Catanduanes: Science and technology interventions in Catanduanes and Masbate are improving livelihoods, expanding educational opportunities, and strengthening community resilience, the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) said Tuesday.

According to Philippines News Agency, in Catanduanes, the province's abaca industry is being supported through locally developed technologies that help farmers improve fiber quality and access better markets, DOST said in a statement. DOST-Catanduanes Provincial Director Marie Grace Molina noted that farmers in San Miguel town are now producing high-quality S2-grade abaca fibers using the Careyan Abaca Stripping Machine, an innovation supported by the DOST-Technology Application and Promotion Institute (DOST-PTRI).

Molina highlighted that the stripping process has become easier with the machine, producing finer fibers due to its special serration blade design. Farmers are now directly supplying their products to AbacaTek, a Mandaluyong-based company engaged in certified abaca textiles manufacturing. This direct link allows farmers to sell their fibers at a higher price per kilogram compared to selling through dealers.

The Careyan Abaca Stripping Knife has also been distributed to abaca farmers in Baras town for producing Abaca Pinukpok textiles, a traditional woven fabric that recently secured intellectual property protection for its designs and color patterns. DOST-Catanduanes is pursuing the proposed PHP41-million HATUN Abaca project and has begun constructing the province's first Natural Textile Fiber Innovation Hub at Catanduanes State University through a PHP6.1-million grant from DOST-PTRI.

Meanwhile, DOST-Masbate reported gains in expanding access to science education. The agency reached 2,583 students from 37 schools through its Undergraduate Scholarships Caravan and established an additional testing center in San Jacinto, Ticao Island.