Mass transportation technology developed by DOST inspires Bataan Peninsula State University to offer a Railway Engineering Program
The Automated Guideway Transit (AGT), an alternative mass transportation technology designed and developed by the Department of Science and Technology – Metals Industry Research and Development Center (DOST-MIRDC), is the most important factor that led to the decision of the Bataan Peninsula State University (BPSU) to offer Railway Engineering as an additional program under its College of Engineering and Architecture.
The DOST, DOST-Philippine Council for Industry, Energy, and Emerging Technology Research and Development (DOST-PCIEERD), and the BPSU signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) for the installation of the AGT at the BPSU on 27 January 2022. During the MOA signing, DOST-MIRDC expressed its full support to the project to promote innovations in railway technology.
Specified in the signed MOA is the timeline of the project. The construction of rail track, electrical room, and coach storage, testing and module development will be completed by December 2022. With this, the AGT laboratory facility will be launched also in December 2022. Incidentally, the Railway Engineering program of the BPSU will be offered to students by August 2023.
DOST-MIRDC Executive Director expressed the Center’s full support to the project. “I am proud to say that I am from Balanga. Balanga is my hometown. I am really proud that we will have here railway engineering using the AGT,” Dir. Dizon said.
He shared with the audience the hope that eventually, we will see the real AGT plying around Balanga.
For more information about the AGT and other technologies developed by the Center, please contact the Technology Information and Promotions Section, Technology Diffusion Division, DOST-MIRDC at telephone numbers (02) 8837-0431 to 38 local 463, (02) 8837-0479 or email mirdc@mirdc.dost.gov.ph and also visit their website www.mirdc.dost.gov.ph. (By: Zalda R. Gayahan, DOST-MIRDC)
The AGT as laboratory facility of BPSU’s Railway Engineering (proposed to be implemented as a visual laboratory for engineering programs in January 2023) (Source: BPSU)
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