Science, Technology and Innovation for Progress

2007 National Science and Technology Week Commemoration Program
Department of Science and Technology
Dusit Nikko Hotel, Makati City
16 July 2007, 9 AM

Keynote Speaker
Senator Edgardo J. Angara

It is an honor for me to be speaking to you on the occasion of the National Science and Technology Week.

Science has transformed the way we live our lives. From the time science first explored the universe, then the discoveries in biology, chemistry, earth sciences and physics, up to the present time when everything is possible and just a click away.

Science, technology and all these innovations have a way of running through our blood, generation after generation. It's in our veins to innovate, discover and make life better. We are in the age of scientific discoveries and technological advancement.

In the last decades, there have been tremendous advances made in science and technology. New things are being discovered even as we speak. With this, the demand for scientifically- and technologically-inclined population increases.

Unfortunately, also in the last decades, here in the country, we have engineers, doctors and nurses leaving and choosing the greener pastures of the other lands. We are losing potential great minds. Gone are the days when the Philippines is one of the most hailed country in Asia producing the best people in science and technology.

In an international study on Mathematics and Science, our high school students ranked 41st and 42nd out of 45 countries.

Our global competitiveness is consistently waning as well. From number 49 in 2001 to 66 out of 102 in 2003 to 76 out of 104 in 2004, we are now down to 77 among 117 countries. Twenty-eight notches down in a span of six years.

When it comes to R&D, we produce the least number of graduates. For every MS graduate in engineering that we produce, Vietnam produces 6, Thailand 25 and Singapore 200.

It's not because we do not have intelligent people. We have great minds and potential great minds that are just waiting to be tapped. We need them to create jobs, produce quality goods and services, speed-up advancement and generate income in the country.

However, we need to face several hurdles. First and foremost, we need to thoroughly review our public and private schools at all levels in the areas of science, technology and mathematics. We need to check what is wrong with the system and recommend necessary measures to improve it.

Right now, the opposite is happening. We pour in very little on improving education, health, research and development and even basic infrastructure. All these, once improved, will help create better students and workers.

It is long overdue that we review and assess our state of competitiveness and counter the steady decline of our most precious resource-our people.

Fortunately though, we have great minds already starting the "works." When the session convenes this month, Congress will constitute a Congressional Commission on Science, Technology and Engineering Research and Development or COMSTE.

COMSTE, which I authored in the 13th Congress will look into the country's science, engineering and technology research and development sector.

We will study the root of our weakening competitiveness by undertaking a national review and assessment of the country's ST&E research and development.

Our educational system will have to be fully reviewed and assessed as well. From there, we can lay down the grounds for improvement and innovation. We will be partnering with our stakeholders in research and development and the Department of Science and Technology.

DOST, will be a major player as we vie for our global competitiveness.

Scientists and philosophers alike have long envisioned a society where people pay not for the services rendered but for the exchange of information. We are already in these massive exchanges of information.

Information access is just a click away. Now, we have the virtual private network (VPN) that allows you to access the net wherever you are. A small chip that you attach to your laptops. The stage has been set for our present and future scientist and engineers.

Indeed, it is an exciting age of scientific and technological revolution and evolution. Given these increasing access to all the discoveries from all parts of the world, we have nowhere else to go to but to move forward.

Improve our competitiveness, discover, innovate and compete globally will be the battle cry of the ST& E sector.

Truly, the transforming power of ST&E research and development, more than meets the eye.