Press Release
July 13, 2009

Promoting the Philippines' potential in Science and Technology
ANGARA URGED TO INVEST ON FILIPINO-BRANDED INNOVATIONS
AND SYSTEMS

Senator Edgardo J. Angara today urged to direct efforts on research and development innovation and invest in the promise of new Filipino-branded science and technology systems to achieve global competitiveness, in a speech in the 29th Philippine-American Academy of Science and Engineering (PAASE) Scientific Conference at the Ateneo de Manila University.

"According to the 2009 World Competitiveness Yearbook, the Philippines' rank dropped in indicators of competitiveness from 40th out of 55 in 2008 to 43rd place out of 57 countries. In this regard, we should innovate ourselves and invest for the upturn of our economy," said Angara, who chairs the Senate Committee on Finance.

He added, "Earlier this year, we have made efforts to pool our limited R & D resources and identify key research thrusts for 2009. Now, the Congressional Commission on Science & Technology and Engineering (COMSTE), which I head, will hold an international conference to consolidate research agenda and ideas to concentrate on six areas namely food/agriculture, energy/ environment, ICT/ICT-services, health, semiconductors and in fields of science, math and engineering education."

In the Electronics and Semiconductor industry, COMSTE is pushing for the creation of an Industrial Technology Research Institute that will serve as a catalyst to boost the country to become a competitive player in the electronics sector and push for the proliferation of products with the Philippine Intellectual Property stamp.

"200 Million pesos is committed as an initial funding for this project. We have tasked the Advance Science and Technology Institute (ASTI, research arm of DOST) and Advanced Research and Competency Development Institute (ARCDI, the Industry Training Arm) to strategize and work together in a synergy of public and private resources," Angara informed.

On the field of Renewable Energy and the environment, COMSTE proposes the creation of Renewable Energy R&D Institute to actualize on the recently-enacted provisions of the RE Law.

On the other hand, COMSTE's Health and Sciences Panel focuses on National Telemedicine Project to increase access to health information and services through ICT in rural health units.

Additionally, COMSTE's I.T. and I.T.-Enabled Industries acts on maximizing information and communication technologies (ICTs) as an important "enabler" to open Public-Private Partnerships that will help the government provide services in real-time all over the country.

"In agriculture, we are currently exploring technologies such as remote sensing for ground-truthing activities that will increase food yields. Meanwhile, a priority for the Panel on Science, Mathematics and Engineering Education of COMSTE is an international accreditation through the Washington Accord for our engineering programs. This will assure us that our graduates that will ma our firms are educated at international standards and make them globally competitive," Angara said, former Secretary of the Department of Agriculture.

Meanwhile, the Philippine-American Academy of Science and Engineering (PAASE) is a non-profit and professional organization of Filipino and American scientists and engineers geared towards promoting and advancing S&T and engineering. The Annual PAASE meeting and Symposium is held every year to further its objective of advancing science and technology through scholarly and scientific endeavors.

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