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SARAI Eastern Visayas, DOST Regional Office VIII, Government Center, Candahug, Leyte, Palo (2026)

18/06/2026

𝐃𝐎𝐒𝐓 𝟖 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐒𝐀𝐑𝐀𝐈 𝐭𝐨 𝐋𝐆𝐔 𝐎𝐫𝐦𝐨𝐜 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐌𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐚, 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐥𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧

The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Regional Office VIII conducted courtesy visits to the Local Government Units (LGUs) of Ormoc City and Merida, Leyte on June 17, 2026, to introduce Project SARAI and explore potential areas for collaboration.

The visits served as a venue to present SARAI’s systems, technologies, and services, which provide localized crop monitoring and forecasting tools aimed at supporting farmers in making informed farm management decisions.

Through the initiative, DOST 8 seeks to enhance the capacity of LGUs and farming communities to adapt to changing climate conditions using science-based solutions, particularly amid the effects of the prolonged El Niño phenomenon.

During the meeting, possible areas of collaboration with the LGUs, including the integration of SARAI advisories into local agricultural planning, support for technology adoption at the farm level, and the conduct of capacity-building activities for farmers and agricultural extension workers were highlighted.

Local officials from Ormoc City and Merida expressed openness to the initiative and recognized the value of project SARAI in supporting evidence-based decision-making in agriculture and strengthening local food security programs.

The courtesy visits form part of DOST’s continuing efforts to strengthen partnerships with local government units in advancing science, technology, and innovation (STI) for sustainable and climate-resilient agriculture in Eastern Visayas.

10/06/2026

𝐀𝐧𝐨 𝐚𝐧 𝐦𝐚𝐡𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐨 𝐤𝐨𝐧 𝐦𝐚𝐠-𝐮𝐫𝐮𝐬𝐚 𝐚𝐧 𝐄𝐥 𝐍𝐢ñ𝐨 𝐧𝐠𝐚𝐧 𝐇𝐚𝐛𝐚𝐠𝐚𝐭?

Sumala ha PAGASA, posible mag-urusa ini nga duha nga kondisyon han panahon tikang Hunyo tubtob Agosto, nga magdadara hin kusog nga uran ha iba nga lugar ngan duro na kapaso ha iba pa..

Para ha aton mga parag-uma, magreresulta ini hin kakulangan ha tubig, pag-uga han tuna, pagbaha, ngan pagdamo han peste ha uma.

Pero diri kita papabay-an! Pinaagi han SARAI, mayda kita lokal nga forecast ngan giya para ha husto nga desisyon ha pagtanom, irigasyon, pest management, ngan pag-ani.

Mag-andam, mag-informado, ngan magpabilin nga segurado ha uma!

13/05/2026

𝐒𝐀𝐑𝐀𝐈 𝐄𝐕 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐬 𝐅𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐑𝐓𝐀𝐂 𝐌𝐞𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠

Following the approval and endorsement of the committee through Regional Development Council Resolution No. 100, Series of 2025, which formally established the Regional Technical Advisory Committee (RTAC) for Eastern Visayas, the SARAI Eastern Visayas, together with the RTAC, convened its first advisory meeting on May 13, 2025, at the DOST VIII Conference Room.

The meeting gathered representatives from national government agencies, state universities and colleges, and the private sector. Discussions focused on the finalization of the proposed Terms of Reference (TOR) and the recommendation of additional member agencies for the committee.

Through the committee, member agencies are expected to provide technical guidance, support policy recommendations, and contribute to the effective implementation of Project SARAI initiatives in Eastern Visayas.

05/05/2026

The SARAI Region VIII conducted the validation of its Strategic Planning Workshop outputs on May 4, 2026, via Zoom. The activity was attended by personnel from the DOST VIII, members of the Regional Technical Advisory Committee (RTAC), representatives from the SARAI Central Hub, DOST-PCAARRD, and various partner agencies.

The validation was headed by Dr. Ulderico B. Alviola, Head of the Department of Development Communication at Visayas State University, who also served as the resource person during the three-day Strategic Planning Workshop held on March 23-25, 2026.

Following the Strategic Planning Workshop held on March 23-25, 2026 at FAN's Hotel, Palo, Leyte, the validation activity served as a crucial step to ensure that the identified outputs remain relevant, realistic, and aligned with the current priorities and conditions of both partner institutions and the region. It also aimed to confirm that the strategic directions are not only well-formulated, but also practical, inclusive, and ready for implementation.

John Glenn D. Ocaña, Regional Director of DOST Region VIII, underscored the significance of the activity, “We are here today to validate whether the strategic planning outputs truly and accurately capture the agreements, insights, and inputs of our stakeholders. Every recommendation, priority, and direction in that plan must reflect not just what was written, but what was genuinely agreed upon and envisioned by the people in that room.”

The validation process strengthens project SARAI's commitment to evidence-based planning and collaborative decision-making in advancing climate-resilient agriculture in Eastern Visayas.

07/04/2026

𝐒𝐀𝐑𝐀𝐈 𝐄𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧 𝐕𝐢𝐬𝐚𝐲𝐚𝐬 𝐉𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐬 “𝐇𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐄𝐜𝐨𝐍𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐲” 𝐒𝐞𝐠𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐨𝐧 𝐑𝐚𝐝𝐲𝐨 𝐏𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐬

The DOST-SARAI Focal Person, Engr. Florentino L. Quiñones, Jr., guested on the “Home EcoNanay” segment of Radyo Pilipinas on March 30, 2026, via Zoom.

