The Department of Science and Technology Cordillera in partnership with the National Research Council of the Philippines (NRCP) and Benguet State University recently conducted the Regional Basic Research Caravan in the region.
The caravan, held on Oct. 17 and 18 at the BSU Research and Extension Building in La Trinidad, Benguet, is the fifth leg of the nationwide Regional Basic Research Caravan launched on Aug. 14 and 15 in Basco, Batanes.
With the theme, “Nurturing regional R&D niches,” the activity aims to provide a platform for strengthening the collaboration and linkages in the regions particularly with DOST regional offices, local government units, and higher education institutions as stakeholders.
The NRCP as the DOST’s collegial body of researchers is tasked to support and promote basic research in the country.
According to an article published by the council, “There is a universal perception that fundamental discoveries are not always contributing to immediate salient results, causing their contributions to the most important technological advances go unrecognized and unevenly promoted.”
This is further corroborated by an article from the Harvard University’s Graduate School of Arts and Sciences website which states that “The viewpoint that applied research is superior to basic research is prevalent – and this is unfortunate…while it might not offer clear-cut ways to immediately solve problems, it is the bedrock of future fixes. Breakthrough scientific discoveries are never made in a vacuum; they are built upon basic work done by other, oftentimes decades and centuries ago.”
To correct this perception, the NRCP has devised these regional caravans to share basic research to a wider audience through the dissemination of research and development efforts by the council, facilitate exchange of scientific ideas among new researchers and research institutions, and provide guidance in writing research proposals that are aligned to the National Integrated Basic Research Agenda of NRCP. – Divina Gracia L. Castillo and Daisy Lou Quinio
April 26, 2024
