or the National Science, Technology, and Innovation Week (NSTW) Facebook page. (By Karl Jerome A. del Mundo, DOST-STII and photos by Patrick James Lee C. Alfonso, DOST-STII)

(From left to right) Undersecretary Sancho A. Mabborang, Assistant Secretary Maria Teresa B. De Guzman, Secretary Renato U. Solidum Jr., Dipolog City Mayor Roberto Y. Uy, Dapitan City Mayor Evelyn T. Uy, Zamboanga del Norte Governor Darel Dexter T. Uy, Provincial S&T Director Nuhman M. Aljani, and DOST Region IX Director Rosemarie S. Salazar posed for a photo before the official ribbon cutting of the RSTW Exhibit.