DOST grants P2.9M for pottery kilns in Bacolod City

The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) has funded a barangay in Bacolod City with a pottery kiln worth P2.9 million to support its pottery industry.

During the HANDA Pilipinas 2025 Visayas Leg, DOST unveiled a new 2-cubic-meter shuttle-type kiln produced by the city’s local government using DOST’s P2,972,916 grant in Barangay Pahanocoy, Bacolod.

DOST’s grant was provided to the 33-person Katilingban sang Mininihon sang Pahanocoy (KAMIPA), whose livelihoods depend on terracotta pots.

“Napakalaki pong tulong nito sa amin kasi naranasan namin na zero-visibility yung daan namin dahil sa usok. Sa ngayon, nag-try na kami nito at maraming salamat sa DOST na natulungan yung pottery makers namin dito. Dahil dito, may plano pa kami na ilaganap yung production ng pots dito sa Barangay Pahaconoy,” shared Pahaconoy punong Barangay Yolanda Noble.

(This is a big help to us because we have experienced our roads turn zero-visibility due to the smoke. As of now, we are trying this, and we really thank DOST for helping our pottery makers. Because of this, we have plans to expand the production of pots here in Barangay Pahaconoy.)

“Yung dati nilang technique hanggang 300°C to 400°C lang, hindi pa naaabot ng pots yung tinatawag na calcination point na namo-modify yung structure ng clay... Pag naabot mo yon, quality talaga siya. Yung advantage nito [ng kiln] dahil more than 1000°C siya, they can produce other better-quality products… Depende sa materials we can source,” shared DOST Negros Island Region Director Engineer Rowen Gelonga.

(Their previous technique was only up to 300°C to 400°C, and the pots have yet to reach the calcination point that modified the structure of clay. If you reach it, it really is quality. The advantage [of the kiln] is that since it is more than 1000°C, they can produce other better quality products. It depends on the materials we can source.)

The local government, meanwhile, also assisted in providing the KAMIPA with a covered facility to house their pottery industry. —VAL, GMA Integrated News