The DOST VIII through PSTC-Northern Samar continually provides CEST interventions for Bobon

The success of the first Community Empowerment through Science and Technology (CEST) project in Bobon, Northern Samar paved the way for the Department of Science and Technology Regional Office No. VIII (DOST VIII) to acquire the national coordinatorship for the CEST Program in 2014. The said project involved the establishment of common service facility for coco coir and coco sap sugar production, the installation of wine fermentation kit and vinegar acetator kit, the deployment of RxBox device and ceramic water filters, the installation of mosquito ovicidal-larvicidal (OL) trap kits, and the installation of Automated Weather Station (AWS), Automatic Rain Gauge (ARG) and Water Level Monitoring System (WLMS) in the area. Moreover, the DOST VIII through Northern Samar Provincial Science and Technology Center established a rice mill facility in Barangay Acereda so as to augment the income of the beneficiary farmers.

Moreover, the PSTC-Northern Samar personnel, together with graduate scholars, conducted scholarship caravans and review classes in the area. This helped increase the number of DOST-SEI scholars in the municipality. Since 2013, seven students from Bobon have passed the DOST-SEI Scholarship Examination. The said Science and Technology (S&T) interventions helped gradually improve the condition of the municipality in diverse aspects comprising livelihood, education, health, and disaster risk mitigation.

On November 6, 2014, DOST Sec. Mario G. Montejo visited the said project sites in Bobon. Several months after the visit of the executive department leader, the DOST VIII through PSTC-Northern Samar implemented another CEST project in the area that entailed the establishment of native chicken and chevon production center in Barangay Salvacion, Bobon.

The socio-economic condition of the area has improved to some extent yet poverty incidence rate in the area is still statistically high at 41.71%. Hence, continual provision of S&T interventions is substantial to help the municipality attain the status of a socio-economically empowered community. It is for this reason that the DOST VIII through PSTC-Northern Samar will provide more CEST interventions for Bobon.

One of the farthest barangays in the town of Bobon is Calantiao. Based on the DOH-Administrative Order No. 2020-0023, the aforementioned barangay is identified as Geographically-Isolated and Disadvantaged Area (GIDA). The area is considered as a priority community for potential PTF-ELCAC and PRLEC Interventions. One of the main issues in the barangay is the unavailability of fully-functional potable water system. In 2017, four residents of Barangay Calantiao acquired acute gastroenteritis due to consumed contaminated water. Based on current records, fifty-eight households in Calantiao do not have toilets. To address this issue, the DOST VIII through PSTC-Northern Samar, in collaboration with the Barangay Local Government Unit of Calantiao will establish water purification facility in the area. Neighboring barangays such as Santander and Trujillo which have similar cases can also benefit from the said project.

On March 24, 2021, the DOST VIII Team composed of Assistant Regional Director Marilyn O. Radam, Provincial S&T Director Veronica A. Laguitan, and CEST Regional Coordinator Ramil T. Uy, and the LGU-Bobon Officials led by Mayor Clara C. Gremio convened in the Board Room of Bobon Municipal Hall to discuss the action plan and details of the aforementioned project.

Furthermore, the DOST will deploy STARBOOKS in Calantiao to upgrade the knowledge of the students in the area. The rice farmers in the said barangay can also benefit from this S&T project as there will be establishment of impeller-type rice mill facility to generate sustainable income for the beneficiary farmers. All of these S&T interventions are instrumental in building a progressive and resilient community.

By Veronica A. Laguitan and Raymund Xavier C. Naboya