Davao City gov’t asked to build incubation center for inventors

DAVAO CITY (MindaNews/07 September) — An inventor yesterday called on the city government to put up an incubation center where the start-ups can turn their ideas into working prototypes.

In an interview, Virgilio Sangutan, president of Davao Inventors Association (DIA), such facility should be built in Davao City to give professional and budding inventors a space where they can do research and development to improve on their ideas.

He said the DIA, which has around 30 active members, sought the help of the city council two years ago but the local government could not provide a lot for the center.

Sangutan said the facility would cost at least P10 million.

He lamented that out of the P20-billion budget of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) only P2 million to P3 million was allocated for inventors. From research to development, each inventor needs at least P500,000, he said.

The Philippines ranked 100th in the Global Innovation Index, he noted.

He said what most inventors do is to do the incubation by themselves.

Sangutan said other countries hold their inventors in high regard, making them consultants on transportation and poverty alleviation.

He said it is best to construct the facility near the Mindanao Science and Technology Centrum in Bago Oshiro, Tugbok, this city.

DOST 11 is reviving the centrum. It was opened in 1986 until mid-2000 when it started getting few visitors.

“This kind of establishment helps teachers impart science and math. We rely too much on books and television,” Sangutan said.

DOST 11 is holding the Science on the Go on September 23 to October 23 at the centrum. The exhibit will feature 31 interactive exhibits for young students.

“The exhibit aims to excite young minds to learn more about science and how it works in order to improve the quality of life,” the DOST said in a statement.

DOST 11 also announced that it is accepting entries for the Regional Invention Contest and Exhibit 2015 until September 28, 2015.

There are six categories; Outstanding Invention (Tuklas Award), Outstanding Unit Model, Outstanding Industrial Design, Outstanding Creative Reasearch (Likha Award), Outstanding Student Creative Research (Sibol Award) for high school students, Outstanding Student Creative Research (Sibol Award) for college students.

Cash prizes also await winners of RICE 2015 in all six categories.
For Outstanding Invention, 1st placer will take home P50,000, second placer P30,000, and third placer P20,000.
Winners of Outstanding Utility Model and Outstanding Industrial Design will bag P25,000 for 1st place, P10,000 for 2nd place, and P5,000 for 3rd place.
Winners of Outstanding Creative Research, Outstanding Student Creative Reaserch for High School and College will receive P20,000 for 1st place, P10,000 for 2nd place, and P5,000 for 3rd place. (Antonio L. Colina IV/MindaNews) -From mindanews.com