The UP Marine Science Institute just held a forum webcast through the UP centennial lectures website. The forum was about the future prospects and problems of marine science and oceanography in the country. Since we are an archipelagic country, marine science and oceanography have important roles in 1) science and technological advancement, 2) food security 3) economics, 4) national security and 5) diplomacy and foreign policy.The UP MSI is on its 35th year and it has moved from a shack near what is today’s Association of Biology Majors tambayan to a huge building in the National Science Complex in UP Diliman. Also the focus of research and teaching has gone beyond traditional marine biology to physical and chemical oceanography, marine biotechnology and genetics.
Thus the organizers of the forum headed by Pew Fellow and mangrove conservation hero Dr Jurgenne Primavera invited the senior founding members of our marine science program Prof Emeritus Ed Gomez, Former DENR Sec’y and CHED Chair Angel Alcala and ex Visayas State U prez, Pacencia Milan. The three one time college profs were asked to reflect with the audience on the state of marine science today and its future prospects.
It isn’t big news nowadays that UPMSI has reached a science teaching and research standard that is at par let’s say with my Aussie school, James Cook University or possibly Scripps in San Diego CA. That UPMSI was able to do it under Gomez’ watch despite UP “backstabbing” politics, patronage and the usual inefficient government bureaucracy is short of amazing. Gomez once narrated how he did it in a commencement speech to UP grads and is the second Green Archer to give a grad speech in UP (DLSU alum and multi awarded science teacher of “Planet Biyo” fame Jossette Biyo spoke in 2004).
The news is that even with these successes, the same problems that Gomez noted when he first started are still THE PROBLEMS. Some of the problems can be solved by attitude changes in the universities. It is heartening to know that with CHED guidelines started by Alcala, many universities have become more of a meritocracy than ever before. While patronage and parochial thinking can’t be eliminated, a transparent kind of governance can minimize it or put a positive spin on it. What irritates the seniors is that bureaucratic inefficiency remains the same and the corruption layer has become thicker.
And this can retard science research in the country. Scientists dealings with government are in 1) asking for research funds and 2) the permits system. To her credit one of the best things that President GMA has done is to appoint a scientist (Estrella Alabastro) as DOST Sec’y. She has streamlined the funding process mechanism for science research. This has been augmented by increasing appropriations in the GMA certified budgets. The situation for science in the Philippines has not been as brighter now as in the past.
The permits system is administered by the regulating agency bureaucracy and they treat the scientists as business entitities. Thus here is the chance for a quick, corrupt peso. Scientists unlike many businesspeople are not comfortable in making “lagay”. In marine science where one needs to import lab equipment from abroad or collect specimens for research, this is a real problem.
Another aspect discussed is the low salaries that plague scientists (who in this country are likely affiliated with a school), the high teaching loads and admnistrative duties. Also universities don’t provide enough access to on line journals. Even in UP we get unfettered access only when there is a trial period. UP as far as I know hasn’t decided on subscribing. (The School of Econ is the only exception!)
Thus the academics are forced to take consultancy jobs that often pay higher but eat up most of school time. The academics are also in danger of becoming talking heads for business, politicians or even NGOs and international agencies that pay them. (The truth is even your truly have to take these jobs but it is a moral tightrope for us!)
Now that marine science has taken on national security and foreign policy dimensions, the roles of the scientist has changed. They are now asked to draw policy even if they haven’t enough data to draw one. It takes a lot of tact to convince the politicians that this is a problem.
Also because of these there is a need to have more schools offering marine science and oceanography courses. This has been noted by CHED and Malacanang.
The good thing is that many sectors of the government and the public are now aware of the importance of science in national life.
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what is a permit here? what is a permit used for?
The permit one needs to have to do field research especially when you need to collect samples for analysis
permit to collect samples… this is awarded by the LGU? i wonder why this is needed, for anything but the largest scientific data collection (i.e. collection in the scale of commercial mining for example).
are there legitimate reasons to restrict access/limit permits? i’m having a hard time imagining a scenario.
Hay naku po! When you have to collect samples, you have to get a prior informed consent from 1) LGUs, 2) barangay, 3)IPs. The permits are given by the municipal LGU. While many LGUs are cooperative, some require that the researchers contribute something to “development” in their respective locales.
Once they asked us to give cash to finish construction of the basketball court. That’s isn’t as bad as some other things!
Your experiences support what benign0 says about philippine culture, don’t they?