Technologies must be smart, sustainable, and inclusive to all — Solidum

By Joy M. Lazcano, DoST-STII

“A community can be smart but not sustainable, sustainable but not smart — and both can be meaningless if they are not built for people.”

This is how Department of Science and Technology (DoST) Secretary Renato U. Solidum, Jr. described the importance of creating inclusive technologies for the people during the opening ceremony of the 2025 National Science, Technology, and Innovation Week (NSTW) celebration held on Nov. 18, 2025, at the Ilocos Norte Centennial Arena, Laoag City, Ilocos Norte.

In his speech, Solidum shared how the DoST intends to bridge the technological gap by turning smart plans into sustainable realities using science, technology, and innovation.

“When we say, ‘smart and sustainable, who is the Filipino in our mind?” Solidum asked. “If we cannot answer this question honestly, then our plans — no matter how advanced and impressive — will never reach their full impact,” explained Solidum.

He emphasized the DoST’s approach to ‘smart’ has always been inclusive, people-centered, and grounded in the everyday realities of Filipinos.

“We have reached communities, even those that were once considered too far or too difficult to serve. Ang mga lugar po na ito ay tinatawag nating Geographically Isolated and Disadvantaged Areas o GIDAs.”

Solidum explained that the DoST operates through the four strategic pillars that guide its programs and services nationwide, namely promoting human well-being, fostering wealth creation, reinforcing wealth protection, and institutionalizing sustainability.

In promoting human well-being, Solidum shared that the DoST’s work begins with people, with improving daily life and securing dignity through the programs focusing on nutritious and affordable food, clean water systems, accessible healthcare technologies, safe environments, trainings that nurture a deeper appreciation for science, and scholarships and human resource development for a future-ready S&T workforce.

“NSTW itself is anchored on this pillar,” Solidum said. “Because every exhibit, every demonstration, every innovation here is designed to empower and enrich Filipino lives.”

He added that smart and sustainable communities begin with people who are healthy, capable, and supported.

Moreover, Solidum shared that for decades, the country’s development has been focused on Manila. “But the Philippines is not Metro Manila. The Philippines is composed of 7,641 islands, each with distinct needs, cultures, and vulnerabilities. Smart and sustainable communities must be archipelagic.”

He added that this is also the reason why there are DoST offices in every region, including technical support to the Bangsamoro Administrative Region in Muslim Mindanao, and in every province.

He emphasized that smart and sustainable development should begin with understanding everyday struggles of Filipinos, such as the traffic that steals hours of family time, work productivity, study time, floods that destroy homes and livelihoods, earthquakes that threaten safety and business continuity, food insecurity that affects millions, digital divides that limit opportunities, and MSMEs that become vulnerable after disasters.

These struggles, according to Solidum, steal billions of pesos in the economy and therefore the DoST “designs solutions not for ‘ideal cities,’ but for real communities with real problems,” Solidum said.

Solidum also talked about data and its use. He shared that the DoST and its partners have generated vast amounts of geospatial data, covering disasters, environment, health, education, industries, and more. But the reality, he said, is that much of this data remains scattered and fragmented.

“It sits in silos, often difficult to access or integrate,” Solidum described. He said that many times, decision-makers spend more time looking for data than actually using it. “We can no longer afford this fragmentation. As the Department that advances innovation, DoST must lead in connecting information, institutions, and insights.” Solidum referred to geospatial intelligence as one of the strongest tools that the DoST possesses.

He explained that through tools such as Geospatial Analytics and Technology Solutions, or the GATES Program, PlanSmart, hazard maps, Smart and Sustainable Communities Program toolkits, and other GIS platforms, there is now a way to know with precision which communities are most at risk, the gaps in infrastructure, or where evacuation routes failed, where agriculture can thrive, or where resources should be placed first.

Apart from these, Solidum also mentioned the thriving economic potential in fostering wealth creation in a smart and sustainable community. He further explained that innovation must lead to income, stability, and a better life for Filipino families.

Programs such as the Small Enterprise Technology Upgrading Program or SETUP, Community Empowerment through Science and Technology or CEST, Niche Centers in the Regions for R&D (NICER), PROPEL, and PHI-TEST bring forth growth to local industries.

He said that the DoST also supports precision farming, disease diagnostics, improved crop varieties, Internet-based monitoring, and mechanization of community-based enterprise models.

“But beyond technology, we support the dignity and empowerment of farmers. Agriculture must not only be efficient — it must be profitable, resilient, and attractive to the next generation. We must treat agriculture as a business,” Solidum elaborated.

He also emphasized the need to have smart mobility. Projects such as SEERMO, an AI-driven platform that helps cities collect and analyze mobility data efficiently, supporting evidence-based decisions for reshaping transport systems and urban environments, and M/B Dalaray, an e-ferry developed by the University of the Philippines and funded by the DoST.

“This shows that clean mobility can be adopted even in urban areas,” Solidum underscored.

When it comes to reinforcing wealth protection, Solidum stressed that “wealth protection is not only about assets — it is about lives, land, heritage, and stability.” He added that the Department protects communities by building climate-smart solutions, strengthening disaster preparedness, supporting environmental protection, equipping LGUs with risk mitigation tools, and developing forecasting and monitoring technologies.

“Every disaster prevented is a livelihood saved. Every risk mitigated is a future protected. This is smart and sustainable governance at its core,” underscored Solidum.

Further, Solidum explained that institutionalizing sustainability as part of the DoST’s strategy is the long game as it demands strong partnerships with LGUs, collaboration with academe and industry, investments in R&D, talent mobility, long-term planning, continuity beyond political terms, and decision-support systems for sustained development.

He relayed that the DoST has partnered with 116 local government units (LGUs) in the country to help them craft their own smart and sustainable community roadmaps, adopt smart solutions in agriculture, governance, and transportation, among others, and work with stakeholders.

Solidum stressed that venturing into sustainable initiatives is not a one-year project — it is a national mindset that demands shared commitment across sectors. “After all the technologies, models, and systems, smart and sustainable communities return to one truth,” Solidum said. “They are built for people.”

The 2025 NSTW is the annual gathering of the country’s scientific community to share the benefits and importance of science and technology with the Filipinos. This year, NSTW banners the main theme “Siyensya, Teknolohiya, at Inobasyon: Kabalikat sa Matatag, Maginhawa, at Panatag na Kinabukasan” and with subtheme ‘Building Smart and Sustainable Communities’ to underscore the national call for sustainability.

NSTW is one of the many initiatives of the Department of Science and Technology (DoST) aimed at providing science-based, innovative, and inclusive solutions across four strategic pillars: human well-being, wealth creation, wealth protection, and sustainability. These pillars embody the mantra OneDOST4U: Solutions and Opportunities for All. For more information, visit www.dost.gov.ph .

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