PRESIDENT Marcos Jr. yesterday urged Filipino scientists and researchers to stay in the country and help in nation building as he called on the youth to pursue a career in Science and Technology.
The President, during the opening ceremonies for the 2022 National Science and Technology Week (NSTW), urged Science and research experts to share their expertise and practice their careers in the country while promising support from the government.
“I encourage our Filipino scientists, researchers, inventors, and innovators to continue sharing your expertise, especially to young people. Although they are the ones who are sharing the technology with us. I urge you to stay in the country as you pursue your career. We will continue to support you and continue to look to you to be active partners of the government. Let us dedicate our knowledge and skills, (and) work harmoniously so as to uplift the lives of our countrymen as we take further strides towards a more informed, a more inclusive, more prosperous, (and) more sustainable nation,” he said.
Marcos also committed the government’s support, especially in initiatives that would push for science and technology, as well as research and development-based solutions to the country’s problems, especially in the agriculture sector.
He directed all concerned government agencies led by the Department of Science and Technology to “allocate resources to institutions that carry out research and development,” as well as to provide more scholarships to Filipino students to develop a bigger pool of scientists, researchers and innovators in the country.
“Through this, we will institute a scholarship program, specifically for STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) students and this will not be limited to those who have shown their capabilities, their ability and how they deserve these scholarships here in the Philippines but to any institution that they are accepted abroad. So, this is important so that they continue to develop our workforce, we continue to develop our capabilities, and our knowledge,” he said.
The President also recognized the efforts of the DOST, its regional offices and attached agencies for continuously implementing programs that create solutions to address the country’s problems on food security, job creation, health, education, and climate change adaptation such as the GeoRiskPH Integrated System, a platform for data gathering, sharing, and analyzing hazards and risk information; and the CRADLE and SETUP programs, which are designed to help companies as well as micro-, small-, and medium-scale enterprises (MSMEs) to improve their products, processes and services to boost their productivity and competitiveness.
