DOST-CAR brings learning resources to remote school in Benguet

June 27, 2025

by Debbie Gasingan

BAGUIO CITY (PIA) – The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) supports educational endeavors in remote areas. 

The DOST in the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) and the Provincial Science and Technology Office-Benguet brought learning resources and school supplies to the Gaswiling Integrated School in Kapangan, Benguet on June 23, 2025.

 This was  through the Project Smiles and Treats for All Beyond Reach (STAR), an annual corporate social initiative of the DOST-CAR that promotes and brings the services of the agency to far-flung areas in the region.

“This is a celebration of collective efforts and our corporate social responsibility,” DOST-CAR Regional Director Nancy Bantog said.

The La Trinidad Vegetable Trading Post Multi-Purpose Cooperative (LTVTP MPC) donated a computer set and printer while the DOST-CAR installed the Science and Technology Academic Research-Based Openly Operated Kiosks (STARBOOKS). The STARBOOKS is a digital library that contains digitized science and technology resources in text, audio, and video formats. This technology can be used even without an internet connection.

“STARBOOKS ti maysa nga technology iprom-promote ti DOST tapnu ti pannakaawat yo iti science, adda pay ti mathematics ditoy and technologies, ket puminpintas bayat ti panagusar yo iti content na daytoy nga STARBOOKS,” Bantog said.

[STARBOOKS is one of the technologies that the DOST is promoting to enhance your understanding of science, mathematics and technologies .] 

The DOST also introduced its scholarship programs for incoming first year high school learners and for college students. They also conducted science learning activities including robotics and artificial intelligence.

 Bantog hopes these activities will bridge the gap in educational opportunities and empower more students to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.

 Dr. Sonia Dupagan, Education Program Supervisor of DepEd Benguet,  expressed gratitude and appreciation to the DOST and the LTVTP MPC for empowering the learners through Project STAR.

“This gift is a very big help to our school and shows the DOST’s strong support for education especially in science and technology,” Dupagan stated.

Dupagan also noted the significance of the STARBOOKS especially in areas with weak or no internet connectivity.

“It is very helpful in areas with weak or no internet connection. With STARBOOKS, our learners have access to more information that can help in their studies, research, and even in their curiosity about the world,” she said. 

Aside from the learning resources, 124 learners  also received school supplies and nutri buns through the collaborative efforts of DOST-CAR staff and some private donors. [DEG-PIA CAR with reports from PSTO Benguet]

Source: https://pia.gov.ph/dost-car-brings-learning-resour...