Press Release
December 2, 2008

ANGARA PAVES WAY FOR RP'S FIRST NATIONAL R&D CONFERENCE

Sen. Edgardo J. Angara today said that it is all-systems-go for the Research and Development (R&D) Conference slated on December 15 wherein key R&D Departments will consolidate their 2009 R&D agenda. The Conference will be facilitated by the Department of Science and Technology and funded by the Joint Congressional Commission on Science & Technology and Engineering (COMSTE).

"This is a really unusual meeting, this has never happened before in any budgetary investigation, but we are trying to set a precedent which we want to follow from your own. We want to concentrate and act in concert on research and pool or very limited research money," said Angara who chairs the Senate Committee on Science and Technology.

He added, "Those R&D departments with substantial funds should meet and identify key research trust or priorities for 2009. Since these are tough times, we would like to just limit our research agenda items or priorities to a few. We cannot indulge ourselves in our research instincts and study the pregnancy of amoeba or bacteria.

Angara announced that on December 15 the Joint Congressional Commission on Science & Technology and Engineering (COMSTE) will also hold an R&D Conference to consolidate the scattered R&D budgets of different government agencies.

Citing the perceived impacts of the Global Financial Crisis, Angara emphasized the need to consolidate and coordinate our efforts in R&D in order to produce something innovative and help boost our economy through commercializing these products.

He added that next year our economy may be hit by the full impact of this global recession. The credit crunch and tighter spending patterns have translated into cancelled orders for our electronics factories that directly employ over 300,000 people. Thus, we have to focus our R&D efforts towards few activities such as: job generation, health and food security.

"You have to identify research that has an immediate application because we need the power of the mind to help our people confront this kind of crisis," added Angara.

Angara also stated that the Finance Committee has made arrangements with the Department of Budget and Management that if any agency is not pulling its weight, in support of this concerted action, the Committee would ask the DBM not to release their research money.

COMSTE -- jointly chaired by Angara and Cavite Representative Joseph Emilio Aguinaldo Abaya - is expected to introduce or amend legislation that will make the Philippines more globally competitive, particularly in Science and Technology.

It is composed of six (6) expert panels from different sectors in Science and Technology namely Gregory Tangonan, PhD (semicon/electronics), Joaquin Quintos (ICT/ICT services), William Padolina, PhD (food and agriculture), Reynaldo Vea, PhD (basic science, math and engineering education), Ramon Arcadio, MD (health), and Francisco Viray, PhD (energy and environment).

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