NUMEROUS areas in the country have been hounded by the various challenges and limitations which resulted in lesser career and livelihood opportunities for its local communities. By investing in various research and development (R&D) programs, especially in the rural areas, could provide long-term solutions to the existing socio-economic problems.

Before the launching of the Science for Change Program of the Department of Science and Technology (DoST) in 2016, 80 percent of the government R&D budget was concentrated in Metro Manila and adjacent regions leaving the remaining 20 percent to be shared by 14 other regions. To date, the share of the R&D budget for the regions increased to 66 percent, tipping the scale to boost R&D initiatives to address concerns in the countryside.