Phl needs to stay competitive in knowledge economy - experts

MANILA, Philippines - With the unprecedented incorporation of knowledge into all forms of economic activity, government and the private sector must work together to help the Philippines stay competitive in today’s knowledge economy.

This was the key message of local scientists and biotechnology experts who spoke during the Novartis Biotechnology Leadership Camp (BioCamp).

Held last Monday at the Asian Institute of Management Conference Center in Makati City, this year’s Local BioCamp had the theme “Staying Competitive in the Knowledge Economy.”

“In today’s global economy, knowledge is the key resource that drives innovation, productivity and economic growth. To stay competitive, we need to continuously enhance the country’s science and technology capabilities and adopt a research and development-oriented mindset,” said Sen. Edgardo Angara, chairman of the Senate committee on science and technology.

“We laud Novartis for helping government enhance the knowledge and skills of young Filipino scientists and promote innovation for a knowledge-based economy,” said Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Secretary Mario Montejo.

“We thank Novartis for supporting the DOST mandate of building up the country’s pool of world-class scientists,” said Dr. Jaime Montoya, executive director of the Philippine Council for Health Research and Development (PCHRD).

“Novartis is privileged to work with the DOST and our other partners in conducting the annual Local BioCamp. We believe that talent development in the sciences, research and development and biotechnology is key to ensuring the country’s competitiveness in the knowledge economy,” said Thomas Weigold, country president and managing director of Novartis Healthcare Philippines.

Since 2006, as part of its Kaagapay Program and in partnership with the DOST, Novartis Healthcare Philippines has organized the Local BioCamp, one of the country’s biggest annual biotech workshops that brings together promising young Filipino scientists and respected Filipino biotech experts and entrepreneurs.

Other Local BioCamp partners are the PCHRD, Intellectual Property Philippines (IPP), and the country’s first biotech consulting firm Hybridigm Consulting Inc.

Aside from Angara, Montejo and Dr. Montoya, other Local BioCamp speakers were:

• Prof. Maoi Arroyo, Hybridigm Consulting founder and CEO, who spoke on “The Basics of Commercializing Biotech in Emerging Markets.”

• Dr. Raul Destura, Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology director, who spoke on “Innovating Infectious Diseases Diagnostics.”

• Prof. Federico Macaranas, professor at the Asian Institute of Management, who shared his topic on “Capacitating the Philippines for Knowledge Economy.”

• Atty. Andrew Ong, IPP deputy director general, who talked about “The Role of the Patent System in Filipinnovation.”

• Dr. Carmencita Padilla, executive director of the Philippine Genome Center, UP System, who spoke on “Serving the Country and Region through the Philippine Genome Center.”

• Dr. William Padolina, former DOST secretary and former International Rice Research Institute deputy director general, who talked about “Transnational Research for the Public Good.”

• Dr. Imelda Peña, director of the NIH Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, who shared her topic about “Building Regional Capacity for Research.”

Filipino graduate and postgraduate students in the natural sciences from top universities and colleges in the country attended the Local BioCamp.

The top six students who were included in the short list of candidates for the International BioCamp were:

• Reuel Bennet is a cum laude B.S. Biology graduate of the Trinity University of Asia in Quezon City. He holds a M.S. in Biological Sciences from the University of Santo Tomas Graduate School and is finishing his Ph.D. in Biological Sciences from the same institution. Bennet is currently an instructor at the Biology Department of the College of Arts, Sciences and Education of St. Paul’s University in Quezon City.

• Alonzo Gabriel holds a B.S. Food Technology and M.S. Food Science from UP Diliman and is finishing his M.S. in Molecular Biology and Biotechnology from the same institution. He acquired his Ph.D. in Biofunctional Science and Technology from the Hiroshima University in Japan. Gabriel is currently an associate professor of Food Science in the University of the Philippines Diliman and Scientist I of the University of the Philippines System.

• Ruth Guzman is a B.S. Biology graduate of UP Diliman and finished her M.S. in Biology (major in Cell and Molecular Biology) from the same institution. For her M.S. in Medical Biology, she interned at Universita degli Studi di Padova in Italy. An instructor at the Institute of Biology of UP Diliman, Guzman is currently taking up Master in International Health at the UP Open University.

• Darryl Joy Juntila graduated magna cum laude in both B.S. and M.S. Molecular Biology and Biotechnology degrees from UP Diliman. Juntila is currently a University Research Associate I at the Aquatic Biotechnology Laboratory of the National Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology of UP Diliman.

• Jose Paulo Lorenzo is a magna cum laude B.S. Molecular Biology and Biotechnology graduate from UP Diliman who is taking up M.S. in Molecular Biology and Biotechnology from the same institution. He is currently a University Research Associate I at the Disease Molecular Biology and Epigenetics Laboratory of the National Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology of UP Diliman.

• Henson Lee Yu is a cum laude B.S. Chemistry graduate (Financial Aid Scholar) of the Ateneo de Manila University (ADMU) who finished his M.S. in Chemistry (DOST scholar) from the same institution. As a full scholar, he acquired his M.S. in Molecular Medicine from the St. Luke’s College of Medicine. Yu is currently an instructor at the ADMU.

Based on academic excellence and professional experience, two students from the six short-listed candidates will be selected to represent the country in the prestigious International BioCamp scheduled on Aug. 26-29 at the Novartis international headquarters in Basel, Switzerland. Novartis will cover all travel and accommodation expenses of the two Filipino delegates.