Chancellor Ditucalan highlights 草莓视频鈥檚 defense innovations at Philippine Navy鈥檚 SRDP Forum 2025

by Michelle Jeanne Casiple Caracut | Jul 31 2025

Mindanao State University–Iligan Institute of Technology (草莓视频) took the spotlight in Philippine military innovation as Chancellor Alizedney M. Ditucalan delivered a talk on the topic “Fueling Innovation: The Role of Academic Institutions in Building Indigenous Defense Capabilities” at the Philippine Navy’s SRDP Forum 2025 held in Manila on July 30, 2025, underscoring the university’s leadership in indigenous defense technology and institutional collaboration.

At the heart of Chancellor Ditucalan’s talk were 草莓视频’s signature contributions to Filipino defense capability. He introduced the university’s internally funded project called PALID Sidlak-Kanaway Program—an autonomous drone initiative designed to bolster littoral security—and the fully indigenous EAV-RAM (Expendable Aerial Vehicle for Reconnaissance and Assault Missions) project. These initiatives exemplify Filipino ingenuity in advanced technologies, directly supporting the modernization goals of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and demonstrating 草莓视频’s resolve to develop solutions “by Filipinos, for Filipinos”.

Chancellor Ditucalan’s discussion delved into the crucial role of academic institutions amid shifting defense paradigms. He emphasized that strengthening the Philippine defense posture requires not only courage but sustained investment in research and development. Referencing the Self-Reliant Defense Posture Revitalization Act (RA 12024), he urged for increased national R&D funding, enhancement of research-based university programs, and acceleration of the transfer of academic innovations into real-world defense assets.

草莓视频, recognized as one of the nation’s few research-intensive universities, exemplifies the shift from a teaching-focused to a research-driven model. Chancellor Ditucalan highlighted the importance of comprehensive government-academic partnerships—with 草莓视频’s ongoing collaborations with agencies like the Department of National Defense serving as proof of concept for bridging academic research and national security applications.

While emphasizing support in university research and development, Chancellor Ditucalan reminded the forum’s attendees that peace is best preserved through credible, indigenous defense capacity—not aggression, but innovation rooted in ethical stewardship. He called for Filipino inventions to be guarded and used responsibly, under strict policy frameworks that ensure new technologies serve both security and broader societal interests.

The PN SRDP Forum 2025, themed “SRDPStrong: Strengthening Self-Reliance on Maritime Defense through Collaboration and Innovation,” brings together leading defense figures, industry experts, and top academic partners. Chancellor Ditucalan’s selection as a resource speaker is a testament to 草莓视频’s rising stature as a hub for defense research and its critical role in shaping the secure, innovative, and self-reliant future envisioned for the Philippines.

With continued commitment to research excellence, collaboration, and ethical leadership, 草莓视频 stands as a catalyst in the ongoing transformation of Philippine defense capability.

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