DOST budget cut to affect 888 research projects

The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) said it would only be able to fund 10 percent of nearly 900 research proposals because of the cuts in its 2021 budget.

The DOST’s 2021 research budget has been slashed by P76 million, and would go down to P2.411 billion from P2.488 billion.

Undersecretary Rowena Guevarra said that the DOST would have to defer the implementation of certain projects to 2022, when it would get a higher budget. She did not elaborate.

She also said the DOST received 888 proposals when it called for research and development proposals for the 2021 budget. All these would need P7.5 billion, she noted.

“But our funds are not enough, so we would only be able to fund 10 percent of the proposals,” she said.

Sen Panfilo Lacson earlier questioned the measly amount allocated for research and development in the country. —Leila B. Salaverria