The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) on Thursday urged researchers to send proposals for possible funding from March 1 to 15.

“Through the DOST’s Grants-in-Aid (GIA) Program, we fund research and development (R&D) projects aligned with our priority sectors and the administration’s socio-economic agenda,” Undersecretary Leah Buendia said in a televised briefing.

“We challenge both experienced and budding researchers to create relevant proposals that are aligned with our priorities.”

According to the DOST, research should focus on the agency’s priority areas, such as wealth creation, wealth protection, human well-being, and sustainability.

Proposals may be sent to DOST’s attached agencies – the National Research Council of the Philippines; Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development; Philippine Council for Industry, Energy and Emerging Research and Development; and Philippine Council for Health Research and Development.

Buendia said the DOST has been encouraging researchers across the country to send proposals that could provide solutions to problems the country is facing and has spent PHP11.5 billion for R&D projects under the GIA from 2016 to 2022.

She cited as an example the project they funded to address the wastage of cracked eggs.

“Eggs with crack can no longer be sold, so the project turns the egg white into powder being sold to bakeries,” she said.

According to the DOST, they allocated PHP16 million for the Spray Dried Eggs as Functional and Nutritious Ingredients for the Philippine Market project led by the Batangas Egg Producers Multipurpose Cooperative (BEPCO).

This project will use the spray drying technology and targets to develop dried eggs for salad dressing and mayonnaise. It also seeks to make dried eggs for baking, coffee creamer, and high-protein egg biscuits.

Buendia said the DOST has also funded the “Cocoa-loca” project that seeks to develop functional food products using cacao bean shell wastes.

The department said the product under this project is on preliminary trial.

Meanwhile, Buendia said they also have a program where they collaborate with the private sector to provide additional funding for the researchers.

“Because most of the private sector don’t conduct their own research, so they partner with state colleges and universities to conduct research and look for the solutions they need,” she said. (PNA)