Ribbon cutting ceremony of DOST-STARBOOKS with PRNHS faculty and DOST-3 staff.

 As a mandate, the Department of Science and Technology Regional Office 3 (DOST-III) aims to empower students from communities through its Expanded Implementation of Community Empowerment through Science and Technology (eCEST) program. Through the program’s education and human resource development entry point, 98 schools from the 25 priority municipalities of the said program benefitted from different S&T interventions to improve the education of students.

 June 27, 2019 - Pablo Roman National High School (PRNHS) in Pilar, Bataan is one of the beneficiaries of the eCEST program which was assisted on upgrading its laboratory equipment through the provision of new laboratory apparatuses for biology, chemistry, and physics; upgrading of library facility through Science and Technology Academic and Research-Based Openly Operated KioskS (STARBOOKS) offline digital library; and hydroponics technology to promote urban agriculture. 

  As a grateful recognition, PRNHS organized the launching of eCEST projects. The event included a ribbon-cutting ceremony as a way of welcoming new opportunities to the school in which students and faculties would greatly benefit from.

The event started with an opening prayer led by Ms. Lourdes Octavio, followed by the welcoming remarks from Ms. Rosalie V. Ona (Provincial Director, PSTC Bataan), Mr. Jerwin R. Vianzon (Science Research Specialist II), and Ms. Jamila Maisha M. Asuncion (Project Assistant I of eCEST program).

 PSTD Rosalie V. Ona ended her very inspirational message with this statement: "…gamit ang mga ito, kinabukasan ng ating magaaral, ay siguradong makakamtan.". Having seen the students excited and eager to learn, the eCEST program is more than willing to lend a hand to those who are in need of empowerment. With that conclusion, Ms. Rea Pangilinan ended the ceremony by expressing their deepest gratitude towards both the eCEST program and DOST - III.

 The launching program was succeeded by a STARBOOKS orientation which was led by Mr. Jerwin R. Vianzon. The use and management of STARBOOKS was discussed to PRNHS teachers and students. Now, teachers from PRNHS are equipped with knowledge and skills to operate on the offline digital library and students are able to access thousands of S&T related resources in support to their studies.

eCEST hopes nothing more than what is best, especially for our youths. With innovative technologies, students are one step closer towards empowerment.

Ribbon cutting ceremony of the upgraded laboratory led by the Science Department Head, Ms. Eloisa dela Rosa (left), PSTD Rosalie Ona (middle), and Ms. Jamila Maisha Asuncion (right).

Ribbon cutting ceremony at hydroponics garden with PRNHS faculty and DOST-3 staff.

Mr. Jerwin R. Vianzon, SRS II, orients the teachers and students about STARBOOKS.

Actual demonstration on how to use the new laboratory equipment to the students of PRNHS.