NAST Holds Lecture Series in Cebu

In its aim to increase interest in Science and Technology, the National Academy of Science and Technology (NAST) conducted a two-day lecture series with national scientists in Cebu.

On the first day, the lecture series was attended by members of the academe and government agencies.

The second day was devoted for the students or the youth sector.

Luningning Samarita-Domingo, Director IV of NAST, said there is a need to rekindle  the Filipinos’ interest in science and technology fields.

NAST is like the National Commission for the Culture and the Arts, we take care of the National Scientists, while they have the National Artists,” Domingo said.

NAST had recognized 41 National Scientists, 68 Academicians and 11 Corresponding Members.

Dr. Romulo Davide, initiator of farmer scientists program and brother of former chief Justice Hilario Davide Jr. and uncle of Governor Hilario Davide III.

They brought along with them one National Scientist from Central Visayas, Angel Alcala of Dumaguete City who was famous for his three significant findings on marine diversity.

“NAST is like the National Commission for the Culture and the Arts, we take care of the National Scientists, while they have the National Artists,” Domingo said.

NAST had recognized 41 National Scientists, 68 Academicians and 11 Corresponding Members.

Dr. Romulo Davide, initiator of farmer scientists program and brother of former chief Justice Hilario Davide Jr. and uncle of Governor Hilario Davide III, is on his way to be recognized as a National Artist.

They brought along with them one National Scientist from Central Visayas, Dr. Angel Alcala of Dumaguete City, who was famous for his three significant findings on marine diversity.

Alcala gave a talk entitled “Fish be with You: Marine Protected Areas.”

There were also two Academicians, Agnes Rola who gave a talk on Social Benefits of Organic Vegetables Production and Jose Maria Balmaceda on “Mathematics: A Language, an Art, a Way of Knowing, a Tool for Understanding Phenomena”.

The four Outstanding Scientists who gave their lectures include Dr. Violeta Villegas, “Harnessing Biotechnology to Address Today’s Needs”; Dr. Danilo Largo, Reproductive Biology and Ecology: the Brown Seaweed Sargassum: Dr. Thomas Edision de la Cruz, “The PhilFUB Project: Documenting Philippine Fungi for Drug Discovery and Environmental CleanUp”; Dr. Marcos Valdez Jr., “Animal Genetic Resources Conservation for Climate Change Mitigation.”

The mandate of NAST include recognizing the outstanding achievements in Science and Technology as well as providing meaningful incentives to those engaged in Scientific and Technological Researches and to give advise to the President and the Cabinet on matters related to said fields.(rmn/fcc/PIA7-Cebu)