PH lost 24,502 scientists, technology workers in 2009 alone’–DOST

‘Brain drain worsening at a fast pace’

MANILA, Philippines — The country’s “brain drain” has worsened with the number of Filipino science and technology (S&T) workers leaving the country to work abroad jumping by 148 percent from 1998 to 2009, the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) said.

Leticia V. Catris, DOST-Science Education Institute (SEI) officer in charge and deputy director, said that the preliminary findings of an SEI study on the Migration of S&T workers showed outbound S&T workers in the Philippine increased from 9,877 in 1998 to 24,502 in 2009.

“We need more of our S&T R&D professionals to be here in our country to provide the lifeline of our research and development agenda,” Catris said in a statement.

“Our country currently stands at 165 R&D personnel per million Filipinos, which is way below the UNESCO (United Nations Education Scientific and Cultural Organization) recommendation of 380 needed for economic development. We are optimistic that our S&T professionals will feel the need of our countrymen for R&D outputs that could, in the end, change their lives,” she added.

The number of S&T professionals getting out of the country was highest in 2009 at 24,502, followed by 2008 (24,330), 2007 (18,771) and 2001 (17,756).

The Philippines experienced the highest outflow from 2000 to 2001 when it increased from 11,186 to 17,756, or a difference of about 59 percent. -Philip Tubeza, Philippine Daily Inquirer