DOST Execs Visit NCR Technology Deployment Sites 

Executives from the Department of Science and Technology, led by DOST’s Undersecretary for Regional Operations, Engr. Sancho A. Mabborang, visited select technology adoptors in Metro Manila to see how scientific and technological interventions are delivering on the Department’s advocacy of science, technology, and innovation (STI) to provide solutions and open opportunities for all.  

Undersecretary Mabborang was accompanied to the project visits by DOST Assistant Secretary for Countryside Development, Engr. Maria Teresa B. De Guzman, DOST-National Capital Region Regional Director, Engr. Romelen Tresvalles, and DOST-NCR personnel.   

The first projects visited were on technologies that directly benefit the public, such as the Charging in Minutes (CharM), which is now being used by the PAMBOTODA Transport Service and Multi-Purpose Cooperative in Pasay City.   

CharM was developed by CHRG Electric Vehicle Technologies for electronic vehicles (EV) operations, such as E-Trike and E-Jeep, and cuts the charging time for EVs from 4-6 hours to just 30 minutes. CharM also supports the development of a green mass transport system in the country.  

Pasay City Mayor Emi Calixto-Rubiano was on hand to welcome the group from DOST. Through the support of the City Government of Pasay, this technology now powers the E-tricycles which have been previously donated by the Department of Energy.   

The group next visited Barangay Bagong Silangan in Quezon City, which was the National Winner of DOST’s 2023 Search for the Best Community assisted through the Community Empowerment Through Science and Technology (CEST) Program.  
  

Located near the Marikina Fault and flood-prone river systems, Bagong Silangan is now a stronger, safer, and more empowered community through the technical assistance from DOST-NCR and the Virlanie Foundation.  

Livelihood skills in bread and pastry making, sewing and dressmaking, tea processing, meat processing, and basic fashion design transformed the lives of residents, especially the women. As one of the few urban agricultural sites in Metro Manila, Bagong Silangan was the first barangay in the NCR to utilize the DOST-developed Carrageenan Plant Growth Promoter for improved productivity and crop quality. The community was also provided with SNAP hydroponics and Enriched Potting Preparation (EPP) kits, agricultural tools, and mushroom fruiting bags that provided food while also earning enough revenues to fund the residents’ day-to-day needs.