CATBALOGAN CITY – Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Secretary Renato Solidum Jr. is urging higher education institutions to take bolder steps in funding and commercializing the results of their own research and innovation projects.
Speaking during the opening of the first-ever Regional Smart Communities Exposition and Networking Engagement (rSCENE) held this city, Solidum challenged universities to move beyond traditional research and academic publishing and instead focus on transitioning their outputs into viable market products.
“If we look at the history of developed countries, universities have significantly contributed to economic development by transitioning from education and research to commercialization,” he told the media.
Solidum emphasized that since assuming his post as DOST Secretary, he has pushed for all university-led innovation projects to be designed with market potential in mind to ease their transition into commercial applications.
“This is not easy to do. The university itself must have the framework and advocacy to support this transition,” he noted.
To speed up the process, Solidum encouraged universities to establish partnerships within their departments and with potential investors or industry players when developing proposals. These collaborations, he said, are key to bridging the gap between technology creators and capitalists.
“This will fast-track the interaction between technology producers and investors, giving them a platform to create companies or startups,” he added.
Solidum highlighted the DOST’s ongoing support for universities working to commercialize research, but also called for wider collaboration.
“While DOST is funding and facilitating, we hope other agencies will also support this effort. This can help create more enterprises, boost productivity, and generate employment,” he said.
The three-day rSCENE event aims to showcase innovative smart city solutions and strengthen collaboration among key players in the technology and development sectors. It also seeks to address urban challenges in Catbalogan City—such as public service delivery and sustainability—through digital transformation and smart technologies.
Joining Secretary Solidum were DOST Undersecretary Engr. Sancho Mabborang, Catbalogan City Mayor Dexter Uy, Samar 2nd District Representative Reynolds Michael Tan (representing Governor Sharee Ann Tan), and DOST Regional Director John Glenn Ocaña.
Catbalogan has already begun its smart city journey through initiatives like the City Data Center and digital governance tools. It now aims to position itself as a regional hub for smart, sustainable, and inclusive urban development.
The event also featured the launch of Smart and Sustainable Roadmaps for nine local government units, namely, the cities of Ormoc, Tacloban, Maasin, Borongan, Catbalogan, and Calbayog; Catarman and Bobon, both in Northern Samar, and Naval, Biliran, fund turnovers to Borongan and Catbalogan and to Eastern Visayas State University, and the unveiling of Project TANAW—a 3D-printed urban model of Catbalogan that includes geohazard simulations using virtual environments and AR projection mapping. The project is funded by the City of Catbalogan in partnership with Samar State University.
rSCENE is a joint project of the DOST and the City Government of Catbalogan, with support from the DILG, DTI, DOT, DICT, CHED, PNP, and the Provincial Government of Samar.
(ROEL T. AMAZONA)
