Metro Manila — In a ceremony hosted in Taguig City, Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Secretary Dr. Renato U. Solidum, jr., and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in the Philippines Resident Representative Dr. Selva Ramachandran inked a Memorandum of Understanding that targets to bolster strategic cooperation between the two agencies in the areas of resilience, climate change, green and circular economy, electric mobility, energy security and transition to renewable energy, smart and sustainable communities, and digital readiness. 

In his message, DOST Secretary Dr. Solidum emphasized the importance of the agreement and said that the partnership is: “…another milestone in the efforts to foster a holistic and synergistic approach that leverages on the power of science, technology, and innovation.” 

Secretary Dr. Solidum further highlighted the DOST’s mandate to focus on impact-oriented research through collaboration with key partners and leveraging the power of business communities in the diffusion of innovative science and technology solutions.  

UNDP Philippines Resident Representative Dr. Ramachandran echoed Dr. Solidum’s sentiments and noted that these joint efforts will contribute: “towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the Philippines. Furthermore, this signing of the MOU will enable the realization of the DOST Strategic Plan 2023-2028 and the UNDP Country Programme Document 2024-2028.” 

The signing was witnessed by DOST Assistant Secretary for Development Cooperation Mr. Rodolfo J. Calzado, jr., Delegation of the European Union in the Philippines Head of Cooperation Dr. Marco Gemmer, UNDP Philippines Deputy Resident Representative Mr. Edwine Carrié, and other officials.   

The DOST and UNDP have had a long history of partnership, the seeds of which were planted in the areas of disaster risk reduction, climate change modelling and hazard and risk mapping.  

As early as 2005, the UNDP and DOST collaborated on the REINA Project, which was an off shoot of a major disaster in Real, Infanta and General Nakar in the Province of Quezon. This and subsequent collaborations namely READY Project, GMMA READY Project—which produced earthquake, volcano, and hydrometerological hazard maps distributed to LGUs—leveled up the engagement. The joint work served as the foundation of the now famous GeoRisk Philippines – a data and information platform which institutionalized the provision of hazard and risk information to the public. 

Through the support of development partners like the European Union and the Government of Japan, UNDP is currently working with DOST across multiple initiatives—from building disaster resilience through data-driven community actions to fostering grassroots innovation for circular economy. [E]