STARBOOKS was honored for garnering the Excellence in Government Communication Programs award in the 18th Philippine Quill Awards, marking another achievement for being one of the knowledge products of the DOST-Science and Technology Information Institute (DOST-STII).

STARBOOKS stands for Science and Technology Academic- and Research-Based Openly-Operated KioskS, the country’s first S&T digital library in a box.

“This is the first time DOST-STII competed in the Quill, and this recognition represents further validation of the good work we have done in STARBOOKS even under extraordinary circumstances like the ongoing pandemic,” says DOST-STII Director Richard P. Burgos.

Moreover, he added that the Philippine Quill Awards recognized the impact of STARBOOKS in bringing knowledge on science, mathematics, and technical fields directly to the people, especially to students in economically-challenged schools and communities.

STARBOOKS competed against over 800 entries from both public and private sector organizations. All entries were carefully reviewed by seasoned communication professionals of the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) Philippines, the organizing body of the Philippine Quill Awards, using the strictest global standards to measure and determine the very best in the practice of business communication.

This year’s award ceremonies, also the first time the event was held in virtual format, underscored the power of communications to empower communities and encourage the Filipino people to rise and overcome the most pressing challenges today.

As the lead implementing agency for STARBOOKS, DOST-STII recognized early on the fundamental importance of constantly discovering new, oftentimes untested ways to engage its audiences to expand the scope and support for this highly-sought program now found in over 5,000 sites nationwide.

Come June 24 of this year, STARBOOKS will celebrate a decade of service fully secured in the realization that an organization, no matter how lean it is with limited resources, can still overcome the newest of challenges, and capture the most unforeseen of opportunities by being able to pivot and deliver in step with the changing times.