Department of Science and Technology

Funds Philippine science, technology, research, and innovation programs for national development and industry adoption.

The Department of Science and Technology, better known as DOST, is the Philippines' cabinet-level science agency. It directs national scientific and technological policy and coordinates funding through sectoral councils rather than a single monolithic grant office. The current record also places its FY 2026 budget request at PHP 30.4 billion, up from PHP 28 billion in FY 2025.

Its funding mix includes competitive grants, recoverable advances, scholarships, and R&D capacity-building routes. The main channels are DOST-PCIEERD for industry, energy, and emerging technology, DOST-PCAARRD for agriculture, aquatic, and natural resources, and DOST-PCHRD for health. The broader portfolio also includes SETUP for MSME technology upgrading, S4CP for research capacity, startup grant funds, and graduate scholarship support through DOST-SEI.

Applicants are routed through the department's central DPMIS system, with the councils running their own calls under a shared national umbrella. The most competitive fit is a Philippine institution, startup, or research team with a defined commercialization or public-benefit use case in hardware, biotech, medtech, energy, food, or agriculture. DOST is strongest where a proposal needs public R&D support, a graduate talent pipeline, or technology transfer tied to one of its sectoral councils.