ANGARA LAUDS RP SCIENTISTS FOR MEDICAL DISCOVERIES

Senator Edgardo J. Angara, chair of the Senate Committee on Science and Technology and Congressional Commission on Science & Technology and Engineering (COMSTE),

commended Filipino scientists for discovering innovative medicines for disease prevention and for the improvement of human health.

Angara's remarks came after the discovery of a vaccine against malaria, a dreadful disease caused by a parasite in the mosquito. US-based Filipino scientist Rhoel Dinglasan has developed a new and unique vaccine which stops the spread of malaria from disease-carrying mosquitoes.

The new vaccine is called a transmission-blocking vaccine (TBV). TBV will target the disease not inside the human body but in the mosquito's gut. A mosquito which bites into a vaccinated person would pick up the antibodies and would then become immune to it, stopping the insect from further spreading the disease among humans.

"In the advent of globalization, we need scientists like Rhoel Dingsalan who do not spend most of their time in an office; we need scientists who spend time making discoveries in the lab. This is a very effective use of their talents," Angara said.

He likewise underscored the need to extend all-out support and recognition to Filipino scientists, researchers and scholars here and abroad. "The government should provide meaningful incentives to Filipino scientists to further motivate them to improve scientific research and to encourage the younger generation to pursue careers in advanced scientific studies and researches.