{"id":77017,"date":"2016-06-07T05:47:46","date_gmt":"2016-06-07T09:47:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/?p=77017"},"modified":"2016-06-07T05:47:46","modified_gmt":"2016-06-07T09:47:46","slug":"incoming-dost-chief-reveals-plans-priorities","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/2016\/06\/07\/incoming-dost-chief-reveals-plans-priorities\/","title":{"rendered":"Incoming DOST chief reveals plans, priorities"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Incoming<\/a>
Incoming Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Secretary Fortunato De La Pe\u00f1a was Assistant to the Executive Director of UP’s National Engineering Center from 1979 to 1988.
(Photo: UP’s National Engineering Center website<\/a>)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

MANILA \u2013 Incoming Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Secretary Fortunato De La Pe\u00f1a shared his plans and priorities on Monday with the Philippines News Agency (PNA).<\/p>\n

\u201cMy top priorities will be on R&D (research and development) to address pressing concerns on health, agriculture and the process industries,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

De La Pe\u00f1a cited that he will also prioritize programs that will hasten development in the regions, as well as science and technology (S&T) policies that will push sustainable growth.<\/p>\n

When he assumes the agency\u2019s top post on June 30, De La Pe\u00f1a said his initial top programs are expanding the reach of DOST services in the regions, particularly in the underprivileged sectors; helping the DOST scholars to be able to serve the country and utilize their services; and increasing utilization of facilities, research outputs and human resource expertise to push for growth and development.<\/p>\n

The former DOST undersecretary emphasized that the R&D industry will flourish if there will be lots of investors in technology intensive businesses.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere will be many investors in this area if the economic climate is good, if the industry-academe-government linkages are strong and effective, and if we have enough human resources in advanced S&T areas who can be tapped by the industry,\u201d he explained.<\/p>\n

With regard to human resource development, De La Pe\u00f1a said he would like to improve access.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere are many universities in the regions, especially the state universities and colleges (SUCs), which can be delivering institutions for S&T scholarship degree programs,\u201d De La Pe\u00f1a cited.<\/p>\n

He continued, \u201cA little more help from the government will help them improve their capacity, capability, quality and attractiveness so that more scholars will stay in their respective regions to study STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) program.\u201d<\/p>\n

STEM program, formerly called the Engineering and Science Education Program (ESEP) was piloted by the DOST in 1994. It is a science and mathematics-oriented curriculum being offered in specialized high schools and supervised by the Department of Education.<\/p>\n

According to De La Pe\u00f1a, though President-elect Rodrigo Duterte has not spoken specifically about S&T, one can see Duterte\u2019s priorities that can be addressed by science and technology \u2013 through R&D, S&T services and human resources development.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe has repeatedly stated his emphasis on health, agriculture and food, education, and hastening the development in the regions,\u201d De La Pe\u00f1a said, adding that Duterte wants the ordinary citizens to feel the services of the government.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe DOST programs and projects will support his priorities,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, DOST Secretary Mario Montejo previously told PNA that he hopes the next DOST chief will continue \u201cAgham na Ramdam,\u201d the agency\u2019s nationwide Science Nation Tour.<\/p>\n

It is the agency\u2019s way of showcasing DOST-developed scientific and technological advancements in every region, thus making every Filipino feel the S&T\u2019s impacts in his\/her life.<\/p>\n

The incoming secretary said \u201cAgham na Ramdam\u201d is very good. \u201cWe just have to consider the cost\/benefit in carrying out our programs,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n

A surprise appointment<\/strong><\/p>\n

Weeks before De La Pe\u00f1a\u2019s appointment, the science community, including himself, was clueless about who would be the next DOST secretary.<\/p>\n

De La Pe\u00f1a said that through a Davao-based colleague, he was asked to submit his curriculum vitae (CV) last May 26.After reflecting on it, he submitted his CV on May 27.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy philosophy is, when one is asked to serve, he\/she should serve,\u201d he told PNA.<\/p>\n

The 66-year-old B.S. Chemical Engineering graduate got a call from Duterte\u2019s office on May 30, asking him to fly to Davao on May 31, the day he was told he will be assigned at DOST and was introduced at the press conference as one of the new Cabinet members.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was a surprise for me. Many people were also surprised,\u201d he admitted.<\/p>\n

On accepting the post, De La Pe\u00f1a said it was because he doesn\u2019t want to blame himself later that he was asked to serve and he refused.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe thing is to do my job best given the many limitations and constraints. I (will) move out from my retirement comfort zone to active duty again, which will entail sacrifices,\u201d he stressed.<\/p>\n

Aside from being a former DOST undersecretary, De La Pe\u00f1a also headed the National Research Council of the Philippines (NRCP) as its president from 2002 to 2007.<\/p>\n

From 2011 to present, he is the president of the Philippine Association for the Advancement of Science and Technology (PhilAAST).<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

MANILA \u2013 Incoming Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Secretary Fortunato De La Pe\u00f1a shared his plans and priorities on …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":33,"featured_media":77018,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[16,5],"tags":[9919,1548],"class_list":["post-77017","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-news","category-technology","tag-department-of-science-and-technology","tag-dost","mauthors-ma-cristina-arayata","mauthors-philippines-news-agency"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/77017","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/33"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=77017"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/77017\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/77018"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=77017"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=77017"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=77017"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}