Dr. Corazon De Ungria, Head of the DNA Analysis Laboratory at the University of the Philippines Natural Sciences Institute, oversees DNA matching processes at their laboratory in Quezon City in this file photo taken March 14, 2019. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News
MANILA — The Department of Science and Technology is urging researchers and scientists based outside of Philippines to return home and contribute in advancements in their fields here.
DOST undersecretary for regional operations, Sancho Mabborang, said Thursday that the government's Balik Scientist Program (BSP) has helped many experts in various sciences who are hoping pursue work in the Philippines.
"Maganda po ang ating programang BSP at tuloy-tuloy po ang ating pagsuporta at pagtulong dito. Nag-iisip pa po kami ng ibang paraan nang sa ganoon ay maging mas matagal na or kung baga ay permanente na po 'yung pagtatagal ng ating mga scientist dito po sa ating bansa," Mabborang said during the "Laging Handa" briefing on Thursday.
(Our BSP program is good and we continue to support and improve it. We are still thinking of other ways so that our scientists can stay here for a longer period of time or even permanently in our country.)
Mabborang said that additional workforce in science and technology in the country will help implement programs in local communities and establish more studies and discoveries.
"Tuloy-tuloy po 'yung ating pagtulong at 'yung ating programa ng Balik Scientist. In fact, 'yung ating mga maraming balik scientist na nandirito ngayon ay engaged po sa iba't ibang proyekto ng ating departamento, hindi lamang sa (National Capital Region) kundi maging sa ibang mga rehiyon," the undersectretary said.
(Our assistance and our Balik Scientist Program are continuous. In fact, many of our returning scientists who are here today are engaged in various projects of our department, not only in NCR but also in other regions.)
"Natutuwa po kami dahil maganda po ang mga feedback na aming natatanggap. At ito nga pong mga balik scientist na Filipinos natin ay nakaka-contribute po para makapagbigay ng solusyon dito sa ating mga problema especially po ngayon. 'Yung ating mga balik scientist na involved po sa health, tumutulong po upang ma-establish po natin at magkaroon po ng direksyon 'yung ating Virology Institute of the Philippines," he added.
(We are happy because the feedback we are receiving is good and these returning scientists who are Filipinos are able to contribute to provide solutions to our problems, especially now for our returning scientists who are involved in health, and help us to establish and have direction for our Virology Institute of the Philippines.)
Nearly 600 awardees in 47 years
The Balik Scientist Program aims to encourage Filipino scientists, technologists, and experts "to return to the country and share their expertise in order to promote scientific, agro-industrial, and economic development, including the development of our human capital in science, technology and innovation."
President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. earlier asked Filipino scientists to stay in the Philippines and pledged his administration's support for their endeavors.
He directed DOST and relevant agencies to provide scholarships to young Filipinos so the country could "develop a bigger pool of scientists, researchers, innovators in the country."
Marcos Jr.'s predecessor, former President Rodrigo Duterte, signed into law the "Balik Scientist" program to address the brain drain in the country, as Pinoy innovators choose to move abroad for better opportunities.
The program offers allowances, medical insurance, and a chance for scientists to be with their families in the Philippines in exchange for sharing the expertise they honed, abroad.
Figure 1 (left) shows the number of awardees from 1975-2021 while Figure 2 (right) gives a ratio of male and female awardees from 2007 to 2021. Screenshot from Department of Science and Technology website
Based on the figures from DOST, around only 585 awardees have returned to the country from 1975-2021. Most are male in the period between 2007 and 2021, and 74 percent are from North America.
Figure 3 (left) shows the number of awardees from the three industries: (1) agriculture, aquatic, and natural resources, (2) health, and (3) industry, energy and emerging Technology while Figure 4 (right) gives a percentage of work origin of the awardees, both from 2007 to 2021. Screenshot from Department of Science and Technology website
Figures from 2007 to 2021 showed that most of the awardees are from the industry, energy and emerging technology sectors. Numbers from the health sector grew since 2020.
Asked if there would be enough funding for the program, Mabborang said: "Tayo naman po ay sa abot ng ating makakaya bagama't masasabi ko po na ang ating pong budget ay hindi kalakihan, ay nakagawa po tayo ng programa upang 'yung atin pong mga mananaliksik dito ay mabigyan ho natin ng oportunidad na makapagtrabaho."
(As for us, we are doing as much as we can, although I can say that our budget is not large, we have created a program so that our researchers here can be given the opportunity to work.)
"Pangunahin po rito siguro 'yung ating Science for Change Program na kung saan marami ho tayong mananaliksik, mga researchers, engineers na kailangan upang sa ganoon ay maka-contribute po roon sa ating pagresolba ng ating mga programa o problema sa sektor ng agrikultura, sa sektor ng health, sa industry, and others," he added.
(The main one here is probably our Science for Change Program where we have many researchers, engineers that are needed so that we can contribute to our resolution to our programs or problems in the agricultural sector, in the sector of health, industry, and others.)
"Tuloy-tuloy po ito at ito po ay hindi lang po ma-involve 'yung ating mga researchers subalit 'yung kanilang mga (research and development) outputs later on ay maaaring magkaroon ng intellectual property values na kung saan ay pupwede po itong ibenta through several mechanisms like 'yung technology licensing agreement upang sa ganoon po ay ma-adopt ng ating mga industriya."
(This is continuous and this will not only involve our researchers but also their [research and development] outputs later on may have intellectual property values which can be sold through several mechanisms like the technology licensing agreement so that it can be adopted by our industries.)