THE Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Negros Island Region, in partnership with the Provincial Government of Negros Occidental, will hold the 2025 Handa Pilipinas–Visayas Leg in Bacolod City on October 27 to 29, 2025.
With the theme “Padayon Visayas: STI for Resilient, United, and Sustainable Visayas,” the three-day disaster preparedness exhibits and conference will gather government leaders, scientists, innovators, educators, students, and media practitioners to underscore the role of science, technology, and innovation (STI) in strengthening disaster risk reduction and management (DRRM) in the Visayas.
The keynote speaker will be DOST Secretary Renato Solidum Jr. at the opening of the conference.
With the support of local government units and regional stakeholders, the event will also be attended by Bacolod City Mayor Greg Gasataya, Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson, Negros Oriental Governor Manuel “Chaco” Sagarbarria, and Siquijor Governor Jake Vincent Villa.
The program will also feature the signing of an agreement between DOST and the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), the official handover of the Handa Pilipinas Guidebook, Exhibit Modules, and Water Compendium, and the launch of Project Signal, which is a DOST project aimed at improving disaster preparedness in communities.
Exhibits, plenary seminars, interactive discussions on state-of-the-art DRRM techniques, and a pitching competition for student-initiated disaster preparedness solutions are all part of the three-day program.
Moreover, DOST’s Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology and the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration will also organize the #Maghanda sessions, which will feature in-depth lectures on earthquakes, volcanic hazards, tsunamis, and hydro-meteorological hazards.
Primary and high school students will participate in disaster preparedness activities through the Brains and Breakthroughs Quiz Bowl.
Technological innovations will likewise take center stage, with presentations on nutrition solutions, smart warning systems, communication technologies, and startup-driven solutions for disaster response.
The event will conclude on October 29 with the awarding of exhibitors and partners and a recap of provincial Handa expositions.
Solidum, in a statement, underscored the importance of hosting the event in Bacolod as the newly reconstituted Negros Island Region, as the Visayas region is among the hazard-exposed regions in the country.
“Preparedness is not just a program; it is a way of life,” Solidum said.
He said “Through Handa Pilipinas, they aim to ensure that the tools of science and technology reach every community that needs them most.
He added that Handa Pilipinas is part of the national campaign of DOST to strengthen public awareness, promote collaboration, and build resilient and sustainable communities across the Philippines.
Solidum noted that is one of the initiatives of the DOST aimed at providing science-based, innovative, and inclusive solutions across four strategic pillars: human well-being, wealth creation, wealth protection, and sustainability.
He said these pillars embody the mantra OneDOST4U: Solutions and Opportunities for All. (MAP)
