DOST Concludes S4CP Summit, Highlights S&T Breakthroughs in NCR and South Luzon

Regional Director Jose B. Patalinjug III and staff of the DOST-NCR joined in the recently concluded hybrid celebration of the Science for Change Program (S4CP) Summit-NCR and South Luzon Cluster on 10 June 2022 held at the Crimson Hotel in Alabang, Muntinlupa City.

Anchored on the theme, "Science For Change is Science For The People", the Summit showcased the positive changes in regional institutions, industries, and communities brought about by the four (4) component programs of the S4CP - the Niche Center in the Region for R&D Program (NICER), Collaborative Research and Development to Leverage Philippine Economy (CRADLE), Business Innovation through S&T (BIST), and R&D Leadership Program (RDLead). It also aims to encourage more government-industry-academe collaborations in research and development (R&D).

Project leaders and beneficiaries of various S4CP Projects in NCR and South Luzon were presented during the summit. DOST Undersecretary for Research and Development, Dr. Rowena Cristina L. Guevara, mentioned some of the notable accomplishments of the cluster such as the establishment of 15 R&D Centers for agriculture, livestock, industry, energy, environment, and health. There are also seven (7) NICERs in NCR to date. The S4CP Project Management Office also noted that most of the industry-acad

eme collaborations through CRADLE are in NCR and South Luzon. Usec. Guevara also mentioned that in NCR and South Luzon, priorities for R&D are good health and well-being, food security, innovation for the industry, and sustainable cities and communities. She also announced that the CRADLE and BIST Programs are set to be implemented through the DOST Regional Offices in the next years, as the Programs will interface with the implementation of the Small Enterprise Technology Upgrading Program (SETUP) and will maximize the social capital built with industries and commerce chambers in the regions.

Concluding the summit, RD Patalinjug reaffirmed the DOST Regional Offices' commitment to come up with more collaborative R&D activities with partners in the regions, and to ensure the continued implementation of the S4CP.

The event marks the fourth and final leg of the S4CP Summit Series, with the previous summits conducted in the Visayas, North Luzon, and Mindanao Clusters on May 5, 13, and 27, respectively.