Misamis Oriental, Philippines – The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) has honored a Misamis Oriental-based innovator, specializing in fiberglass boats, with a national award. The recognition, known as the iREADY award, was announced during the National Science and Technology Week celebration in Iloilo City.
According to Philippines News Agency, Nova Belle Calotes, a DOST-10 (Northern Mindanao) science research specialist, confirmed this is the first time a business from the region has received such a prestigious national level award. Allan Sagrado, the owner of AJIS Dive and Aqua Sports Incorporated, expressed gratitude to DOST for their support in realizing his company's vision. AJIS, located in Opol town, is recognized as the pioneer fiberglass speedboat manufacturer in Northern Mindanao and has made significant strides in using technology to produce quality boats now sold nationwide. The award, which included a PHP100,000 cash reward, recognized AJIS for meeting the standard readiness index based on various pillars, including organization, data, hardware, software, and people. AJIS has utilized production planning software, integrated with other systems, for efficient operations and plans to incorporate more advanced technologies like radio frequency identification and 3D scanners in the coming years. The company's growth, from a micro to a small enterprise, has been notably aided by DOST's assistance through the Small Enterprise Technology Upgrading Program since 2019.