TO STRENGTHEN disaster resiliency and support community needs, the Department of Science and Technology in Central Visayas (DOST) unveiled the Central Visayas Drone Industry Development Action Plan on Monday, July 13, 2026, during the opening of the 2026 Regional Science, Technology, and Innovation Week (RSTW) at the Waterfront Cebu City Hotel and Casino.
DOST Secretary Renato Solidum Jr. stressed that the roadmap will bolster the region’s adoption of drone technology to transform disaster response operations and agricultural development.
“For example, in agricultural areas, we use artificial intelligence, whether flying or a robot, to get images of agricultural crops so that we can evaluate the growth and detect diseases, and the disease can be identified using the optical image of what they are looking at,” Solidum said.
“There are new technologies used to scan bridges, buildings, and faults or cracks in buildings,” he added, stressing how drone technology can be used in disaster risk reduction.
The drones can also be used by responders to dispatch and transport medicines, food packs, and emergency provisions when traditional land and air vehicles are unavailable.
The presentation of the Drone-Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) Industry Development Initiative served as one of the key programs during the three-day RSTW, bringing together universities, researchers, and local government units (LGUs) in the region to discuss how emerging technologies and developments can alleviate pressing social issues.
In Central Visayas, DOST 7 Director Tristan Abando shared that the program aims to build a coordinated, innovation-driven, and sustainable drone ecosystem to build a safer and more resilient region.
“We need to harmonize and align our initiatives to create an entire ecosystem to support the development of the drone industry,” said Abando.
The implementation of the Central Visayas Drone-UAS Technology Transfer Roadmap is divided into three strategic developmental phases.
At present, the program is in its foundation-building phase, where the agency will engage in stakeholder mapping, knowledge exchange, and benchmarking to develop the Central Visayas Drone-UAS Technology Transfer Roadmap.
DOST said that Phase 2, which spans from 2025 to 2026, will focus on a collaborative ecosystem and accelerating capability and industry development. This includes establishing the Drone Industry Alliance of the Philippines (DIA-PH), and extending to LGU and national agency adoption, as well as supporting startups and MSMEs.
By Phase 3, from 2028 to 2030, the agency aims to position Central Visayas as a drone solutions hub in the Philippines. (Veejay Catadman, UP Cebu intern)
