THE Department of Science and Technology (DOST) is encouraging researchers from the Visayas region to submit research proposals with a focus on aquatic and natural resources.
The DOST held on Thursday, Feb. 8, 2024, the Visayas leg of the National Research and Development Call Conference, which called for researchers throughout the region to submit project proposals that could be funded by the government and contribute to the country’s goal of sustainable development.
Given that the Visayas is an archipelago, studies focusing on aquatic resources are vital for sustainable development and addressing regional needs effectively, the DOST said.
“We eagerly anticipate receiving a substantial number of proposals with high impact potential from all of you,” said Jesus Zamora, DOST 7 director.
The major islands of the Visayas are Cebu, Negros, Panay, Leyte, Bohol and Samar.
The government will allocate a budget of P3 billion for the approved research proposals across the Philippines, covering research development until the resulting output.
The DOST will select around a hundred research projects out of the submissions which usually reach a thousand, evaluating them based on key research areas and regional priorities.
In 2023, Central Visayas had 42 approved projects, with a total funding of P158 million.
Leah Buendia, undersecretary for Research and Development at DOST, said in an interview Thursday that the proposal and subsequent outputs will impact the community by providing data and addressing gaps in key areas.
Buendia also emphasized that research should focus on both post-harvest and existing marine projects. She also noted that establishing priorities in research proposals is required due to limited available funds.
As an example of a study with a focus key area, Buendia cited a project from the University of San Agustin in Iloilo City called the Tuklas Lunas program, which discovered active ingredients in the seafloor with potential medical uses.
Buendia said the budget allocated for an approved project depends on its technical merit, the research group’s capacity, and the available equipment for researchers.
Buendia said the projects will be assigned a timeline based on their scope, with a maximum duration of three years to ensure proper utilization of public funds.
“Hindi pwedeng forever (It should not take forever),” Buendia said.
The DOST will begin accepting concept proposals on March 1-15, 2024 for evaluation.
Notifications of approved proposals will be sent from March 16 to 31. Afterward, researchers will prepare the full proposal for submission to the DOST.
Buendia urged researchers in the region to submit their proposals.