COMSTE extended to further improve S&T, R&D global competitiveness

MANILA, Philippines - The Congressional Commission on Science Technology and Engineering (COMSTE) has recently been extended until the end of the 15th Congress.

Sen. Edgardo Angara, chairman of the COMSTE, expressed hope that this will enable lawmakers and the concerned sectors to further improve the global competitiveness of the country in terms of Science and Technology (S&T) and Research and Development (R&D).

“The renewal of COMSTE is proof of our commitment to improve our capabilities in terms of S&T by utilizing a new paradigm of innovation that unifies efforts of government, industry and academe to develop high value industries,” the senator said.

“These public-private partnerships will help identify priority projects and create strategic alliances that can facilitate the growth of these new industries and help push the growth of our homegrown S&T sector,” Angara said.

Among these are the creation of a Disaster Science Management Center, the National Telehealth Project, Energy Efficiency programs and the creation of a an Industrial Research and Development Institute.

“The projects identified by COMSTE are doable and fundable through the use of strategic alliances. We can leverage foreign investments to finance these and other projects of existing domestic companies as well as start-up companies,” he said.

According to the Global Competitiveness Index, the 2009-2010 ranking of the Philippines is 87th out of 133 countries, down from last year’s rankings which had the Philippines at 71st out of 134 countries.

COMSTE is comprised of six expert panels composed of top experts from government, industry and academe to help identify and develop the ideas behind these projects. The panels are Energy and Environment, Health Sciences, Science Math and Engineering (SME) education, IT and IT related industries, Agriculture and Food, and Semiconductors and Electronics.