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Mind & Body

Filipino Scientists are the Future

Here at Flying Ketchup, we are drawn to stories that provide solutions. We like stories of innovation, like how a Filipino inventor turned plastic into fuel, or how one incoming college student was able to invent her own air-conditioning unit using the simplest materials.

Just imagine if the Philippines is full of people like these two – dreamers and doers, solution-makers of the future. Like Dr. Jose Rizal, a man of many talents and interests. He was a scientist too, of both natural and the social sciences. This added to his greatness and made him who he is for our country.

Finding answers to life’s mysteries

We need more Filipino scientists. We need more people with specialized expertise in a variety of disciplines to join the meticulous and tedious process of finding answers to life’s mysteries.

A vast scientist base can provide the country with a wide range of solutions. Filipino scientists can help us improve our local industries, from agriculture, to healthcare, and even education and disaster risk management.

Scientists provide valuable input that could help decision-making for the government. With accurate data, policy-making could be much more deliberate and based on actual information. The government recognizes this, and there have been several initiatives throughout the years that aims to strengthen the presence of the sciences in the country.

Initiatives for PH’s Scientists

Knowing that Filipino scientists exist, and that it is a viable career opportunity, is really the first part of the battle. The blog Pinoy Scientists does a great job of this.

This science blog aims to inspire Filipinos with features on local scientists and their works. It shows that the scientific community in the country is alive and thriving, and that it contributes to the scientific knowledge of mankind.

We are also hoping to unleash the scientists in all of our Senior High School (SHS) Students, with the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) strand. Part of the K-12 program, once high school students reach grade 11, they can choose this strand as a specialization if they want to focus on the sciences.

On the government side, the Balik Scientist Program of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) has also been doing its part. The program aims to encourage Filipino scientists residing abroad to go back home to the Philippines. This way, they can share their knowledge and expertise with aspiring scientists in the country, and directly contribute to nation-building.

Last month, the government also announced a plan to establish a national research academic fleet during the National Marine Summit. This fleet will focus on marine scientific research, and would greatly add to the scientific output of the Philippines.

Support the sciences

The future is bright for the sciences in the Philippines. Aspiring scientists can take inspiration from the eight Filipinos included in the 2019 Asian Scientists Magazine’s list of 100 outstanding scientists. The world is taking notice of the Filipino Scientist, and we need to support them.

With the country’s progress at full speed, the Philippines needs all hands on deck to make that change happen. Our scientists are the key; they are ready to seek the knowledge and the answers that would lead us to a #BetterPhilippines.

RELATED: Meet the devoted Pinay scientist aiming to find a cure for cancer from the sea

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