Local inventions take spotlight at innovation expo

CEBU, Philippines —  Local inventions took the spotlight at the three-day innovation expo which opened yesterday as one of the highlights of the Cebu Business Month's Entrepreneurs Summit.

The Department of Science and Technology is staging the 2019 Regional Invention Contest and Exhibits (RICE) at the Waterfront Cebu City Hotel and Casino on June 12-14, showcasing the intellectual works of local inventors.

The plenary session of the Entrepreneurs Summit, happening at the same venue, starts today.

Science inventors, researchers, professionals and students in Central Visayas are joining the contest.

Before the opening of the innovation expo on Wednesday, DOST Secretary Fortunato de la Peña met with key officials of the Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

They present to the DOST chief some of Cebu's pressing industry concerns that repaired science and technology solutions.

These include solar power technology industry utilization, plastic recycling technology, sustainable clustered wastewater treatment facility and testing facility for construction materials such as glass panels.

The official assured the chamber the DOST will look into the concerns through shifting to an industry-driven research and development programs and projects of the agency.

The technology chief yesterday visited a cement packaging manufacturing facility in Naga City, Cebu of Anilson Packaging Solutions, a company owned by CCCI past president Antonio Chiu.

The company supplies the bags to all cement plants in the Visayas and Mindanao.

Meanwhile, the DOST is set to award winners in the six competition categories: Outstanding Invention (Tuklas Award), Outstanding Utility Model, Outstanding Industrial Design, Outstanding Creative Research (Likha Award) and Outstanding Student Creative Research (Sibol Award) for High School and College students.

The RICE is designed to boost science creativity and innovation as well as to stir public interest in science in general.

The regional competition serves as the qualifying round for the National Invention Contest.