Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 20) – The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) on Friday handed over to the Department of National Defense (DND) a new innovation asset to help jumpstart the in-country modernization of Philippines’ defense assets.
The Project BUHAWI, which stands for “Building a Universal Mount for Heavy Barrel Automated Weapon Integration,” is a fully-automated remote weapon station equipped with .50 caliber heavy barrel machine gun designed to augment the firepower capability of the Philippine Navy and forged the way toward the revitalization of the Self-Reliant Defense Posture (SRDP) program of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.
“Ginamitan na nga nitong robotics nang sa ganun ay maging mas effective, mas ligtas ang ating mga navy personnel na siyang gagamit nito sa mga (We used robotics here for it to be more effective and safer for our navy personnel who will use these) navy ships,” DOST Secretary Fortunato dela Pena said during the celebration of the 124th Anniversary of Philippine Navy.
The said project promotes the adage “Gawang Pilipino para sa Pilipino” to perform its mandate in achieving maritime security and intent to optimize the country’s resources.
“Kami ay nagagalak dahil tumutulong ang DOST para ma-improve naman yung sistema dito sa Philippine Navy and pati sa Philippine Army. I think it’s about time yung gagamitin natin dito na mga imbensyon, mga revision ay gawa dito sa atin. Hindi naman tayo nahuhuli sa talino,” Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said.
[Translation: We are happy because DOST is helping to improve the system of the Philippine Navy and the Philippine Army. I think it’s about time that the inventions and revisions that we will use are made locally. We’re not lagging behind in terms of intelligence.]
It all started through a memorandum of agreement signed in 2018. It is part of a collaborative project undertaken by the DOST with the Metals Industry Research and Development Center, DND, Philippine Navy, and the Mechatronics and Robotics Society of the Philippines.
Consecutive live test fires both in land and sea were conducted in order to prove the innovation is operational and effective.
Dela Pena also explained that the only challenge in introducing these innovations is on how to commercialize it, as well as the starting capital to produce it soon.
Aside from the collaborative project with the Philippine Navy, the DOST will also start another project with Philippine Army titled “COBRA”, another controlled programmed system innovation.
