Press Release
November 7, 2008

ANGARA EYES CONCERTED EFFORTS IN RP'S RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVES

Senator Edgardo J. Angara today said that the Department of Science and Technology should maximize its Php 1.3 Billion budget on research and development (R&D) by focusing on key priorities and through networking efforts with other government agencies.

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"In times of financial difficulties, I think our peso will be stretched farther if we will just focus our expenditures on our research priorities. And these priorities must be set based on the urgent needs of Filipinos and these are: Food, Jobs, Energy and Health," said Angara who chairs the Senate Committee on Science and Technology.

He added, "And we should not only focus and target our expenditures, we should also do networking with other agencies with similar research money. We are suggesting that departments with R&D money pull their resources together and act on a targeted effort."

Angara noted that economic analysts have predicted that the global economy is bound for a deep recession in the next two years. He warned of shrinking resources, not just internally but also including vital labor and export markets.

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He cited the case of two call centers with 7,000 seats which is bound for closure. This, Angara said, underscores the need to maximize and harness domestic job generation capabilities which can be done through effective R&D efforts.

Studies have noted the importance of research, in terms of its great social and economic return. Wherein for every dollar or every peso we invest in research, the return in terms of Gross Domestic Product output is very high

Angara urged DOST to link up with other government agencies which also has R&D funds including the Departments of Agriculture and Agrarian Reform, and various State Universities and Colleges.

"We are going to require the departments to synergize and share their resources" added Angara.

Angara chairs the Senate Finance sub-committee C which handles the budgets of the following government agencies: Department of Agriculture (DA), Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR); the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), and the State Universities and Colleges (SUCs) system; the Department of Science and Technology (DOST); the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI); Department of Tourism (DOT) and other executive and cultural agencies.

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