Latest news with #DepartmentofScienceandTechnology
GMA Network
a day ago
- Business
- GMA Network
DOST opens innovation hub in Baguio
BAGUIO CITY – The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) has opened its newest innovation hub Baguio City, Benguet on Friday. The DOST iHub aims to become a technology-driven facility that encourages students, entrepreneurs, and people from all walks of life to pursue innovation, research, creativity, and collaboration. The newest iHub, located just across SM Baguio and right beside the University of the Cordilleras, is one of the two iHubs established in Benguet. DOST Secretary Renato Solidum Jr., during the launching of the hub, stated that the hub was 'a missing link' that bridged gaps in the DOST's ecosystem between science and business. 'So this is really for everyone, this is really an innovation hub that will start from below and we hope that this will be maximized by the people of Baguio City, Cordillera, because this is being established for you, not for DOST,' said Solidum. He encouraged the public to pitch innovative ideas that could be eligible for funding under DOST's Small Enterprise Technology Upgrading Program, which can provide funding of up to P5 million. There are 48 iHubs launched so far nationwide, and DOST aims to have one for every province by 2028.—LDF, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
2 days ago
- Climate
- GMA Network
Baguio taps groundwater recharge facilities to ensure water supply
BAGUIO CITY – The Department of Science and Technology on Friday unveiled two artificial groundwater recharge facilities in Baguio as the city seeks to achieve water security. Located in the middle of Burnham Park in Baguio and the strawberry farms of La Trinidad, Benguet, the artificial groundwater recharge facilities aim to capture and filter rainwater to increase local groundwater reserves and mitigate the impacts of droughts and floods. In both sites, rainwater is collected from a rooftop basin and passes through a filtration system before it is injected into aquifers. Stakeholders can track water quantity, quality, and safety. The La Trinidad facility is about 83 meters deep, while the Baguio facility operates at 95 to 100 meters. Mayor Benjamin Magalong welcomed the facilities' installation, stating that the city had just begun to recover from an eight-month drought that started in November 2023. 'We experienced drought last year and napakalaki ng impact sa aming buhay yung drought na yan. [It was an] eight-month drought,' he shared. (We experienced drought last year and it had such a big impact on our lives. [It was an] 8-month drought.) 'During the drought, talagang naramdaman namin yung impact ng climate change, especially sa water pressure coming from the groundwater sa aquifer, at ang dami namin mga lugar dito na talagang halos for two to three weeks walang water supply,' he added. (During the drought, we really felt the impact of climate change, especially in the water pressure coming from the groundwater in the aquifers, and there were many places here that had no water supply for almost two to three weeks.) The production of the injection well cost about P2.6 million, the groundwater monitoring system amounted to P775,000, and the facilities cost about P400,000, making the project's total cost close to P4 million. —VBL, GMA Integrated News
Indian Express
2 days ago
- Business
- Indian Express
Bank ordered to pay over Rs 1 crore to company that lost the amount in 2023 SIM swap fraud; telecom major also penalised
An Ahmedabad-based company, which deals in ball bearings and had lost Rs 1.2 crore to cybercriminals in a SIM swap fraud in March 2023, has received compensation to the tune of Rs 1.2 crore from penalties imposed on a leading bank and a major telecom company that were held liable by the Adjudication Officer of the Department of Science and Technology (DST) of Gujarat. Passed on July 31, the order by Mona Khandhar, the Principal Secretary of the DST and the Adjudication Officer under the Information Technology Act, ordered ICICI Bank to pay Rs 10 lakh as penalty and Rs 1.05 crore as compensation to Collective Trade Links Private Limited. Further, Vodafone Idea Limited was ordered to pay Rs 5 lakh as penalty to the complainant. Both the companies have been asked to submit the amount within 6 weeks from the date of the order. Both companies were also directed to implement internal vulnerability checks within three months. ICICI Bank was further directed to upgrade its ICT (Information and Communication Technologies) platforms within six months. According to the original case filed at the Cybercrime Police station in Ahmedabad, the firm had lost a total of Rs 1,19,37,000 on March 12, 2023, in a series of 22 transactions. This happened on a Sunday, a non-working day, and when the Director, Prakash I Mehta, was not even in India but in Vietnam. The illegal transactions took place after cybercriminals sent an email to the telecom company asking for a change in the SIM card. This