LBSC Celebrates 11th SyenSaya
SyenSaya: the Los Baños Science Festival is an annual celebration of the Los Baños Science Community Foundation (LBSC), one of the four science communities of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST). Since 2008, this celebration highlights science-based technologies and innovations from 22 member-agencies situated in the Special Science and Nature City of Los Baños, Laguna.
This three-day activity showcases the member-agencies’ science initiatives and developed technologies, which aim at significantly affecting and improving the lives of the different communities in Los Baños.
Following DOST’s National Science and Technology Week celebration this year, SyenSaya adopts the theme, Science for the People: Enabling Technologies for Sustainable Development, in support of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The event also serves as a platform to stir interests among locals in science, technology, and innovation (STI).
The event encapsulates the outputs of the 22 member agencies through the following SyenSaya’s lineup of activities: Wonderama features actual and interactive exhibits of technologies in agriculture, aquatic and fisheries, forestry and natural resources, as well as services being offered to the constituents in the different SDGs. The Technology Fora titled, Ang Plastik Mo: Isang talakayan patungkol sa kalinisan ng pamayanan encourages discussion among the locals and invited resource persons regarding the effects of their compliance to Municipal Ordinance No. 2014-1316 or the Expanded Plastic Ordinance of the Municipality of Los Baños, which prohibits the use of styrofoams, plastics bags, and plastic eating utensils. A Science Tourism Project, jointly initiated by DOST CALABARZON and the Department of Tourism (DOT) will also be formally introduced during the SyenSaya.
Surrounded by national and international research institutions collaborating for the upliftment of the lives of the constituents of Los Baños and neighboring municipalities through R&D, SyenSaya also recognizes outstanding works in research and development through its R&D Awards. These are given as an appreciation of the works and contribution of R&D to the community. Also, this year is the second year that noteworthy science outputs of high school students will be recognized through the Youth Science Awards. Science enthusiasts including researchers, students, technology developers, government and private institutions are welcome. SyenSaya: the Los Baños Science Festival will be staged on August 28-30, 2019, 8AM─5 PM at the Baker Hall, University of the Philippines Los Baños, College, Laguna. It is open to the public free of charge. All of these efforts are geared to provide STI to the people towards sustainable development (Quimby Mari R. Genota, DOST-PCAARRD S&T Services)