DOST eyes entrepreneurship training for science, technology scholars

The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) is looking to provide its science-and-technology-program scholars with entrepreneurship training.

In a Sunday interview on Super Radyo dzBB, DOST Secretary Renato Solidum Jr. said the move would expose scientists to entrepreneurs like in other countries.

“Sa science and technology, engineering and math ang focus nila. Gusto ko magkaroon sila ng at least man lang training ng entrepreneurship para hindi lang science ang kanilang nakikita,” Solidum said.

(In science and technology, their focus is on engineering and math. I want them to, at least, have entrepreneurship training so that they realize that there are more things than just science.)

“Magkaroon na rin sila ng idea at ma-expose sila na ‘yung mga scientists ay pwedeng maging entrepreneurs kasi ‘yun ang kailangan natin. Hindi ‘yung empleyado ka lang,” he added.

(They will have an idea that scientists can become entrepreneurs because that's what we need - not just employees.)

“Baka may maisip kang innovation either i-commercialize mo ‘yan at ibenta mo ‘yung technology at ikaw mismo ang mag-develop ng sarili mong company. Kung mapapansin mo sa buong mundo ‘yun ang mayaman,” he said.

(Maybe you can think of an innovation that can be commercialized and sell the technology or develop your own company. If you notice, those are the world's wealthy people.)

The DOST chief also said that they aim to partner with local businesses to encourage scientists and youth to gain ideas for being entrepreneurs.

“At para mas mabigyan din sila ng magandang ideya ay mag-partner din tayo hindi lang sa scholarship pati na rin sa mga nasa probinsya na tinutulungan natin mga eskwelahan ay ma-partner sila sa mga local businesses para mayroon na silang business model na tulong or mindset [para] ma-expose sila kung paano ba natin ma-convert ‘yung ideya hanggang marketing mayroon na tayong plano,” Solidum said.

(And to give them sound ideas, we will not only partner with scholarships but also with those schools in the province that we help. They will be partnered with local businesses so that they have a helpful business model or a mindset to create a business plan that will include such things as marketing.)

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. encouraged Filipino scientists and researchers to stay in the Philippines, saying they could be the government's active partners in nation-building.

Marcos underscored that these Filipino scientists and researchers should partner with the national government and dedicate their skills to uplift the lives of Filipinos, and help in building a more sustainable country.

He admitted that the national government should give direction in the science and development field so that the research output would benefit farmers, businessmen, MSMEs, and all citizens. — DVM, GMA Integrated News