MALITA, Davao Occidental — The Local Government Unit (LGU) of Jose Abad Santos, Davao Occidental, received P680,000 in funding assistance from the Department of Science and Technology (DOST)-Davao to transform discarded coconut husks into value-added products that could generate livelihood opportunities and support the municipality’s disaster resilience efforts.
The funding supports the Sustainable Management and Adaptive Resilience Technologies for Bio-based Utilization and Nurturing of Organic Technologies (Smart-Bunot) Project under DOST’s Community Empowerment through Science and Technology (CEST) Program.
JAS Mayor Jason John A. Joyce said the project would let the municipality turn bunot or coconut husks, which are often treated as agricultural waste, into useful products while addressing local environmental and disaster-related concerns.
“We intend to value-add this and use the value-added products in our Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Strategies in Jose Abad Santos,” Joyce said during the Kapihan sa PIA held on September 1 at the Spamast Main Campus in Malita as part of the Regional Science, Technology, and Innovation Week (RSTW) 2026 celebration.
From waste to resilience
The Smart-Bunot Project will establish a community-based coconut husk processing facility that will produce materials such as coco coir fiber, coco peat, twine, and erosion-control coco logs.
Joyce said these products could help address flooding and soil erosion while creating additional livelihood opportunities for local communities.
He underscored the relevance of the partnership with DOST-Davao Occidental, which demonstrates how STI can provide community-level solutions amid increasingly challenging weather conditions.
“We are honored to partner with DOST for knowledge-based and science-based interventions, especially to address challenges posed by extreme weather disturbances,” he said.
DOST strengthens local innovation
The Smart-Bunot initiative supports the government’s push for responsive, homegrown STI solutions to local and national development priorities. In his 2026 State of the Nation Address, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. highlighted DOST-supported innovations as examples of how Filipino technology can drive sustainable development.
DOST Davao Occidental Provincial Director Maria Victoria I. Dado said the project was developed after the accumulation of coconut husks was observed in Jose Abad Santos, prompting the agency and the LGU to explore ways to convert waste to productive use.
Dado said the initiative is expected to contribute to a Bio-Circular-Green economy, where waste materials are recovered and transformed into useful products.
The project also seeks to benefit and empower women, youth, and Indigenous Peoples through complementary capacity-building and community interventions.
The Smart-Bunot project was highlighted during the RSTW 2026 celebration in the province, where DOST-Davao Occidental, its partner agencies, and stakeholders showcased STI-based solutions for food security, sustainable livelihoods, environmental protection, and national resilience. PIA DAVAO
