MALACAÑANG PALACE—The Department of Science and Technology’s One-Stop Laboratory Services for Global Competitiveness or OneLab won the first Benita and Catalino Yap Foundation (BCYF) Innovation Award for the Government Category on February 20, 2017.
The BCYF Innovation Awards (BIA) aim to recognize groups or individuals who have brought transformation to the society through innovations, which in their definition can be a product, service, technology, or initiative that can have ‘demonstrable and measurable improvement impact’ to the sector concerned, and is sustainable.
Since 2014, OneLab has been serving the manufacturing industries and the public through the integration of DOST's regional and research institutes' laboratories, as well as non-DOST laboratories, into a network.
This initiative allows convenient and hassle-free access to testing and calibration services at a single touch-point since it follows a 'Referral System'--a system that enables seamless handling of samples from testing to delivery of analysis to the customer in any part of the country. It has managed to process more than 160 referrals, 612 tests and 453 samples as of December 2016.
OneLab is internationally recognized and is currently accredited to the ISO 17025:2005 (General Requirements for the Competence of Testing and Calibration Laboratories). It is a project funded by the Philippine Council for Industry, Energy and Emerging Technology Research and Development (PCIEERD), in partnership with DOST regional offices.
Other DOST project nominees
Other DOST projects nominated for the Awards are the Food Innovation Centers (FICs), oneSTORE.ph, Rice Fortification Program, and Enhancing Healthcare Services through Solar Energy while Mitigating Climate Change.
FICs were developed in 2015 under the management of the Industrial Technology Development Institute (ITDI). It houses five DOST-developed technologies, namely: vacuum packaging machine, water retort, vacuum fryer, spray dryer, and freeze dryer. As of 2016, there are already ten FICs distributed nationwide that is open to scientists, technologists, and researchers.
To promote and help the micro, small, and medium enterprises in the country, DOST launched OneStore.ph, an online platform that features products assisted/supported by DOST agencies.
The Food and Nutrition Research Institute (FNRI) introduced the Rice Fortification Program which aims to fight malnutrition in the country through Iron Premix Rice.
The collaboration between DOST-MIMAROPA, DOH-MIMAROPA and local governments of Marinduque paved way to the creation of rural health facilities that uses solar home systems that can provide alternative power for its operations.
BCYF Innovation Awards is in partnership with the University of Asia and the Pacific, Department of Science and Technology, Department of Trade and Industry, Junior Chamber International, and IRemit Inc.
Benita and Catalino Yap Foundation also organizes CSR Youth Awards which recognizes young people who practice personal CSR, and Developmental Social Enterprise (DSE) Awards for organizations that contribute to social progress through their enterprises.
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