Science and Technology, Research and Development

[tigidig14]

neat compilation, soul

[kiretoce]

Philippines’ lack of a culture of research and science

I agree with Prof. Flor Lacanilao (Inquirer, 7/30/07) in his observation about the Philippines’ poor record in science and technology. There is indeed hesitance among Filipino scholars, both in the social and natural sciences, to publish in internationally reviewed journals. A practical reason for this is the acute lack of resources for research and publications in all local universities.

The government’s lack of support for science and technology is well documented although there have been significant improvements lately. The Balik-Scientist Program, long dormant, has been renewed, hoping thereby to attract overseas-based scientists back to the Philippines. The proposed 2008 budget for the Department of Science and Technology has been significantly increased.

However, despite these positive signs, a more basic problem lies unexamined -- the lack of a culture of research. An Inquirer editorial nearly a decade ago -- Oct. 20, 1999 -- asked: “As a nation, then, are we forever consigned to backwardness and pre-modernism, bound to commit errors of judgment and short-sightedness because we have failed to develop a scientific attitude that can explain the world and predict its vagaries?”

The theme of this year’s meeting of the National Academy of Science and Technology (NAST) -- “A Progressive Philippines Anchored on Science: Building a Culture of Science” -- is unlikely to succeed until we know the basis for building a culture of science. Such a culture will first of all require a stronger separation between private beliefs and scientific knowledge. Only if the world is perceived in certain ways (e.g., unambiguous realities, regularity and predictability, falsifiability, disenchantment, a present-constitutive future) is it likely to result in a scientific attitude.

While culture is only one element that shapes this perception, its salience is undeniable. For many Filipinos, including scientists, private beliefs and public knowledge are inextricably entwined. Nature is seen as animated by supernatural forces, thereby preventing its rational amenability. A high level of achieved competence rather than the common practice of ascribed privileges through membership in networks or systems of patronage is necessary for science and technology to prosper.

A paradox presents itself -- there are many Filipino scientists despite the absence of a culture of science. This indicates that culture, however important, is only one factor for science and technology. However, without a culture of science, the Philippines will lag behind its more ambitious neighbors in the global search for technical progress and equitable development.

[Sinjin P.]

STI to build academic center in Global City
EIGHT-STORY P250-M COMPLEX TO HOUSE MODERN SCHOOL, R&D CENTER AND GYM

By Honey Madrilejos-Reyes
Reporter


STI, one of the leading and largest educational institutions in the country, is building a P250-million academic center in the posh Bonifacio Global City in Taguig.

The eight-story complex will house a modern school, a research and development center and state-of-the art gymnasium.

“After being awarded the lease contract by the Bases Conversion and Development Authority for the Campus Gateway property, STI is now geared up for the construction of the building due to be completed in 2008,” said STI president and chief executive Monico V. Jacob.

The facility forms part of the P1.5-billion expansion program of STI, which also includes the recent establishment of the Delos Santos-STI Megaclinic in SM Megamall, investments in Delos Santos-STI Medical Center and the ongoing expansion of STI campuses through acquisition of properties in several areas all over the country.

Earlier, STI and ePLDT, through Ventus Contact Centers, signed a memorandum of agreement to help address the fast-growing manpower requirement of the business process outsourcing (BPO) industry in the Philippines.

Under the agreement, ePLDT will provide a Customer Service Representative (CSR) training program that will be embedded as an elective in the Bachelor of Science in Information Technology curriculum of STI.

This special elective course focuses on call-center fundamentals (with special focus on English proficiency). The program will run for two semesters and will include a training program for teachers that will ensure that STI graduates will be equipped with skills that meet the standards of the BPO industries.

Graduates of the program can take the preemployment qualification exam of e-PLDT to immediately be employed as CSRs or technical support representatives in one of their seven sites. They also have the option to use their training to have job-placement opportunities in other call centers.

The BPO industry here generates around 200,000 jobs or more every year.

[kiretoce]

Pinoy scientists develop device to monitor patients' heart activity level

A new activity monitoring system was developed to help heart patients achieve success from their post surgical rehabilitation program.

Axel activity monitor, a small device worn on the wrist of a patient, is capable of measuring the level of activity of a patient undergoing post surgical rehabilitation, said Allan N. Estrella, one of the developers and winners of 2007 Magsaysay Future Engineers/Technologists Award.

The competition aims to encourage Bachelor of Science (BS) students whose research outputs would be significant contribution to research and development in Science and Technology specifically on engineering and technology.

Heart illnesses affect Filipinos more than any other diseases.

