DOST to give P1.3M to five Kalinga towns

By Peter Balocnit

TABUK CITY- Five Kalinga municipalities are set to receive P1.3 million in financial assistance from the Department of Science and Technology under its Science and Technology for the  Enhancement  and  Advancement of Municipalities (STEAM) program.

Dexy Catacutan of DOST here said recipients are Pasil, Rizal, Balbalan, Tinglayan, and Lubuagan.

She said Pasil will receive P57,000 for tiger grass growers in making soft broom and another P130,448 for sugarcane processing; P149,000 for the Gawaan community-based project on soap processing in  Balbalan; P255,000 for sugarcane and banana vinegar and wine processing in Rizal; P540,000 for milling of brown rice in Tinglayan; and P119,750 for mushroom production and P108,000 for nutri-snacks for school children in Lubuagan.

“They will receive directly from the Department of Budget and Management  through their respective accounts the amount approved,” she said.

Tabuk City has also  an approved amount of  P172,000 for  organic meat processing center but will be released later, she added.

The STEAM program is a brainchild of DOST-Cordillera regional director Julius Caesar Sicat which aims to equip municipal science and technology coordinators for effective project identification, proposal preparation, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation.

The DOST provides resources for implementation of identified S&T project proposals submitted by municipalities.