iSTART program engages former Balik-Scientist and certified animal science expert to help the Municipality of Balungao
A former Balik Scientist of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) with expertise in animal science is helping the Municipality of Balungao in Pangasinan through the innovation, Science and Technology for Acceperating Regional Technology-Based Development or iSTART Program.
Being implemented by DOST Region I, this initiative is an offshoot of a study conducted by the UP School of Urban and Regional Planning through the Planning and Development Research Foundation, Inc. (PLANADES) that identified the 20 growth areas in the entire Philippines. For Region I, the Province of Pangasinan was among them, with great potential for goat production.
The iSTART Program Management Team believes, early on, in the vision of the local officials who are commited and passionate about this project, so they engaged a well known consultant in Animal Science, Dr. Jovita Datuin, who has been helping the municipality in this project already even before the iSTART program started in the municipality.
Former Pangasinan Governor, the Hon. Amado I. Espino III had identified the six (6) pilot local government units (LGUs) for the iSTART Program, namely: Sual, Bugallon, Malasiqui, San Fabian, Alcala, and Balungao to have a representation in each of the congressional districts of the province.
The municipality of Balungao represents District 6 and is known as the major goat producer in the entire province, it is their One Town One Product (OTOP). Because of this, municipal officials identified the establishment of the Goat Academy as one of their priority projects during the Focused Group Discussion conducted prior to the implementation of the iSTART Program in the municipality.
The local officials envisioned that the goat industry will be one potential area in the economic growth of the town, so it led to the plan of establishing the Goat Academy that will provide different services related to goat production such as producing numerous goods and high quality breed of goat. The academy is also seen to serve as a venue for trainings and eventually upscaling chevon [goat meat] products.
Through the initiative of the Local Chief Executive, Hon. Mayor Maria Theresa A. Peralta, they provided funds for the project under the iSTART program. Through the iSTART program, technology-based interventions for goat production management will be provided like various technologies, products and processes that make goat production
more profitable and the different training programs related to goat that will eventually be included.
On another front, the LGU officials also intends to focus on the treatment of the high level of sulfuric content in the water resources of the municipality which can cause danger in the health condition of the people including other natural resources such as their agricultural crops and the animals.
Recognizing this problem, the iSTART Program Management Team collaborated with well-known consultants to address the issues in order to support the LGU’s goals and concerns. The group invited Prof. Maria Nilda Muñoz, also a former Balik-Scientist to look into this project.
On 28 February 2023, the two (2) consultants underwent an ocular inspection and met with Vice-Mayor Philipp Peralta, along with the other local and municipal officials, to further discuss the ways forward of the two projects. Dr. Datuin presented her proposal on how the Goat Academy will be established and operated, while Prof. Muñoz discussed her strategy for the water treatment project.
The iSTART Program is one of the flagship programs of the DOST that is designed as a convergence of all the programs/projects/activities that the department is implementing – technology transfer, training, consultancy services, S&T promotion, scholarship, and R&D, among others.
With the scientific and technological interventions provided, the iSTART program is dedicated to assist LGU Balungao in addressing the community’s problems and to continue to deliver science, technology, and innovation in the locality for sustainable development. (By Ginee R. Tacasa, DOST-I)
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