The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) is set to implement a full-scale development project in Sitio Maatop, an upland community in Hinoba-an, Negros Occidental, under its Community Empowerment through Science and Technology (CEST) program.
A joint site assessment was conducted on Tuesday, July 22, alongside key stakeholders to assess the community’s needs and identify the most appropriate interventions.
The Association of Negros Producers (ANP) will serve as the implementing agency of the project in 2026, with the Hinoba-an local government as co-implementor, under the funding support of the DOST’s CEST program.
According to DOST-Negros Occidental Assistant Provincial Director Glady Reyes, the project will introduce simple yet transformative technologies aimed at improving the quality of life in the sitio.
The project includes a water system that will provide safe and accessible water to more than 100 households that currently rely on distant sources.
Reyes also stated that the DOST, in collaboration with other partners, is exploring ways to bring internet connectivity to the community, thereby enhancing access to digital services.
Under the CEST framework, the project will also cover livelihood development, health and nutrition, environmental protection, disaster preparedness, human resource training, cultural preservation, and governance support.
Stalled progress
ANP External Affairs Head Sybel Nobleza stated that the community was among those that should have already become self-sustaining, but it fell behind due to residents’ hesitation to participate and their continued reliance on passive income.
“This community missed earlier opportunities to progress,” Nobleza said. “While other communities moved forward from the same starting point, Maatop stagnated.”
The community has since formed two local organizations: the Maatop Small Farmers Association (MSFA) and the Maatop Diversified Farmers Association (MDFA), which were organized under the Philippine Army’s 15th Infantry Battalion’s Community Support Program (CSP).
Lieutenant Colonel Elmar Salvador, commanding officer of the 15th Infantry Battalion, urged community members to take an active role in the initiative, emphasizing that lasting progress depends on shared responsibility.
He emphasized that without active participation from the community members, external aid cannot create real change.
Through the CEST program, Reyes said that DOST aims to promote inclusive growth in marginalized and geographically isolated areas by bringing science, technology, and innovation directly to the grassroots.*
Reymund Titong is a Filipino journalist steadily building his voice in the field of news reporting, driven by a commitment to tell meaningful and relevant stories.
He serves as a correspondent for Rappler, contributes to Negros Daily Bulletin, and maintains a blog on Medium.