The Western Visayas Consortium for Industry, Energy, and Emerging Technology Research and Development (WVCIEERD) bagged the Kabalikat Consortium Award of the DOST-Philippine Council for Industry, Energy, and Emerging Technology Research and Development (DOST-PCIEERD).
In the recently concluded 13th DOST-PCIEERD Anniversary Celebration held on June 28, 2023, at The Manila Hotel, the WVCIEERD received the Kabalikat Consortium Award as recognition of the consortium’s support and contribution to the council’s Research and Development Programs. Present during the awarding ceremony were Dr. Aladino C. Moraca, WVCIEERD Chairperson and SUC President of CPSU, Dr. Carmelo V. Ambut, WVCIEERD Executive Director and Vice President of Research and Extension of ISATU, Ms. Keithlyn Sarah B. Bernardino, WVCIEERD R&D Coordinator and Section Head of DOST VI R&D Management Section, and Ms. Ana Mae L. Inocencio, WVCIEERD Secretariat.
The Kabalikat Award is one of the highlights of the anniversary celebration. The Kabalikat Award, as the word Kabalikat means partner or working with, is DOST PCIEERD’s recognition for their collaborators from various academic and research institutions, private industries, and media companies in the country, who extended support and contributed to the implementation of different programs of the council. The award has various categories, such as the Seasoned Researcher Award, the Newbie Researcher Award, the Newbie Institution Award, the Government Partner Award, the Industry Partner Award, the DOST Regional Office Award, the R&D Consortium Award, the TBI Consortium Award, and the Media Partner Award.
For several years, WVCIEERD has been an active partner of DOST-PCIEERD in strengthening the capacities of researchers in Region VI. Some of its notable accomplishments include the submission and endorsement of the most number of proposals, resulting in the approval of ten (10) R&D projects under the Regional Research Institution (RRI) Program and one (1) project under the Institutional Development Program (IDP) in 2021. This was followed by the approval of four (4) RRI projects and three (3) IDP Projects in 2022. The WVCIEERD member institutions are also recipients of funding programs such as the Balik Scientist Program (BSP), Good Governance through Data Science and Decision Support System (GODDESS) Program, the Balik Saliksik Program, and Human Resource Development Programs.
Furthermore, WVCIEERD has led various initiatives for the region’s R&D and Technology Transfer ecosystem, such as the Harmonization of the Intellectual Property Policy and Technology Transfer Protocol for SUCs in Western Visayas. Currently, WVCIEERD also leads the regional harmonization of research workloads for SUCs.
Aside from WVCIEERD, the Unified Movement in Western Visayas to Accelerate Startup and Spinoff Development (UMWAD), a regional consortium of startup enablers in Region VI, was also an awardee under the Kabalikat TBI Consortium Award. These two (2) consortia in R&D and Technology Transfer are being led by Dr. Carmelo V. Ambut.
With this recognition and achievement, the WVCIEERD will continue to address various concerns and needs of stakeholders in industry, energy, and emerging technologies. (DOST VI-Research and Development Management Section)