In 2003, it affected 67,696 per 100,000 population or a mortality rate of 83 percent, data from the Department of Health said.

In 2004, the ailment, also known as cardiovascular diseases (CVD) was one of the leading causes of morbidity in the country affecting a total of 37,092 Filipinos, separate data from the National Statistics Office said.

Around 1,035 open heart surgeries were performed at the Philippine Heart Center last year.

In the wake of absence of locally-made activity monitoring system, Axel was conceived, Estrella said.

"By the use of an activity monitor, it is possible to assess more completely and accurately the frequency, duration, and intensity of a patient's physical activities. It will help the doctor objectively determine if the current rehabilitation treatment is working or if changes are necessary," he said.

Physical activity monitoring is crucial in the post surgical rehabilitation program. It helps patients regain strength and mobility and to prevent their condition from getting worse.

"It can classify an activity as sedentary, light, moderate, or vigorous," it added.

The device, which runs on three AAA battery, is a low-cost yet reliable compared to the imported gadgets that are already commercially available.

An imported device costs roughly P98,000, whereas Axel is economically-accessible to Filipinos at P8,800.

Composed of a memory card that stores the logged activity measurement of patients undergoing post surgical rehabilitation, the device downloads and analyzes the summary of the patient's daily physical activity.

The components of Axel system is the Axel monitor, a device which is worn on the wrist, the Axel reader which downloads data to the PC and the Axel viewer which provides a graphical presentation of data to the user.

Aside from post surgery rehabilitation, activity level monitoring can be used in treatment of sleeping disorders, obesity and diabetes, and exercise energy expenditure calculations.

The technology, fresh off the oven, was completed last April 2007.

It is not yet commercialized, and has no patent yet, he said.

Estrella's team is composed of colleagues from UP, Sheila Marie Baticulon and Sheryl Anne Joson.

[kiretoce]

People around the world use cellphones as wallets

SAN MIGUEL, Philippines -- It's Thursday, so Dennis Tiangco, 18, is off to the bank to collect his weekly allowance, zapped by his mother who's working in Hong Kong to his electronic wallet: his cellphone.

Sauntering into a branch of GM Bank in the town of San Miguel, Tiangco fills out a form and sends a text message via his phone to a bank line dedicated to the service.

In a matter of seconds, the transaction is approved and the teller gives him 2,500 pesos ($54), minus a 1 percent fee. He doesn't need a bank account to retrieve the money.

More than 5.5 million Filipinos use their cellphones as virtual wallets, making the Philippines a leader among developing nations in providing financial transactions over mobile networks.

Mobile banking services, which are also catching on in Kenya and South Africa, enable people who don't have bank accounts to transfer money easily, quickly and safely. It's spreading in the developing world because mobile phones are much more common than bank accounts.

The system is particularly useful for the 8 million Filipinos -- 10 percent of the country's citizens -- who work overseas and send money home, like Tiangco's mother, Anna Tiangco.

She used to send money via a bank wire transfer, which costs $2.50 and takes two days to clear.

The cellphone method costs 13 cents and is nearly instantaneous.

"The good thing here is, wherever my children are, they can text me, and I can send money immediately," she said by telephone from Hong Kong.

Consumers can also store limited amounts of money on their cellphones to buy things at stores that participate in the network, although the practice isn't widespread in the Philippines.

"Even if we are far apart, it's like we are still together," Anna Tiangco said. "This is like my wallet now."

[kiretoce]

Philippines Leads In Electronic Money

Philippines (AHN) -- Nearly six million Filipinos now use mobile telephones to move electronic cash, a leader among developing countries in the brave new world of e-wallets.

The technology works best in developing countries where there are more cellphones than there are bank accounts. One does not need a bank account in so-called mobile banking to transfer money electronically.

All it takes in electronic money transfer is to use short messaging services, or text messages, at a cost of about P1 per transaction.

It is a boon to eight million Filipinos who work abroad and send cash home, according to the Associated Press. Overseas Filipinos sent home US$12.7 billion last year.

Globe, one of the country's major telecoms players, generates about US$100 million a month in money transfer. It has about half a million users of the electronic cash transfer.

At home, many use cellphones to send "loads" to replenish the value of prepaid subscribers. More than 41 million cellphone use mobile phones to send text messages.

Meanwhile, SMART Communications, the country's other major telecoms player, has been permitted by the Central Bank to access US$50 million in foreign loan for the expansion of its third-generation services.

The loan would be used to expand SMART's 3G services from its present 800 sites in 119 cities and towns, according to the Philippine Daily Inquirer.

