Technology
Posted on August 03, 2015 11:06:00 PM
By Nickky Faustine P. de Guzman
Brain drain, IP issues plague science community
TWO YOUNG Filipino graduates in natural science are on their way to a three-day seminar in Basel, Switzerland, the headquarters of the pharmaceutical company Novartis, after winning its biotechnology leadership program called BioCamp.
THE Philippine science and technology department holds a Science Fair at the SMX in Pasay City in this 2011 file photo. The science fair showcased different scientific innovations from the DoST as well as from major universities engaging in their own scientific and technological innovations. -- BW FILE PHOTO
BioCamp aims to open opportunities and widen the horizons of the young Einsteins on the future of medical advancements, so that when they come back to the Philippines, they bring with them bags of knowledge.
BioCamp is organized by Novartis Healthcare Philippines in partnership with the Department of Science and Technology (DoST).
“Novartis is privileged to partner with the DoST and other local stakeholders in conducting the annual Local BioCamp. Our goal is to develop young Filipino scientists and help improve the quality of Philippine research and development and health care, which are crucial for economic growth and national progress,” said Novartis Healthcare Philippines President and Managing Director Dr. Nikolaos Tripodis.
The winners last year, meanwhile, are already inching toward making their dreams of becoming medical experts. Arjelle Agupitan is taking up her master’s degree in oncology in Oxford University, England; Gerald Aquino is pursuing a doctorate at the University of Gottingen in Germany; and Jortan Tan is a DoST scholar finishing his doctorate.
Postgraduate science students usually attend BioCamp. The three said the experience stamped their dreams of dabbling into biotechnology, a discipline where cells, cellular components, or organisms are utilized to develop new technologists. They are all in their early 20s and with big dreams for themselves and for the country. The current and last year’s winners said they want to serve the country first once they finished their graduate studies.
BRAIN DRAIN
This is not the case, however, with the majority of Filipino young professionals. Many opt to work abroad for a greener pasture. “Brain drain,” or the flight of the human capital, has been a perennial problem in the Philippines since 1960s. The Trade Union Congress of the Philippines said that low salary, rising cost of living, and lack of incentives are the main reasons why skilled Filipino workers are forced to go abroad.
“Brain drain has been a major concern. We want you to come back... I know the concern is salary. What I’d like to say is that the [University of the Philippines] management is trying its best to make sure that the lives of researchers [and scientists] will be decent... My suggestion is that if you’re coming back home, write a letter before you come home so we can help you plan when you come back,” said UP Manila College of Medicine Chancellor Dr. Carmencita M. David-Padilla during the recent BioCamp held at the SMX Mall of Asia on July 28.
She added that there are upcoming facilities envisioned to be home of the future scientists. They include UP Manila, which has an upcoming 15-storey research building, and the Philippine Genome Center, now halfway on its construction, and is set to tap genomics, or the study of an organism’s complete DNA set. “That’s why we’re fixing the buildings because when you go abroad and get all the technology, you don’t have anything to come back,” she said.
DoST Undersecretary for Research and Development Dr. Amelia Guevara meanwhile encourages young scientists to go abroad -- but only to get experience and eventually come back.
“Anybody who wants to pursue a career for higher salary, whether they like it or not, will leave,” she said, “but to many scientists, it’s not the most important thing, they stay if they have a good working environment. On the other hand, we encourage them to study abroad to experience a different culture but eventually we want them to come back.”
She said DoST is making sure that “we have the necessary infrastructure and facilities in order for them to do good science here.”
She also made appeal to the scholars. “I hope that when the time comes that you have to leave, especially our iskolar ng bayan, think about our country, think [about] the people who supported you. There will come a time that you will have to come back.”
DoST also has also relaunched its program called Balik Scientist (Comeback Scientist), which started in 1975 to encourage experts to come back. As of last year, it has brought back 477 scientists, engineers, and technology entrepreneurs. The program has two options, short-term (three months) and long-term (three years). DoST shoulders their plane ticket.
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
Besides brain drain, the medical society also faces problems on intellectual property rights and the lack of market to support our local inventions.
The Philippines has a plethora of scientists and inventors, who, unfortunately, aren’t given much attention. When asked why there aren’t many celebrated local inventions, Ms. Guevara told BusinessWorld that there is a low demand from businessmen.
“If there’s no adaptor in the Philippines, they (the scientists) look outside (foreign investors). That’s why we are encouraging our local entrepreneurs to adapt local innovations. DoST helps [the scientists] to develop the technology, but we have to look for adapters,” said Ms. Guevara.
As of this writing, the DoST has already pitched 10 locally invented technologies, including a quick diagnostic kit for potential dengue case, to a symposium attended by entrepreneurs.
Some of our local innovators also have misconception on intellectual property (IP), which refers to intellectual creations, including inventions, music, and arts, used in commerce.
“Our local innovators don’t usually apply IPs because they thought that it will publicly disclose their innovations,” said Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines deputy director general Atty. Allan Gepty, when the idea of IP is to protect originality, he added.
According to the reports from Interaksyon.com, the Philippines has slipped 10 spots in the 2014 Global Innovation Index (GII). From rank 90th in 2013, the country currently ranks 100th and is the third to the last among Asian nations. Switzerland secures the top spot for the fourth straight year. The GII ranks countries based on their innovation output and environment for innovation, among others.
Despite the Philippines’ drop in the global innovation ranking, Filipinos, who are actually scattered in any part of the world, continue to contribute in science and technology, despite representing foreign companies. Atty. Gepty cited the 2010 DoST report, which said that there are 35 Filipino inventors in 23 granted potents assigned to 12 foreign companies. He also added that Filipinos are the third most dominant nationalities in Silicon Valley, home of start-up businesses and high-tech corporations.
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