Sci Tech magazine of DOST now in electronic version

S&T Post, the Department of Science and Technology-Science and Technology Information Institute’s (DOST-STII) quarterly publication, is now an e-Magazine downloadable in iPhones and iPods via Apple Newsstand.

This breakthrough development for the country’s premier science department was revealed during the S&T Post e-Magazine launching last July 26, 2014 at the SMX Convention Center in Pasay City. The launch, dubbed “Looking Back and Moving Forward,” was part of the activities lined up by DOST for its National Science and Technology Week held from July 24-28, 2014.

Aside from laymanized news and features about DOST’s programs, groundbreaking technologies and services whose applications are multi-sectoral, the publication also contains interviews on the country’s top science experts, interesting foreign news articles on science and technology (S&T), and relevant book and movie reviews.

An electronic version of the magazine was developed to make it accessible to a wider segment of the population and generate more interest in S&T especially among the country’s youth who will someday sustain national projects and activities in science.

“This e-Magazine is a breakthrough for us,” enthused DOST Asst. Secretary Raymund E. Liboro during the launch. “This is the first time we’ve done something like this – to put our articles in a new format such as an e-Magazine.”

According to Neil Everett B. Elpusan, business development manager for mobile apps of Megamobile Inc, media consumption behavior has changed. Megamobile Inc., a mobile content and applications developer, is the creator of the S&T Post e-Magazine.

“In 2000, 2 million people accessed the Internet. To date, there are about 36.7 million online users in the Philippines,” Elpusan said.
Revealing more about the current digital landscape in the Philippines, Elpusan added that “30 million are active Facebook users and there are about 100 million Filipinos on mobile device. Eighty-one percent are below 30 years old.”

Of those who use mobile devices, he added that 14 percent use them while on commute.

Dr. Aristotle P. Carandang, S&T Post executive editor and chief of the Communication Resources and Production Division of STII, encouraged students attending the launch to check out the S&T Post e-Magazine to update themselves on S&T developments.

In particular, Dr. Carandang mentioned the Book and Movie Review sections as the newest additions to the magazine, and encouraged them to contribute their own reviews and other science articles for succeeding issues of S&T Post whose readership includes the DOST community, the local science community, academe and policymakers.

At present, DOST-STII and Megamobile Inc. are working for the inclusion of video materials in the e-Magazine.

This new electronic format is the latest in a series of transformations underwent by S&T Post since its debut in May 1983 as National Science and Technology Authority (NSTA) Post in newsprint. In 1989, NSTA Post became S&T Post.  The magazine became smaller in 1993, started using book paper and putting color on its front page in 2000, changing its masthead several times, and assuming a magazine format in 2003, among others.

Though the quarterly publication now has an electronic version, its print version will still be published. (For those interested to contribute to S&T Post’s Book and Movie Review sections, please call 837-2191 local  107.)   (S&T Media Service).