was authorised to approve financial transactions of the complainant firm. The fraudsters had also submitted fake documents to enable the transaction. The next day, the accountants at the firm discovered the theft and reported it to the police. Subsequently, the company's director approached the Adjudication Officer of the DST to seek compensation from the telecom company and the bank, and filed a civil complaint under sections 43 and 43-A of the Information Technology Act, which deal with civil liability for criminal action against unauthorised accesses, data theft and damage to computers systems. Hearings were held on five dates in 2024 and in January 2025. The order said, 'An investigation has revealed that Prashanta Datta, a Vodafone store manager in West Bengal, was allegedly complicit in the issuance of blank SIM cards, bypassing established verification protocols. One such SIM card was subsequently exploited in the commission of the fraud against the complainant.' Further, regarding the bank, the order stated, 'Negligence was exhibited by ICICI Bank in failing to exercise due diligence while adding new beneficiaries and approving transactions, thereby violating established banking norms and protocols. The bank's failure to implement proper verification procedures allowed for the approval of unauthorised high-value transactions which exceeded the standard transaction limits and by-passed necessary security checks. This breach of due negligence directly resulted in the financial loss of Rs 1,19,37,000 to the complainant.'
GMA Network
3 days ago
- Politics
- GMA Network
PH better prepared for natural disasters, but risks now higher
BAGUIO CITY – Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Secretary Renato Solidum Jr. believes that while the Philippines is more prepared for natural disasters, the risks they pose have become much higher. During a press conference of the Luzon leg of the Handa Pilipinas para sa Bagong Pilipinas 2025 and the 2025 Regional Science, Technology and Innovation Week in Cordillera Administrative Region, Solidum noted that the increased risks are due to the country's higher population. 'Given the developments, we are much better prepared now than before. But, the reality is preparedness is relative. As we increase our population, the risk is also getting higher. Why? Because more people will be affected as we increase population. What is important is that we prepare for large scale disasters,' he said. Solidum noted there was a significant divide in terms of risks between urban and rural areas, as urban areas tend to have a higher concentration of people and non-engineered structures. 'Napakaraming tao, napakaraming gusali… Maraming tao nagpupunta at naninirahan sa mga delikadong lugar sa bahay dahil may oportunidad na makapagtrabaho… Maraming non-engineered structures sa mga urban areas tulad sa Metro Manila. Kung titignan natin, mataas ang risk sa urban areas,' the DOST secretary said. (There are a lot of people, and a lot of buildings… There are many people who come over and live in dangerous areas because there are opportunities to work… There are a lot of non-engineered structures in urban areas like Metro Manila. If we look at it, there is a higher risk in urban areas.) He stressed the importance of being prepared across multiple industries, as he believes a lack of preparedness would lead to more victims of future disasters, both natural and man-made. Meanwhile, the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) stated that they are continuously updating their policies and modernizing their protocols and systems for disaster risk response. OCD Officer in Charge – Administrator Assistant Secretary Bernardo Alejandro IV said they are using several platforms developed by DOST to make correct and accurate forecasts and plans. Among the tools in development are the 'Plan Smart, Ready to Respond' digital tool that is designed to help decision-makers assess disaster response based on drafted scenarios and recommended steps by the system. 'Continuous yung aming paggamit at pag-modernize ng mga sistema na yan, making sure na science-based ang aming desisyon when we do our pre-disaster risk assessment. (The usage and modernization of these systems are continuous, making sure that our decisions are science-based when when we do our pre-disaster risk assessment.) We are updating how we do contingency planning… We are integrating science-based solutions or anticipatory planning models emphasizing on early warning and risk assessment,' he said. Alejandro said the OCD aims to use early warning systems to improve government's reaction time. 'That's why science-based tools, early warning tools ay 'di lang basta basta mareceive yung warning but dapat it should translate into concrete actions sa ating LGUs at even sa communitites…. Dati, nakakareceive tayo ng alert. What do we do with that message? Yun yung gusto natin paghandaan pa,' he shared. (That's why science-based tools, early warning tools are not just receiving warnings but must translate into concrete actions with our LGUs and even communities… Before, we received alerts. What do we do with that message? That is what we need to prepare for.) 