On the mission to promote sustainable timber production in the region, Caraga State University and partner DOST-Forest Products Research and Development Institute (DOST-FPRDI) inaugurated the new Regional Forest Products Innovation and Training Center on July 30, 2025.
The center stands on the renovated wood workshop of the College of Forestry and Environmental Science, which now features a processing machinery for wood and non-wood forest products for enhanced design, processing, and utilization.
“This center is a product of our collective vision,” emphasized Dr. Renato U. Solidum, Jr., Secretary of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), in his keynote address. “It reflects our deep understanding that the country’s forest resources, particularly here in Caraga, must not only be protected but also be maximized through sustainable, science-based solutions.”
Aligned with the DOST Harmonized National R&D Agenda 2022–2028, Secretary Solidum stated that the Center supports the national goal of promoting inclusive innovation through sustainability, regional equity, and resource efficiency. He emphasized that the collaboration between DOST-FPRDI and CSU serves as a model of institutional synergy, combining academic excellence, scientific research, and grassroots engagement to create a globally competitive yet locally rooted innovation hub.
The establishment of this center was enabled by the leadership and coordination of DOST Caraga, guided by Regional Director Engr. Noel M. Ajoc, whose regional vision and support were crucial in uniting government, academia, and industry.
Also present during the launching ceremony were DTI Caraga Regional Director Gay A. Tidalgo, who highlighted the center’s importance in supporting local MSMEs and developing value chains in forest-based industries, and DENR Caraga’s representative Ms. Adelaida Borja, who expressed support for aligning the facility’s innovation agenda with sustainable forest management policies.
CarSU President Dr. Rolyn C. Daguil officially accepted the center on behalf of the university, expressing gratitude to DOST and all implementing partners. “This collaboration strengthens our role as a regional innovation hub and affirms CSU’s commitment to producing research that matters to communities,” he said.
In his message of support, Dr. Rico Cabangon, Director of DOST-FPRDI, praised CSU’s leadership and longstanding commitment to research in forestry and environmental science. He also emphasized the center’s role in assisting micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), cooperatives, and grassroots inventors in developing market-ready forest product innovations.
The launching program was initiated by Dr. Roger T. Sarmiento, CoFES Dean, and concluded with remarks from Engr. Edward Paul S. Marasigan, Project Leader of the CSU-FPRDI initiative. They emphasized the importance of innovation-driven development rooted in the local context.
The ceremony also featured the participation of Dr. Jeffrey T. Dellosa, Vice President for Research, Development, Innovation, and Extension (VPRDIE) of CSU, under which this new RDI Center will operate. According to Dr. Dellosa, the center will serve as an interdisciplinary platform for applied research, capacity building, and technology transfer, aligned with CSU’s RDIE Agenda and the Philippine Development Plan. “This facility supports our goal of creating innovation spaces that turn science into practical solutions,” Dr. Dellosa shared. “It will promote collaborative research, encourage technopreneurship, and function as a regional hub for wood processing and forest-based innovation.”
The highlight of the ceremony was the signing of the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between CSU and DOST-FPRDI, marking the start of the center’s operations. This aligns with the DOST Harmonized National R&D Agenda 2022–2028 and contributes to the regional celebration of the 2025 Caraga Science, Technology, and Innovation Week, promoting localized solutions through inclusive innovation.
As CSU continues to build strategic partnerships and expand its RDI infrastructure, this initiative reaffirms the university’s role as a catalyst in promoting science and innovation for the people, which is relevant to the Sustainable Development Goal No. 15 (Life on Land).
