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The
National Academy of Science and Technology (NAST) urged
the Congressional Commission on Science, Technology and
Engineering (Comste) to give close attention to major
issues that will have a vital role in the development of
science and technology in the country.
Dr.
William Padolina, director of the International Rice
Research Institute and former secretary of the
Department of Science and Technology (DOST), said in the
presentation of the NAST resolution at its Annual
Scientific Meeting last week that these issues must be
given a thorough assessment to determine if they are
working or not. NAST is the government’s highest
recognition and advisory body on science and
technology.
The
issues are the following:
§
Accelerate, support and empower inquiry-based community
initiatives in basic education, usually through the
local school boards, toward improving and ensuring the
quality of science and mathematics in the schools within
their jurisdiction;
§
Develop
academe-industry linkage programs through the Commission
on Higher Education (CHED) and other institutions that
will link degree offerings in science and technology of
both public and private universities with the needs and
requirements of industry, agriculture and services
sectors;
§
Support
world-class locally relevant research, and encourage
publication and patenting, if needed, of research
results;
§
Build a
national capacity for dealing with the institutional
issues that are discussed in both international and
national for a, such as climate change and global
warming, biodiversity, bioprospecting, biosecurity,
biosafety, intellectual property rights, technical
barriers to trade: and
§
Move
toward product standard-driven technologies by selecting
areas in industry, agriculture and services where the
Philippine has competitive advantage.
He also
pointed out that NAST will actively participate in all
the undertakings of Comste “to review and assess the
state of competitiveness of science and technology, and
engineering research and development sector in the
country.”
The
House resolution calling for the creation of Comste was
approved by President Arroyo in April 2007. According to
the resolution, Comste will conduct a “comprehensive
national review and assessment of the science and
technology, and engineering research and development and
how they can be harnessed to improve the country’s
competitiveness.”
Further,
Comste shall also review and assess the formal and
informal educational system, particularly mathematics
and science education in both public and private
sectors.
Padolina
said NAST has the capability to become the nexus between
the government and private sector. He said NAST is also
mandated to provide guidance on science policy and
priorities on research and development toward an agenda
anchored on science and technology.
He said
the NAST can provide the experts to assist Comste in its
task. Comste has 52 academicians, of which 10 are
national scientists and six corresponding members; 246
Outstanding Young Scientists, 18 Third World Academy of
Science awardees, eight Greenwood Environmental Science
Awardees and 67 awardees for NAST Talent Search for
Young Scientists
“NAST
[will] provide the leadership to organize panels of
resource persons from the science community to
participate actively in the activities of Comste, DOST,
CHED, local government units and other public and
private institutions, by providing information on issues
relevant to competitiveness based on science and
technology,” the resolution read by Padolina said.
NAST, in
another resolution, also urged Congress to enact an
Animal Health Code to ensure the country’s safety
against bird flu, mad cow and other related diseases.
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