The Department of Science and Technology-Cordillera rolled out the first Community Empowerment through Science and Technology (CEST) project in Benguet.
The project will be implemented in Kibungan following the signing of the memorandum of agreement between the local government unit and the three beneficiaries under the livelihood component, namely Kibungan Arabica Coffee Growers’ Multipurpose Cooperative, Tacadang Organic Coffee Growers Association, and Badeo Arabica Coffee Growers Organization.
Under the project, DOST-Cordillera will provide common service facilities for the rice processing, muscovado processing, and coffee processing in barangays Tacadang, Badeo, and Poblacion, Kibungan, respectively.
The DOST will also organize livelihood trainings; provide the Starbooks Digital Library to barangays Badeo, Lubo, Palina, Poblacion, and Sagpat; provide ceramic water filter to Barangay Tacadang; and strengthen the disaster risk reduction and disaster risk management of Kibungan by providing appropriate communications system.
DOST-Cordillera Director Nancy Bantog acknowledged the desire and efforts of the community to improve their industries and assured DOST’s support to the LGU and beneficiaries of the project.
Kibungan Mayor Cesar Molitas encouraged his constituents to be more productive as he extended the town’s appreciation to the DOST-Cordillera for choosing the municipality as the first recipient of the CEST project in Benguet.
The CEST aims to empower and improve the standard of living of beneficiary-communities in the region through Science and Technology (S&T) interventions.
It aims to provide S&T assistance to vulnerable communities in the country through five entry points, namely economic development, health and nutrition, human resource development, environmental protection and conservation, and disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation.
Priority areas include geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas.
DOST-Cordillera, through the CEST program, envisions to build more active, sustainable, and more resilient communities through the implementation of responsive science, technology and innovation programs. – Press release
April 18, 2024
