The Philippine Department of Science and Technology (DoST) haslaunched an open-source portal [www.science.ph] that aims tointegrate databases of other government agencies as well as publicand privately-run research institutions.
The portal currently links to some 65 databases of various DoSTsub-agencies and is designed to compliment the multi-million pesoE-Library project. Launched last year, the E-Library networkconnects private and government research institutions, some ofwhich employs the subscription model.
“We are campaigning to get databases of other agencies like theDepartment of Health and Department of Agriculture and those ofresearch institutions and academic communities,” said FortunatoDela Pena, DoST undersecretary for information and communicationstechnology (ICT).
Using the Web services model, the portal uses Java technology tointerface with databases of partner agencies, whether running onopen source or other proprietary database software such as Oracleor Microsoft.
The site currently allows users to perform integrated orcategorical research as well as perform queries per individualdatabase. Unlike performing a search using Google, which shows only”static” content, the www.science.ph portal can performa more extensive search of databases available online, henceproviding more relevant results.
The project’s next phase aims for more advanced research andcreate an e-commerce tool for users, such as a single window whichintegrates payment for a user’s various database subscriptions.
“A revenue model for the site would depend on how to repackageinformation and other services from partner agencies,” added DelaPena. The site was put up and being maintained by the DoST Scienceand Technology Information Institute (STII).
The portal currently links to databases of DoST sub-agenciessuch as the Technology Applications and Promotions Institute (TAPI)and Philippine Council for Advanced Science and Technology ResearchInstitute (PCIERD), among others.