DOST: No abolition yet of TRC

MANILA, Philippines—The Technology Resource Center (TRC), the corporate arm of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), will not be abolished just yet.

But the agency will undergo “changes,” said Science Secretary Mario Montejo, due to the controversy caused by the TRC leadership’s allowing the agency to be used as a conduit for bogus, pork-barrel-funded livelihood projects.

“Now as to what kind of changes, it’s still under discussion,” Montejo said.

Role in innovations

He said the TRC had a role to play in promoting innovations for commercial use, especially by technology-driven livelihood enterprises.

“It’s a corporate arm to transfer technology because we need to lead if the private sector cannot take the lead. It’s the role of the government to [help in] commercial operations,” Montejo said.

He said Dennis Cunanan, the TRC director general since 2009 who has offered to turn state witness in the pork barrel inquiry, was officially the head of the agency, although he was on an indefinite leave.

The DOST said Cunanan enjoyed government tenure because he was a career executive service officer, which meant he could not be removed without cause.

Cunanan’s predecessor, Antonio Ortiz, the TRC head from 2007 to 2009, is also included in the Ombudsman’s plunder investigation. He is believed to be out of the country.—Dona Z. Pazzibugan