In 2011, the Department of Science and Technology-Science and Technology Information Institute developed the Science and Technology Academic and Research-Based Openly Operated Kiosk. Starbooks, as it is popularly known, is a stand-alone pod that serves as an interactive information hub with resources related to science, technology, engineering and mathematics or Stem.

It provides educational institutions, local government units and even non-government organizations, a comprehensive digital library in various formats like text, video and audio.

A few years later, the DoST-STII established the DoSTv — which started airing in 2016 — as an online-only weather and science and technology channel. Now a television program at PTV-4 and CNN Philippines, DoSTv added other programs like ExperTalk, Lakas ng Siyensya and Balitang RapiDoST. Even the public service bulletins from the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration and Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology are now aired at DoSTv.

However, these two programs of the DoST-STII have been facing challenges in recent years. Despite Starbooks being designed to be transportable, deployment has become a problem due to the different terrain difficulties, distance, and unpredictable road conditions in the places it is supposed to be in. Incidentally, the DoSTv production team has the same predicament.

Learning about these challenges, Hyundai Motor Philippines Inc. decided to hand over three Hyundai Staria commuter van units to the DoST-STII. The fleet shall be utilized in bringing Starbooks and its award-winning broadcast platform DoSTv: Science for the People, to their target communities.