With the intention to propel the country’s human resources, Sen. Edgardo Angara is eyeing for more laws to help boost the country’s pursuit in producing globally-competitive Filipino scientists and future Science and Technology leaders.
“The legislation has played an important role in initiating S&T scholarship programs. The Science and Technology Scholarship Act of 1994 for instance, grants financial assistance to poor but talented students pursuing careers in S&T. This policy directs its actions toward encouraging and promoting research and development strategies to advance the quality of education in areas of science and innovation, especially for students who have high science aptitude,” asserted Angara, chair of the Congressional Commission on Science, Technology and Engineering (COMSTE).
The Senator shared that COMSTE, as a body that reviews and assesses the country’s capacity in science, engineering and technology in order to generate, enhance and assist in implementing effective development work plan has provided avenues so that young scientists can interact with accomplished Filipino expatriates who have respectably established reputable careers abroad.
In this respect, COMSTE has formulated a leapfrog strategy dubbed as “Fast-Track to Innovation” that will fund a local research team to pursue cutting edge R&D endeavors with willing PAASE (Philippine-American Academy of Science and Engineering) members as the principal investigators of the projects.
Through this program, it is intended to fuel the creativity of our local scientists and stimulate a synergy of ideas, forge connections between scientists in the Philippines and the international scientific community; and eventually propel the country as a respectable source of S&T innovations, much like Taiwan and Korea.
Stressed Angara: “This gain of this program, however, lies beyond training our local scientists. It addresses our shortcomings in S&T in different fronts. Such project, it is hoped, will produce state of the art inventions and innovative processes, which in turn is connected with our goal of developing globally-competitive Filipino brands. These factors all contribute to the encouraging investment and stimulating the economy in general.”
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The city government of Manila has reported that tons and tons of wastes and litter thrown onto the sea had been washed ashore at Roxas Boulevard because of the combination of wind, rain and high tide.
Sen. Loren Legarda who described it as a “sea of litter,” said it was an appalling sight which should remind us that Mother Nature has her way of punishing man for his environmentally destructive activities like the dumping of wastes on water systems.
She added: “The bays of Manila and Laguna, along with most of our river systems, have become so polluted that their waters have become murky. As fishes and other marine species shun our bays, our fisherfolks have no choice but to venture out farther into the sea to be able to have some catch, thereby putting their lives in peril.
“Many of our river systems, including the historic Pasig River, are either dying or already biologically dead, unable to support life. The dumping of wastes at sea and our rivers must stop now.”
As the main author and sponsor of the solid waste management act, Sen. Legarda has urged not only the strict compliance of the law by the citizenry but its strict enforcement with the help of the local governments. –Random Jottings, Manila Times
Invoke Article 33 of the ILO constitution
against the military junta in Myanmar
to carry out the 2021 ILO Commission of Inquiry recommendations
against serious violations of Forced Labour and Freedom of Association protocols.
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