THE DEPARTMENT of Sciences and Technology (DOST) will hold its annual flagship event the 2026 National Science, Technology, and Innovation Week (NSTW) in General Santos City from Nov. 25 to 29.
The five-day event will showcase DOST’s latest projects and technologies for solutions aiming to solve the needs of the everyday lives of Filipinos.
The 2026 NSTW will carry the theme “Science, Technology, and Digital Innovation: Driving Food Security, Sustainable Energy, and National Resilience,” focusing on science-based solutions for agriculture, energy stability, and climate adaptation.
“This theme is very appropriate as we are facing the challenge and effects of the ongoing, very strong El Niño. And I hope that our fellow Filipinos, especially the local government, will be able to attend and listen and explore the solutions relevant to the times,” DOST secretary Dr. Renato Solidum Jr. said during the 2026 NSTW media kick off.
DOST XII regional director Sammy Malawan noted that DOST has been supporting General Santos City by providing guidance, scientific recommendations, and bringing back its economic activity after it was recently hit by an earthquake.
Dubbed as the “Tuna capital of the Philippines,” Malawan emphasized that General Santos is also a booming city.
The city’s people and local government showed their resiliency along with the help of science to recover and rebuild.
Last June 8, 2026, a massive earthquake with a magnitude of 7.8 struck offshore near Sarangani which heavily impacted GenSan and triggered tsunami warnings.
The NSTW is an annual event of DOST to highlight Filipino research, inventions, and scientific breakthroughs in the Philippines. The celebration serves as a platform to showcase cutting-edge technologies and innovations to address real-world challenges.
DCPO director PCOL Peter B. Madria, along with PMAJ Clarian Dave Toboso, Buhangin Police Station (PS 5) commander, spearheaded the security coordination meeting with mall supervisors and local barangay officials on Oct. 14 in Barangay Communal.
Security supervisors and operational representatives from major commercial hubs in the district, including NCCC City Mall, Gaisano City Gate, and Sta. Lucia Mall, as well as barangay officials from Communal, Cabantian, and Buhangin attended the meeting.
During the dialogue, Madria stressed the need for immediate, direct coordination with law enforcement authorities over unverified social media postings when responding to threats or emergency situations.
“Unified action and timely incident reporting directly to the police are paramount,” Madria emphasized, urging commercial establishments to avoid delays caused by public social media dissemination.
As part of the joint security plan, the DCPO directed mall operators to implement stricter target-hardening measures. These include additional security personnel at high-traffic entry points, upgrading and expanding CCTV coverage, and standardizing emergency escalation procedures in coordination with PS 5.
Both police leadership and mall stakeholders reaffirmed their commitment to proactive collaboration and regular dialogue to ensure public safety across Davao City’s commercial districts.