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BY: EUNICE SHEENE FULGENCIO
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ILOILO City – The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) in Negros Island Region (NIR) is urging the government to allocate more funds to the science and research industry.
During the recent Regional Consultative Workshop and Technology Generation for Local Development by the National Academy of Science and Technology in Bacolod City, DOST-NIR regional director Rowen Gelonga said the investment in science and research will help spur the economic growth in the country.
He furthermore stressed that the Philippines is only spending $885 million, which is “less than 1 percent of its gross domestic product for science and technology and research and development.”
“When you invest in research and development, you reap a lot of benefits particularly socio-economic. You can see how fast these countries have grown in the last 50 years,” he said, referring to the country’s Asian neighbors – South Korea, Singapore and Malaysia.
South Korea spends $74 billion on its science and technology and research and development industry. Singapore and Malaysia, meanwhile, spend $9.9 billion and $9.6 billion, respectively.
Gelonga also underscored that the Philippines needs more scientists to “create products and give technical solutions to the country.”
“We need to create a critical mass of science and technology people before we can push our country forward,” he said.
“If we are to become a well-developed country, we need more scientists, engineers and biologists. Unless we have these kinds of people, we could never aspire to become as rich as our Asian neighbors,” he added. (With a report from PIA/PN)
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