The Department of Science and Technology-Philippine Council for Industry Energy and Emerging Technology Research and Development (DOST-PCIEERD) urged government to consider the Philippine’s first locally made air quality monitoring device, Robust Optical Aerosol Monitor or ROAM as a prerequisite for the issuance of Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC).

In its policy brief, DOST-PCIEERD pushed for a standard use of air quality monitoring devices (AQMDs), specifically ROAM, for industries that release high amounts of particulate matter into the air.

“Standardize the use of AQMDs, especially ROAM, in industries that primarily contribute to high concentration of particulate matter by adding it as a pre-requisite before obtaining an ECC from the DENR. In addition, the DENR may issue regulatory policies on the proper use, manufacture, fabrication, sale, importation, and exportation of aerosol monitors. Strategies to prevent counterfeit aerosol monitors from penetrating the Philippine market should also be strengthened,” the brief read. 

DOST PCIEERD Executive Director Dr. Enrico Paringit said the use of technologies such as ROAM in shaping public policy innovates governance as it makes government operations more efficient and effective.  

“We hope that government agencies will heed our call to have data-driven, research-based policies and we at DOST PCIEERD will help in carving out these standards and procedures,” he said. 

ROAM is a technology developed by researchers from the University of the Philippines-Diliman and used to monitor air quality and concentration of particulate matter (PM) in the air. ROAM uses laser illumination and a camera to obtain images of size-selected particles up to PM2.5 to measure PM concentration in the air. In addition, the device is also capable of reading temperature and humidity with at least a five (5) minute interval. 

“It is high time that relevant government agencies put focus and take actions on mitigating the environmental effects of our industries to the health of our citizens. We are certain that that ROAM would make a significant impact on the communities, especially those near high-risk areas,” Paringit said., 

Currently, the ROAM project of DOST-PCIEERD was able to locally fabricate 10 units of ROAM around the country. The device has also been employed and tested in a challenging environment in the municipalities of Agoncillo and Alfonso, Batangas for its commercialization, following the eruption of Taal Volcano, on June 12, 2021.

“As a leader and partner in enabling innovations in the Philippines, we enjoin our local government units to collaborate with our researchers in finding solutions in making our air cleaner through technologies brought about by research and development,” Dr. Paringit stated. 

Compared to other foreign aerosol monitors, ROAM costs significantly less in terms of production and maintenance as it is developed locally. The cost discrepancy does not affect the quality and efficiency compared with other foreign aerosol monitors, as verified by DENR-EMB.

DOST-PCIEERD encourages LGUs to capacitate their local industries to produce necessary materials to produce ROAM, adopt legal mechanisms and incorporate the use of ROAM in coal mine industries, as well as promoting and commercializing the use of this air monitoring device. In addition, DENR-EMB may pursue developing local certification and evaluation of aerosol monitors to not be dependent on foreign certifications.

Check the policy brief here: bit.ly/roampolicybrief

April 8, 2023 –The Department of Science and Technology’s Philippine Council for Industry, Energy, and Emerging Technology Research and Development would like to inform the public, especially our stakeholders from the media, the research community, and various government and non-government institutions, that the official Facebook page of the council was hacked on April 7, 2023, at 12 a.m.

As soon as we learned about the incident, we notified Facebook's parent company, Meta. DOST-PCIEERD is working closely with Meta to ensure that our services are not hampered in any way and to regain access to and control over our page.

We are aware of the value of our Facebook page to our clients who want to stay in touch. We want to reassure you that we are making every effort to resolve the problem as soon as possible. Data security for our clients is a key concern for us. We acknowledge that the page breach may have alarmed and perplexed some of our followers. Yet our services, client information, and systems we deploy were unaffected by this problem. We will continue to provide the same level of attention and support to our stakeholders.

Nonetheless, as a precaution, we ask those who follow our Facebook page to be wary of any odd online posts or behaviors and to report them right away to either our organization or Facebook.

We are committed to ensuring that this matter is resolved quickly, effectively, and with the utmost regard for PCIEERD's core values: integrity, innovation, and excellence.

Thank you for your understanding and continued support.

Manila—The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) and the De La Salle College of Saint Benilde (CSB) formally inaugurated on March 22, 2023, the Benilde Hub of Innovation for Inclusion (HIFI), a technology business incubator for budding startups.

Under the DOST’s Technology Business Incubation Program and Benilde Trailblazer Startup (BTS) Incubation Program, the Benilde HIFI is a facility that will be a nurturing ground for startups focused on the creative industries.

DOST Philippine Council for Industry, Energy and Emerging Technology Research and Development (DOST-PCIEERD) Executive Director Dr. Enrico Paringit said the Benilde HIFI plays a potent rule in moving forward the creative industries in the country.