Engr. Quiñones emphasized that project SARAI is designed to empower farmers and strengthen the agricultural sector, particularly in regional and rural communities.

“The SARAI is an initiative of the Department of Science and Technology aimed at helping farmers and improving agriculture in the Philippines, especially in regional and rural communities. It is a flagship program that integrates technology with farming. Its main goal is to guide farmers in making informed decisions using data on weather, climate, soil types, and crop profiles. Through site-specific crop advisories, we are able to reduce farming risks and increase productivity and income of farmers using SARAI systems and technologies,” Quiñones said.

He further explained that SARAI stands out from conventional agricultural programs by leveraging advanced technologies to support farming decisions.

“SARAI utilizes precision agriculture technologies such as crop modeling, satellite remote sensing, geographic information systems (GIS), and various ICT tools to develop decision support systems for crop forecasting, advisories, and early warning systems. It is not a simple extension program but an integrated data-driven system covering nine priority crops. Unlike other programs, it does not primarily provide subsidies like seedlings, but instead focuses on the proper use of data.,” he added.

Quiñones also highlighted the critical role of technology and data in addressing the challenges posed by climate change.

“The importance of technology lies in its ability to provide accurate and real-time information. SARAI integrates satellite data, weather data from automated weather stations. Given the challenges of climate change, these technologies are crucial. For example, farmers can anticipate droughts or heavy rainfall and adjust their planting schedules, irrigation, and harvesting practices accordingly,” he further explained.

As a DOST-PCAARRD initiative, project SARAI continues to receive both financial and technical support from the agency and its partners.

“SARAI is a DOST-funded action research program implemented by the University of the Philippines Los Baños, in collaboration with DOST Regional Offices and monitored by DOST-PCAARRD. The program is set to run for four years and is now nearing its first year of implementation. DOST provides not only funding but also technical support, including the deployment and installation of automated weather stations. In Eastern Visayas, we work closely with local government units, state universities and colleges, and partner agencies to ensure the effective implementation of SARAI Centro as a smart agriculture initiative for the region,” Quiñones uttered.

Engr. Julius Monge, Municipal Agriculturist of the LGU of Maasin City, also joined the segment, highlighting how the city can access accurate climate data and technological support through SARAI to improve both the quality and quantity of agricultural produce.

The interview served as a platform to raise awareness on how science-based technologies can be applied in agriculture to support farmers in making informed decisions to minimize risks and improve the overall farm productivity.

30/03/2026

𝐁𝐨𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐚𝐧 𝐂𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐣𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐬 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐒𝐀𝐑𝐀𝐈 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐟𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐲

The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Regional Office VIII has completed its roster of local government unit (LGU) partners for Year 1 implementation, following the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the LGU of Borongan City, Eastern Samar, on March 11, 2026.

Borongan City continues to face major rice production challenges due to frequent typhoons, limited irrigation, and the slow adoption of modern farming technologies.

City Mayor, Hon. Jose Ivan Dayan C. Agda, emphasized the need to shift toward science-based and data-driven agricultural practices to address food security concerns amid rising prices.

“In reality, if we can address our food security issues, especially now that inflation is expected to rise, it is even more challenging here in the provinces, particularly in our city, because most of the food we consume is imported, especially rice,” Agda said.

Through Project SARAI, these challenges will be addressed using science-based tools that enhance agricultural resilience and decision-making.

The project will provide weather advisories, seasonal forecasts, and early warning systems to help farmers better prepare for climate risks, particularly typhoons. It will also support irrigation planning through satellite-based crop monitoring and soil moisture analysis, enabling more efficient water use.

In addition, SARAI will promote the adoption of modern technologies through capacity-building activities, hands-on training, and digital tools for crop monitoring and forecasting.

Agda also called on stakeholders to remain committed to public service, highlighting the role of leadership in driving change.

“While you are still idealistic, hold on to that—because the key to the country’s progress lies in us who are in public service. If we are highly motivated and consistently give our best, we can inspire our fellow citizens to strive and do the same,” he said.

Moreover, project SARAI promotes its systems and technologies through capacity-building activities in Region VIII.

23/03/2026

𝐈𝐂𝐘𝐌𝐈: Participants successfully wrapped up the Training on the Integrated Crop Monitoring and Forecasting System (ICMF) on March 19, 2026, with hands-on sessions in satellite data analysis and visualization. The final day highlighted flood extent mapping using Google Earth Engine (GEE) and monitoring agricultural areas through NDVI.

The activity culminated in the presentation of outputs, marking another milestone in strengthening regional capacity under the Smarter Approaches to Reinvigorate Agriculture as an Industry (SARAI) project.

23/03/2026

𝐋𝐎𝐎𝐊: The Strategic Planning Workshop for the SARAI Regional Hub in Eastern Visayas officially kicks off on March 23, 2026, at FAN’s Hotel, Palo, Leyte.

This activity brings together key stakeholders from government agencies, local government units (LGUs), state universities and colleges (SUCs), and the Provincial Science and Technology Offices (PSTOs) of DOST VIII in a three-day collaborative workshop that aims to develop a four-year strategic plan (2026–2029) to guide the regional implementation of the SARAI project.

SARAI Eastern Visayas

18/06/2026

10/06/2026

13/05/2026

05/05/2026

07/04/2026

30/03/2026

23/03/2026

23/03/2026

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