STAR, writer bag science awards

LEGAZPI CITY — The Philippine STAR bags the institutional award for print media while its Science writer, Rudy Fernandez, was elevated to the Hall of Fame during the culmination of this year’s National Science and Technology Week celebration here.

Elevated to the Hall of Fame with Fernandez was Susan Layos of dzRP. Other awardees include Zac Sarian of the Manila Bulletin (print category); Erwin Lemuel Oliva, associated editor of INQ7.net (online); Divina Reyes, reporter and columnist of Peoples Balita and Pilipino Reporter magazine and host/producer of dwSS and dwAN (radio); Marietta Lucban Cancaho of IBC 13 (television).

Dr. Estrella Alabastro, Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Secretary, also gave specific awards to Filipino scientists in various disciplines for their respective research efforts.

Alabastro thanked her people for the successful celebration of the National Science and Technology Week, which featured the Southern Luzon Science and Technology Week Roadshow from July 19 to 25 at the Casablanca Hotel here.

Alabastro outlined the various challenges and opportunities that await the science community as well as the local government units and the academe in the coming six years.

The program, however, calls for everyone concerned to actively participate in the country to progress, Alabastro said.

"It is a call that we at the science community must heed now more than at any time in the past," she said, adding that rapid globalization and technology transfer are testing countries’ ability to compete.

"The issue of competitiveness at least for the Philippines has become more acute because of the decline in the country’s competitiveness rating," said Alabastro after the awarding ceremony at the Monumento Hall of the Casa Blanca Hotel.

Alabastro said the competitive rank of the Philippines among 44 countries has slipped from no. 35 in 1997 to no. 41 last year. And the decline continues, she said.

But with the resiliency and the talent of the science community, plus the support of the private sector, Alabastro said she is confident that we can put up a good fight through increased investment on small and medium enterprises (SMEs), focus on research and development on existing niches, expansion of public sector partnership and enhancement of human resource capacity development.