[bariQ]

thats cool to know
advanced talaga ang pinoy basta sa cellphone... sana makagawa tayo ng cellphone din kahit basic like my nokia 1100. very basic

[kiretoce]

That'd be cool! What do you think will be the name of the brand? It has to be something Tatak Pinoy though.

[Askal82]

Bokia

[bitoy]

Originally Posted by Askal82

Bokia

Pinoy cellPong - Battery-less (just use a jumper cable and throw it on the power lines) Plus the added feature - (Rotary Dial)


Bo-Kia = That's my grade in Chinese school classes.

[bariQ]

when it comes to tech theres no match for the pinoy baby-making machine

i also believe that we should more on bio and agri sciences since we dont have the capability to create high tech money making equiment.

[AH-7Raja]

Originally Posted by bariQ

when it comes to tech theres no match for the pinoy baby-making machine

i also believe that we should more on bio and agri sciences since we dont have the capability to create high tech money making equiment.

Yes we do. Its just a matter of how much political-will that our government officials have. Although corruptions are demonizing our leaders...

I give you an example, like to develop an indiginous fighter jet may cost us about P100-200 Million. Marketing phase is just another story, but a political-will may bring it into a reality. Developing our own electronic equipments, robotic and computerized machines, commercial vehicles or aircrafts and even ships/warships are one of the top dollar earners.

I guess we should start developing atleast one of those potential dollar earners NOW.

[MirageBistro]

Originally Posted by bagel

Traffic lights.

agreed 100%

[icarusrising]

RP urged to take lead
in GM crop growing

By Jennifer A. Ng
Reporter

THE International Service for the Acquisition of Agribiotech Applications (ISAAA) challenged the Philippines to take the lead in the production of genetically modified (GM) crops in Asia.

Clive James, chairman and founder of ISAAA, said the Philippines is considered one of the 23 leading countries in the world that continues to expand the planting of biotech crops.

“This is not the time to be modest. This is the time to be bold,” said James in a press briefing in Makati City Thursday.

In its latest report entitled “2007 Global Status of Commercialized GM/Biotech Crops,” ISAAA disclosed that the biotech-crop area grew by 12 percent to 114.3 million hectares, the second-highest area increase in the past five years.

ISAAA noted that the number of developing countries planting biotech crops (12 against 11) surpassed the number of industrialized countries, and the growth rate in the developing world was three times that of industrialized nations (21 percent compared with 6 percent).

Last year the Philippines was considered as one of the growth areas as farmlands planted to Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) corn expanded to 250,000 hectares of farmland or 25-percent more than areas planted to Bt corn in 2006.

James noted that Asia will be a key growth area in GM crop production during the second decade of biotech commercialization, or from 2006 to 2015.

“If we are to achieve the Millennium Development Goals [MDGs] of cutting hunger and poverty in half by 2015, biotech crops must play an even bigger role in the next decade,” he said.

ISAAA noted that biotech crops have delivered unprecedented benefits that contribute toward the MDGs, particularly in countries like China, India and South Africa.

MDGs are eight goals to be achieved by 2015 that respond to the world’s main development challenges.

In 2007 ISAAA report noted that the United States, Argentina, Brazil, Canada, India and China continue to be the principal adopters of biotech crops globally.

“I predict that the number of biotech countries, crops, traits, area and farmers will all grow substantially in the second decade of adoption,” said James.

http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/0215&162008/economy03.html

[icarusrising]

Underwater robot tops DOST tech contest

By Rudy A. Fernandez
Thursday, February 14, 2008
The Philippine Star

An underwater robot crafted by Filipino engineers won the top award in the annual Aquatic Technology Competition and Marketplace (ATCOM) sponsored by a government research council.

A research titled “Cream of Tilapia” placed second, while another on a vaccine that could protect tilapia from bacterial attack was third.

The researchers of the new award-winning technologies recently received cash prizes and plaques during a program marking the observance of the 20th anniversary of the Los Baños-based Department of Science and Technology-Philippine Council for Aquatic and Marine Research and Development (DOST-PCAMRD).

ATCOM, according to PCAMRD executive director Rafael Guerrero III, is an annual activity of the council during which outstanding technologies are cited for their significant contributions to the country’s aquatic and marine industry and to the national economy as a whole.

With Science and Technology Secretary Estrella Alabastro as its guest speaker, the anniversary celebration had for its theme “Innovative Strategies for Technology Commercialization.”

