IMPROVE TRAINING OF PHL'S SCIENTISTS, ENGINEERS - ANGARA

Senator Edgardo J. Angara urged the government to prioritize the training of the country's science and technology specialists to take advantage of increasing foreign investments in this sector.

Angara made this statement after attending the launch of Nokia Siemens Network's newest research and development facility NetworkLabs at the UP-Ayala Technohub.

"This new R&D facility is testament to Filipinos' great talent and even greater potential in telecommunications and software engineering. Unfortunately, our country is still lagging behind our neighbors in Southeast Asia in terms of global competitiveness owing to our declining technological capacity," he said.

"However," Angara continued, "we need not be pessimistic because we can harness the power of modern science and technology to our benefit. But we need bright, young Filipino scientists and researchers for this endeavor."

According to Angara, chair of the Senate Committee on Science and Technology, advanced communications technology was made possible by painstaking and continuing research and development of large companies such as the Nokia Siemens Network.

"Progress in our era is driven by the huge leaps and bounds being made in information and communications technology. We must build an adequate pool of highly trained scientists, technologists, engineers and researchers in order to capitalize on this sector's high and rapid growth," said Angara.

NetworkLabs, which was established in July 2010 and started operations in September 2010, puts the Philippines on the global R&D map as part of the worldwide operations of the Nokia Siemens Network. The facility is contributing to R&D in the development of 4G for telecommunications.

The R&D facility was placed within the property of the University of the Philippines Diliman as a model of the successful collaboration between the academe and industry.