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| Ilocos Norte Gov. Imee R. Marcos (file photo) |
By Reynaldo E. Andres
Contributor
BATAC CITY—While developed countries in
the world owe much of their progress and development to engineering innovations
and scientific breakthroughs that created new industries, the Philippines is
still in the opposite situation and is now left miles behind for lack of these.
This alleged trend of engineering
research in the country was revealed by Ilocos Norte Gov. Ma. Imelda “Imee” R.
Marcos in her message that was read by Ilocos Norte provincial government administrator
Wendell Chua before the more than 30 participants to the 2015 national
engineering research symposium held at the MMSU Hostel last May 26-28.
The symposium was hosted and organized
by MMSU aimed at uplifting the level of engineering research in the Higher
Education Institutions (HEIs) in the country that might translate into world
class products that will generate local employment and opportunities.
Reacting to the symposium’s theme—Philippine
engineering research in the context of ASEAN 2015—Ms. Marcos said the
Philippine government should learn from other countries’ models of development
if it wants to create “entire new industries out of these advances.”
“With the 10 ASEAN countries integrating
as one single economy starting this year, it’s entirely a new ball game (that
we are about to play),” she said adding that there are a lot of issues and
factors that made the country stands stalemate in the pursuance of these
innovations.
One such factor is the very slow conduct
of engineering research and development (R&D) that is causing a domino
effect in terms of underutilization of these innovations.
But the governor said that with this
kind of symposium, at least “we have a renewed thrust towards building a closer
and better collaboration between the academe and the industry.”
Meanwhile, Engr. Samuel F. Franco,
scientist and overall chair of the symposium, said the country is faced with
problems of industrial under-development that can be traced to the relatively
low level of engineering intervention in its economic development.
In a nutshell, Mr. Franco said that in
order to foster a sustainable industrialization, development and utilization of
the resources of the country, one should be focused on manufacturing of
products.
“Filipinos should not rely on
agriculture and service sector economy alone, but on putting more value to
natural commodities to generate employment,” he said adding that one such
approach is through engineering R&D.
Ms. Marcos also emphasized the
importance of connecting the symposium’s theme to the ASEAN regional
integration because of the essence of competition among these countries.
“In the ASEAN integration, while market
is enlarged, competition is also multiplied,” Ms. Marcos said as she challenged
the participants that when this scenario would be in full swing, “new
opportunities for prosperity will emerge and then old uncompetitive industries
will surely be washed out.”
The governor said that while we want to
address the issue of competitiveness, we should look at science and technology
as a necessary element to boost the country’s production stock.
“In my opinion, we can do it if we don’t
want to be left behind,” she said adding that the symposium is an excellent
venue to address some key issues concerning applicability and utilization of
technology in our industries.
This collective effort, she said, will
surely convert into a positive force that will provide tangible benefits to the
country.
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