2nd Phl Science High School-Meralco Science Fair continues excellence in science education

MANILA, Philippines - In a time when science and technology to the youth means social networking, viral videos and online gaming, some select high school students are spending hours researching for their science projects, patiently putting their ideas and theories by trial and error. And to an award-winning mentor and current director of the country’s most exclusive institution for aspiring young scientists, Dr. Josette Biyo, innovation is something inherent among future scientists and researchers. “I always say that innovation is not a difficult attribute to reach. Innovation is simply doing things better, making things better.”

Thus, innovation seems to be the mantra of the 2nd Philippine Science High School System-Meralco National Science Fair, an endeavor that gathered around 185 students from the 11 PSHS campuses all over the country in a three-day event of interaction, learning, newfound friendship and fun. Once more, these students from the nation’s top science high school are showcasing scientific work in the hope of fostering an interest for science and research not only to schoolmates but also to a growing number of science enthusiasts. And the country’s leading energy distribution company, Meralco, is accompanying these young geniuses in their quest for discovery and learning.

The event was once again held at the Meralco Development Center, which is now the Leadership Academy of the First Pacific Group, in Antipolo City and was attended by no less than Science & Technology (DOST) Secretary Mario Montejo and Undersecretaries Fortunato Dela Peña and Carol Yorobe. The Leadership Academy, led by its executive director Roy Agustin Evalle, welcomed the participants, their mentors, and guest speakers that included Filipino scientists based locally and abroad and One Meralco Foundation and chief CSR officer Jeffrey Tarayao.

The Science Fair is the product of the fruitful collaboration of Dr. Biyo (when she was still the director of the PSHS Western Visayas campus in Iloilo) and the Academy’s team of experts and its first edition was held in November 2010. The theme from that fair, “Building a Culture of Science,” was adopted in order to continue the pursuit for promoting science education and research in the country.

Around 69 experimental research projects were presented in the Fair, clustered in various categories. The participants introduced and shared their projects with their peers, from conceptualization to implementation.

In the entire course of the fair, the student-participants participated in teambuilding activities, study critiques, and a plenary discussion. They also got to promote and share knowledge of their experiments to a wider audience, from public high school students from nearby Cainta, Antipolo and Pasig areas and even the ordinary layman visiting the center, through the community fair.

These subject matter experts later gathered for a plenary session, some of whom were alumni/alumnae of Pisay, the informal moniker of PSHS. These included Dr. Francisco Sandejas of Narra Ventures Capital; US-based neuro-oncologist Dr. Baltazar Aguda, who is presently affiliated with the National Cancer Institute in the US; Dr. Ricardo Del Rosario, research associate at the Genome Institute of Singapore; forensic expert Dr. Corazon De Ungria of the UP DNA Analysis Laboratory, Dr. Edna Amparado of the UP Institute of Biology; Dr. Jaime Montoya of the Philippine Health Council for Research & Development; Environmental Science Professor Dr. Rene Rollon of UP Diliman; UP Assistant Professor Jeffrey Valenzuela and Teaching Associate Alvin Joseph Teng, who answered queries from the various teachers and students.

All in all, the three-day fair was successful and well-attended, according to Dr. Biyo, a multi-awarded academician. “Our partnership with Meralco and the Leadership Academy is a privilege for PSHSS National Science Fair. We are fortunate that they are willing to invest in the youth and in this kind of endeavor. In fact, we aspire to make this fair even bigger next year.”