DOST to revive exhibit featuring local inventions addressing disasters

MANILA — The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) on Wednesday said it would relaunch its “Handa Pilipinas” exhibition this week to help market the inventions of local scientists who came up with solutions for disasters and calamities.

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The exhibit makes its comeback after a hiatus during the COVID-19 pandemic, DOST Secretary Renato Solidum told reporters on the sidelines of the Post-SONA 2023 forum.

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“Dalawang mensahe ang gusto nating iparating: to help prepare our communities, ihanda natin ang bawat komunidad at barangay sa pamamagitan ng siyensya at teknolohiya... ‘Handa Pilipinas’ is also a showcase to engage local government units, mga private businesses, other agencies na mayroon nang technologies na available na gawang Pinoy,” he said.

(We want to send 2 messages here: to help prepare our communities, let us prepare every barangay through science and technology. ‘Handa Pilipinas’ is also a showcase to engage local government units, mga private businesses, other agencies that there are Filipino-made technologies available.)

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“Gamitin natin ito para mas mapababa pa natin ang epekto ng mga posibleng panganib na dumadating dito sa ating bansa,” he added.

(We want to minimize the effects of the calamities in the country.)

The inventions expected to be showcased included hazard maps available on mobile apps, unsinkable boats, mobile homes and biomedical devices.

The first leg of the Handa Pilipinas exhibition will be held at the World Trade Center in Pasay City from July 27 to 29, Solidum said.

“Ang focus po natin ay ang urban risk o ang panganib na puwede pang magpalala sa mga panganib dito sa urban areas tulad ng Metro Manila at malalaking siyudad,” he said.

(Our focus is urban risk or potential dangers in urban areas like Metro Manila and big cities.)

A separate event will be mounted in Cagayan de Oro in the coming months, while the culmination will be held in Tacloban City in November in time for the anniversary of Super Typhoon Yolanda, the DOST chief said.

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Solidum said that the key for the Philippines to prepare for the impact of climate change was “sharing information and data across agencies.”

“We need to assist all other agencies by providing them science technologies and solutions,” he said.

Climate Change Commission vice chairperson Robert Borje said his agency acknowledged that there is a “challenge of communication” between government agencies and the public when it comes to climate change issues.

“What we’re working on is simple messaging para sa mga tao. We’re working with several partners para ang ating mga LGUs at partner sa academe at tutulong para mas maintindihan pa ng mga tao,” Borje said.

“It’s not enough that you know what is important… It’s vital that you make the important interesting and that you make the interesting urgent,” he said.

In his second State of the Nation Address (SONA), President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. said that “climate change is now an important criterion in our integral national policies, in planning, decision-making, up to the implementation of programs.”

“We are reorganizing our response teams to make them more adaptable, agile and effective in times of calamities and crises, with a clear unity of command,” the President said.

“We remain committed to global decarbonization goals, and the reduction of our carbon footprint. We preserve and protect the treasure that is our forests. Their value to the environment, to the ecology, and the economy is incalculable,” he said.

A 2019 study from the Institute for Economics and Peace cited the Philippines as the country most at risk from the climate crisis as the archipelago is hit by an average of 20 typhoons annually.

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