Science moves from labs to Bicol communities through ‘Piñavation’

• Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Secretary Renato U. Solidum Jr. speaks at the SARAI Bicol Congress Day 1: Research Colloquium Proposal Presentations and AVP Contest for Partner LGUs and SUCs, a side-event at the opening of the 2026 Regional Science, Technology, and Innovation Week (RSTW) in Bicol, held in Daet, Camarines Norte on August 19, 2026.

Science and technology took center stage in Camarines Norte as government researchers showcased practical innovations designed to improve agriculture, strengthen local industries, and address the everyday needs of Bicolano communities.

The Department of Science and Technology held the 2026 Regional Science, Technology, and Innovation Week in the Bicol Region alongside “Piñavation,” a program highlighting research and technologies for the province’s Queen Pineapple industry.

Hosted at the University of Camarines Norte from August 19 to 21, the gathering marked the first time Camarines Norte served as the venue for the region’s flagship science and technology event. Hosting duties rotate annually among Bicol’s six provinces.

“A province does not have to wait for the future to arrive. It can help build that future itself. And that is exactly what we are hoping to see in Camarines Norte,” DOST-Bicol Regional Director Rommel R. Serrano said.

DOST-Camarines Norte Provincial Director Hermogenes Miguel Pormento said scientific progress must reach people beyond laboratories and research institutions.

“Science lives in our fields. It thrives in our local workshops. It shapes our coastal communities. And it empowers our farmers, fisherfolk, young people, and small-scale entrepreneurs,” Pormento said.

DOST Undersecretary for Regional Operations Sancho Mabborang echoed this message, saying the agency aims to bring technology into communities and make science part of Filipinos’ everyday lives.

In his keynote address, DOST Secretary Renato Solidum Jr. described the event as an example of science, technology, and innovation being translated into tangible benefits.

“Science provides the knowledge, technology delivers the tools, and innovation transforms both into solutions that improve lives,” Solidum said.

Science meets the Queen Pineapple

A central feature of the celebration was Piñavation, which presented science-based responses to the challenges facing Camarines Norte’s Queen Pineapple industry.

The Philippines is the world’s second-largest pineapple producer, while Camarines Norte is the country’s leading producer of the Queen Pineapple, also known as the Formosa variety.

Despite the crop’s value, many of the province’s approximately 2,300 pineapple farmers continue to face low incomes. The farmers cultivate more than 4,070 hectares, but small growers earn less than P180,000 annually.

Their production is also affected by Mealybug Wilt Disease, uneven plant growth, and postharvest losses estimated at 47.82 percent. These losses are linked to rough handling, poor road conditions, rushed sorting, and the traditional manual harvesting practice known as “pigtas.”

The Queen Pineapple Research and Development Institute is addressing these problems through technologies intended to replace traditional estimation, or “tantya,” with more precise farming practices.

The institute is supported by the DOST-Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development under the Niche Centers in the Regions for Research and Development Program.

Among its innovations is the QPIPED-CPM mobile application, which uses artificial intelligence to help farmers identify pests and crop diseases in the field. According to DOST, the technology achieved a model-training accuracy of 90 to 95 percent.

Researchers also deployed RT-PCR molecular testing and evaluated a two-percent Organic Multioxigenic Solution against Mealybug Wilt Disease.

Field results showed a 32-percent reduction in the disease and a 23-percent decline in active mealybug populations. The intervention also raised farmers’ return on investment from 43 to 71 percent while helping produce larger, higher-value fruit.

To reduce damage after harvesting, researchers introduced SPRINT-Hort interventions such as a CoolBot refrigeration facility and organic postharvest dip treatments. These technologies are designed to delay crown browning and extend the shelf life of pineapples.

QPRDI Director Arlene C. Alegre said finding a potential solution to pineapple wilt disease was a significant achievement because no pesticide, fungicide, or virucide was available to control the viral disease.

Alegre said the resulting organic anti-pathogenic solution offered researchers a safer option for addressing the problem.

Recognizing women’s contributions

QPRDI’s research also examined the role of women in the Queen Pineapple industry.

Its socioeconomic profiling found that women participate in 10 of 16 core agricultural tasks, including sorting, postharvest processing, and marketing. Women also manage 42 percent of household farm finances.

The findings are expected to help DOST develop agricultural interventions that consider the contributions and needs of the entire farming household.

QPRDI has conducted training-needs assessments involving 320 pineapple farmers, trained 92 local farm leaders, and established three technology demonstration farms.

The three-day regional gathering also welcomed students, researchers, entrepreneurs, farmers, and other community members to explore technologies that could support local economic growth and help build a more connected and resilient Bicol Region.