Named Angel One ROV or Angel I Mk. 2, the remotely operated underwater robot was manufactured by Roboteknik, a start-up company formed by former students of the Mapua Institute of Technology (MIT) and Indiana Aerospace University.

It was the robot’s first generation that won the ATCOM first prize, which carried a cash prize of P150,000 and a plaque of recognition. Michael Poblete of Poblete Inc. in Kawit, Cavite received the award.

Perlita Tiburcia of the Nueva Vizcaya State University in Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya received the award (P100,000 and a plaque) for the second prize (Cream of Tilapia).

Third placer was the research project titled “Autogenous Multivalent Vaccine against Fish Bacterial Pathogens such as Aeromoenas hydrophila and Streptococcus Inise” by the researchers of the Central Luzon State University-Freshwater Aquaculture Center (CLSU-FAC) in the Science City of Muñoz, Nueva Ecija. Apolinario Yambot received the P30,000 cash prize and plaque.

The underwater robot was the result of years of extensive testing and engineering.

The operator or pilot who controls the robot remains safely on the ship or boat while the ROV transmits live video footage.

The vehicle can extensively monitor coral reefs with convenience and ease and its operation is much less expensive than that of human divers.

Moreover, it can spot possible areas that may leak and thus prevent oil spills. It can also scan pipelines and detect sources of leaks, and those that need repair.

Further, the robot can more extensively inspect offshore and inland structures (reservoirs, dams, potable water tanks, dikes, and canals) than human divers, thus better protecting the structures from failure through early detection of possible failure points.

http://www.philstar.com/index.php?Science%20and%20Technology&p=49&type=2&sec=36&aid=2008021376

[icarusrising]

RP-made Intel processor powers
newly launched MacBook Air

By Victor Sollorano
Senior Editor
The Business Mirror

SINGAPORE—Intel processors that power the MacBook Air launched by Apple Corp. last month are assembled and tested in the Philippines.

The silicon wafer that is at the heart of the Intel Core 2 Duo processor of the notebook computer is made in Israel and the US. They are then shipped to a plant in Gateway Business Park, General Trias City in Cavite, where Intel Corp. runs an assembly and testing facility, said William TY Wu, regional marketing manager of Intel Technology Asia Pte. Ltd.

Wu said the processor for the MacBook Air was custom-built by Intel to specifications ordered by Apple Corp. MacBook Air is the thinnest notebook computer in the world today at a thickness of 0.16 inch to 0.76 inch.

Wu spoke to BusinessMirror late Wednesday during the closing dinner for Microsoft’s Asia-Pacific launch summit that introduced the software giant’s Windows Server 2008, SQL Server 2008 and Visual Studio 2008 to reporters in the region.

An executive of Intel Technology Philippines Inc., who spoke on condition that he not be named, said in January that 96 percent of the manufacturing process of the Intel Core 2 Duo for the MacBook Air “go through the hands of Filipino assemblers in Intel Cavite.”

Filipino assemblers refer to the processor as the Santa Inez, a code used specifically for the processor that Apple has ordered.

“[The Filipino assemblers] didn’t have a clue what they were building at that time, until Apple unveiled the MacBook Air,” the Intel Philippines executive said.

The Santa Ines is about 50-percent smaller than the normal Intel Core 2 Duo other notebook makers like Acer, Compaq and HP use in their laptop computers.

Intel, however, can sell the Santa Inez to other laptop makers as “Apple lets us sell to other notebook manufacturers,” Wu said.

The Core 2 Duo for the MacBook Air has an on-chip Level Two cache that runs at full processor speeds of 1.6 Gigahertz (GHz) and 1.8 GHz, according to Apple documents available to the public.

Intel Cavite also hosts facilities for product engineering and design, apart from the assembly and testing aspects of the manufacturing process for computer processors.

http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/0222&232008/headlines05.html

[chocolato1000]

ang galing ng pinoy! sana continuous na ang take-off ng Intel sa Philippines!

sana magkaroon narin ng Apple Store sa Pinas!

[johnmizer]

intel is a foreign brand, buti sana kug gumagawa tayo ng pc parts na sariling atin, yung taiwan, dami nilang gawang sariling moherboard, at mas maganda pa boards nila sa intel

[Wind Shear]

By the way. Don't you know the parts of the iSight and Apple keyboard are made in Cebu?

[chocolato1000]

not only that, alam nu ba na maraming components ng mga apple products gaya ng Ipod ay gawa sa pinas? saka electronics ang main export natin, nakapanghihinayang nga lang kasi puros foreign multinationals ang brand.