'Continuous policy and governance reforms na ginagawa namin, inuupdate natin yung ating mga frameworks to align with the regional and even international frameworks. And yung ating tuloy tuloy na proactive risk governance. Rest assured that the OCD is really embracing technology and data-innovation in modernizing our risk system,' he added. (Our policies and governance reforms are continuous, and we are updating our frameworks to align with the regional and even international frameworks. And our proactive risk governance is continuous. Rest assured that the OCD is really embracing technology and data-innovation in modernizing our risk system.) Investing in innovation Solidum noted that while there are a lot of good projects and ideas in the Philippine market, there is a need for them to be commercialized and scaled up to make notable changes in their respective sectors. In line with this, he shared that the DOST has launched programs like Propel to connect innovators with potential investors. 'We cannot adapt it by just producing one piece at the time. To do that, we have to engage many people so that they invest in it,' he said. 'Disaster risk reduction is part of economic development because extreme disasters wipe out economic development gains that many provinces would attain. That is why in our strategy, creation of wealth must be in tandem with protection of wealth… Ultimately, whether it's related to disasters or not, commercialization of products and development will be the priority,' he added. He also said that part of the DOST priorities is to talk to partner institutions like DILG and OCD for better planning and dissemination of platforms, and capitalize on the presence of higher educational institutions to develop science-based solutions. Flood management On the topic of flood, Solidum shared that the country needed flood management. 'Flood control is a very narrow part of flood management. Kapag sinabi mong control, ko-control mo tubig. (If you say flood control you are controlling the water.) Its only structural input. When we talk about flood management, you have to look at the whole water shed from the river to the shoreline. We have different types of flood,' he said. He also noted that the country must improve on waste management. 'Rivers and drainages are supposed to convey water. They're not supposed to convey trash, sofa and refrigerator… So we need to look at the overall system collectively. You don't only look at the engineering but the genetic, hydraulics, and really look into how water can be managed,' he said. — RF, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
3 days ago
- Business
- GMA Network
DOST renews bilateral agreements with Indian counterparts
Department of Science and Technology Secretary Renato Solidum Jr. at the opening ceremony of the Luzon leg of the Handa Pilipinas sa Bagong Pilipinas 2025. Jiselle Anne Casucian/GMA Integrated News BAGUIO CITY – A renewed bilateral agreement with India has been signed with the Philippines, according to the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) on Thursday. During an interview with DOST Secretary Renato Solidum Jr. at the opening ceremony of the Luzon leg of the Handa Pilipinas sa Bagong Pilipinas 2025, he shared the renewed agreement will cover this year to 2028. 'This will cover a broad topic but very critical, like for example biotechnology and subject related to smart agriculture, artificial intelligence, battery storage, vaccine development, oceans and atmosphere to name a few,' said Solidum. 'My agreement with my counterpart is just like bilateral agreements with countries… India is a very important partner because they do a lot of (research and development) but they can scale up the results in a cheaper manner,' he added. He also shared that the previous agreement with India ended in 2022, and would have yielded three projects if not for the Covid-19 pandemic. Solidum said both countries are now looking into establishing working groups to discuss programs and collaborations. 'We can learn a lot from them and vice versa, [and] they can also learn from the other things they are interested in [like] blue economy and geospatial work, which we also do,' he shared. The agreement between DOST and India was one of the partnerships resulting from President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s recent five-day state visit to India. In addition to the renewed DOST bilateral agreement with India, tourists from the Philippines may now enter India on free e-visas as part of 'facilitating greater people-to-people exchanges." Marcos was also able to talk to Indian business leaders and urged them to invest in the Philippines, with directives to the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) to place effort towards a Philippine-India Preferential Trade Agreement. — RF, GMA Integrated News
