S&T sector forming party-list group

It’s aptly called AGHAM.

It stands for Alyansa ng mga Grupong Haligi ng Agham at Teknolohiya Para sa Mamamayan.

It is a party-list group being formed by science and technology (S&T)-minded Filipinos to champion the cause of the much-ignored S&T sector in the country.

"AGHAM has decided to participate in the May 2007 elections under the party-list system and is now seeking accreditation from the Commission on Elections (Comelec)," said Dr. Emil Javier, AGHAM president.

Javier, former president of the University of the Philippines (UP) System, is now the president of the National Academy of Science and Technology (NAST).

Javier, who also once served as chancellor of UP Los Baños, reported that AGHAM now has chapters in 30 provinces in all of the country’s 16 regions.

In taking the cudgels for the country’s S&T sector, Javier said, "The progress of nations relies heavily on the ability to exploit science and technology to advance (their) interest and purpose."

"Unfortunately, we have not been as assiduous as other countries in promoting a culture of science among our people and in harnessing modern science and technology to address problems of poverty, environmental degradation, and productivity," he said.

Javier said it is time the science community organizes itself like other sectors and elects its representatives to Congress to push progressive legislation, policies, and government programs informed by appropriate science and technology.

The constitution and by-laws of AGHAM, the membership form, and the list of chapters, officers, and members and their addresses may be accessed at [email protected] (password:eqjfot).