The Honorable Assistant Secretary Yorobe was introduced by no other than the Regional Director of DOST-8, Engr. Edgardo M. Esperancilla. Aside from her invaluable achievements which are an open book in the science community, the good Director mentioned a few words that described the lady administrator as "humble" and "soft-spoken," but jokingly he noted of her, based on his research, as once a "terror professor in UPLB. What else could be a best kicker, but to honestly say that the DOST top managers call her "BB" or beauty and brain. In opening, Dr. Yorobe informed the group of being grateful to grace the opening ceremony of the Science and Technology Week celebration in Eastern Visayas. She acquaint everyone on the fact that the regional celebration forms part of the National Science and Technology week celebrated along with the Department's 50th Golden Anniversary with the theme 'Making Science Work for You.' The national celebration was conducted last July 7-11 at the World Trade Center in Pasay City in tandem with the 8th ASEAN Science and Technology Week which also included the ASEAN Youth Science Summit participated by delegates from ASEAN member countries. She was glad in informing the group further that a school from Eastern Visayas also attended the summit.
The meat the Assistant Secretary's message revolve around the role of DOST in nation building being the primary agency that "sets the direction of scientific and technological entity taking into consideration the economics that will contribute and spur economic growth." Being such, DOST "sets S & T programs to address priority concerns."
Commenting on the theme 'Making Science Work For You', Dr. Yorobe declared that "we in DOST have done our best to contribute to the development, however, there's much left to be done. We have to continuously address the concerns of society." "This," said reiterated, "we do through our programs," as she cited the major priorities of the agency.
Primarily, she mentioned the Small Enterprises Technology Upgrading Program (SET-UP) which considered as a proactive program geared towards improving productivity of MSMEs, which are considered the backbone of the country's economy. She encouraged these enterprises to "acquire technological innovations to improve their respective operations."
Also mentioned is the S & T Human Resource Development Program of the agency that provides scholarship grants to develop a critical mass of S & T capable workforce that would help in research and development activities and other scientific and technological programs. Special attention is also given on Science & Math Education. The Assistant Secretary also mentioned about the availability of world class laboratory facilities of DOST that would help in ensuring product quality of the MSMEs.
In closing, Dr. Yorobe picked the challenge aired earlier by Mayor Romualdez as she vowed to help through the DOST Regional office to improve the living conditions in Eastern Visayas through S & T intervention by focusing more on "basic technologies" that are more relevant in the lives of common people.
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