Angara renews COMSTE goals

"Innovate or perish."

This is what Senator Edgardo Angara reminded the country's government and industry leaders about the crucial role of Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) in development.

"This year's Nobel Prize winner for Physics was bagged by two nanotechnology scientists. Their discovery of how to store information in nanometer-sized layers of metals is now the stuff of standard technology such as laptops, I-pods and other portable devices we use to store information," cited Senator Angara.

"These technologies led to a boom in sales of the electronics and computer industry. they are creators of new wealth," he said.

"We should be able to do the same competitive researches in the Philippines. S&T capacity is an investments magnet, and we need this if we are to sustain our development," said Senator Angara.

"This is one of the goals of COMSTE - to assess the state of S&T capacity in the Philippines, and provide direction towards strengthening it," he said.

According to the senator and chair of the Congressional Committee on Science Technology and Engineering (COMSTE), "The five expert panels forming the technical advisory board of COMSTE have already been formed, and they are composed of outstanding academe and industry experts."

Created through a joint resolution last Congress, the COMSTE will review and assess the state of science, technology and engineering in the Philippines, and will provide recommendations on harnessing these sectors to make the country more competitive. It will also undertake a thorough review of science education in public and private schools, particularly at the graduate level.

"We are looking forward to progressing with the COMSTE's work next year," said Senator Angara.