“DOST and PCIEERD have invested Php 344 million and helped 59 state universities and colleges in the country establish their own TBIs through the Higher Education Institution Readiness for Innovation and Technopreneurship (HeIRIT) development program,” he narrated. “The funding includes Benilde HIFI, which will hopefully promote an innovative and entrepreneurial culture throughout the nation. This collaboration with CSB also highlights the value of academic institutions in fostering startup growth and innovation across a range of industries”, as added by Director Paringit.

Benilde HIFI project leader Paul Amerigo Pajo Jr. said the primary objective of the BTS Incubation is to select and nurture startups connected to and related to the digital interactive and design domains.

"Startups will be selected primarily, but not exclusively, based on capstone and thesis projects completed by students, faculty research endeavors, and initiatives undertaken by alumni of the Benildean community, said Mr. Pajo. "This project can be a 'TBI force multiplier' through Benilde HIFI's nationwide network of La Salle schools, including the Visayas region, where there is no TBI focusing on creative industries."

The Benilde HIFI is the only TBI in the National Capital Region (NCR) and one of four technology business incubators in the country with creative industries. The CSB offers specialized academic programs that can aid in the debut and expansion of startups in these sectors.

Benilde HIFI is also coming up with a manual outlining the incubation process and daily activities of Benilde HIFI which can be used by other higher education institutions and state universities and colleges can use it in their own TBIs.

Startups in the digital interactive media and design industries in the NCR will be able to forge successful partnerships with key commercial and governmental institutions thanks to this facility.

(March 14, 2023, Davao City) — The Department of Science and Technology and the University of the Philippines Mindanao hosted the 1^st AI Pinas Research and Development (R&D) Conference and Workshop 2023.

With theme "Artificial Intelligence Driving Transformation and Impact in the Digital Age,” the conference-workshop was attended by 100 participants, including local and international speakers and experts from IBM USA, Supermicro USA, Japan, and Thinking Machines.

The event seeks to raise public awareness about the benefits and applications of artificial intelligence (AI) in various fields.

The topics covered include but are not limited to machine learning, natural language processing, robotics, computer vision, and deep learning applied to health, education, mobility, the environment, disaster risk reduction (DRR), industries, and smart and sustainable cities and communities.

The conference-workshop also served as a venue for experts, researchers, professionals, enthusiasts, and prospective beneficiaries to update the R&D roadmap and develop a national AI R&D program.

The market for artificial intelligence (AI), which includes software, hardware, and services, is anticipated to generate worldwide revenues of $327.5 billion in 2021, up 16.4% from the previous year, according to the most recent Worldwide Semiannual Artificial Intelligence Tracker report from International Data Corporation (IDC).

By 2024, it's expected that the market will have grown to over $500 billion, with impressive total revenues of $554.3 billion and a five-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 17.5%.

A new study from EDBI and Kearney claims that by 2030, AI could boost Southeast Asia's GDP by up to $1 trillion USD. According to the Kearney analysis, the Philippine GDP will increase by 12%, or US$92 billion, by 2030.

DOST Secretary Renato Solidum Jr. acknowledges that AI has the potential to enhance human productivity by automating routine tasks, analyzing massive amounts of data, learning new information, and coming to well-informed conclusions.

"As we focused on the four (4) investment pillars, DOST has pledged PHP 500 million to support the Philippines' rapid scientific development in this area for the country to fully benefit from AI technologies."

Solidum affirmed that DOST has been collaborating with numerous stakeholders to make the AI R&D framework for 2019–2029 useful for its intended beneficiaries.

The framework is concentrated on developing a national infrastructure, including AI R&D centers; empowering more professionals through training and development through DOST-PCIEERD, and encouraging more mission-driven programs with distinctive applications.

"We are also enhancing the capacity of our workforce. Three (3) AI Pinas trainings have resulted in 143 graduates, and now, in collaboration with the Development Academy of the Philippines (DAP), the Analytics Association of the Philippines (AAP), and Coursebank, we hope to upskill and launch the data science careers of our workforce. We aim to have 50,000 Filipino data scientists by 2029 through the Smarter Philippines through R&D, Training, and Adoption (SPARTA) project to meet the needs and demands of our industry as we move towards a digital transformation", said Solidum.

Dr. Lyre Anni Murao, Chancellor of UP Mindanao, also urged the use of AI to facilitate the completion of daily tasks. Today, AI ought to be given more credit for improving our quality of life and strengthening our capacity to contribute to global development.

Dr. Enrico C. Paringit, Executive Director of DOST-PCIEERD shared that "AI for better normal" investments, which were made possible in June 2021, put us at the forefront of using artificial intelligence to advance innovation in the country. From 2017 to the present, we have supported impactful AI projects totaling 480 million pesos.

“As a leader and partner in enabling innovations in the Philippines, DOST-PCIEERD sees to it that it uplifts local capabilities in the regions. Initiatives like this strengthen the bond with more advanced countries and birth new collaborations that can spur socio-economic growth in the future,” added by Paringit.