Intensify R&D programs vs climate change ill effects, GMA orders DOST

MANILA, Philippines - President Arroyo ordered yesterday the Department of Science and Technology to continue pursuing research to intensify its research and development programs to attract new technologies and to enhance the country’s capability to respond to the effects of climate change.

“We have to modernize as well as protect ourselves from climate change, both protecting ourselves and modernizing need a critical mass of research and development-capable manpower,” Mrs. Arroyo said in her speech during the 28th anniversary of the DOST’s Philippine Council for Industry and Energy Research and Development at the Hyatt Hotel in Manila.

“And because we’re talking industry here we need to work on a manpower that will attract technology-based investors to the country,” she said. Mrs. Arroyo said her administration has invested much in science and technology which she recognized as the “foundation of future economic development.”  

“I was frustrated I cannot put more money for R&D but after we got our VAT (value added tax) reforms in 2007, we were able to do that,” she said. “There is a need to promote R&D activities to modernize our lives, so as to modernize industry and energy, and to modernize our capability to protect ourselves from destructive climate changes,” Mrs. Arroyo said.

The United Nations has identified the Philippines as one of the countries most vulnerable to climate change impacts.

The government inaugurated last year the P1-billion science complex inside the University of the Philippines in Diliman, Quezon City which she said will be the center of all research activities which involve climate change adaptations.

The President also acknowledged the need to develop the country’s human capital for research. She said in 2007 alone, the government has invested some P3 billion in science and engineering research and development technology, including scholarships for masteral and doctoral degree programs.

“We need to build up our pool of scientists, engineers and researchers to keep pace with the UNESCO benchmark of 370 scientists, engineers and researchers per million population,” Mrs. Arroyo said.

The program has already benefited 27,000 individuals.