National Scientist Edgardo D. Gomez passes away at 81
National Scientist Edgardo D. Gomez, an authority in the field of marine science, has passed away on December 1, 2019 at the age of 81.
NS Gomez was a known researcher, scientist, conservation advocate, and mentor in invertebrate biology and ecology, giant clam culture and restoration, and coral reef assessment and conservation. He was also recognized for his outstanding contributions and researches on marine ecosystems which became the bases for management of and the conservation programs for the country's marine resources.
Through his pioneering research, he was able to steer the world’s first national-scale assessment of damage to coral reefs that led to the widespread concern over the status of coral reefs. This resulted to the worldwide conservation initiatives, such as the Global Reefs and Risk Analysis, Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network, and the International Coral Reef Action.
NAST PHL holds forum and workshop on blue economy
QUEZON CITY – The National Academy of Science and Technology, Philippines (NAST PHL) recently conducted the Science Policy Forum and Workshop on the Sustainable Development of the Philippine Blue Economy last 28 October 2019 at the Luxent Hotel, Quezon City.
The activity is a part of NAST PHL’s ongoing campaign for the development of the country’s blue economy, which includes various ocean-based industries such as fisheries and aquaculture, marine tourism, shipbuilding and ship repair, seaports and maritime trade, and ocean mining and energy harvesting among others.
In her opening remarks, Academician Rhodora V. Azanza, NAST PHL President, emphasized the importance of unleashing the potential of the blue economy to bring progress to the country. She mentioned the various activities and meetings that NAST PHL conducted in relation to the campaign. A key breakthrough in the campaign for the blue economy is the filing of Senate Resolution 1017 by Senator Sonny Angara, which calls for an inquiry in aid of legislation regarding the country’s blue economy mechanism. Academician Azanza expressed hope that endeavors such as this will result to initiatives and eventually, policies, that will bring more attention to the blue economy.
Academician Mudjekeewis D. Santos, NAST Member from the Agricultural Sciences Division, gave a brief summary of the two Science Policy and Information Fora on blue economy, which was also organized by NAST PHL earlier this year. Academician Santos, a scientist of the National Fisheries Research and Development Institute (NFRDI), stressed some of the recommendations that arose during these earlier Fora, which included the call for the creation of a separate Department of Fisheries and Oceans.
Two Filipino doctors chosen among the next generation of IAP Young Physician Leaders
The next generation of physician leaders has already been selected for this year’s InterAcademy Partnership's Young Physician Leaders (YPL) Programme. Two Filipino physicians made the cut and will join 20 other outstanding early career physicians in Berlin, Germany on 22-24 October 2019, in conjunction with the leading international forum for global health, the World Health Summit.
Over the past nine years, the InterAcademy Partnership (IAP) has been conducting the IAP Young Physician Leaders Programme, which is internationally known for its tailored workshop on leadership that has provided 191 outstanding young health professionals with skills and knowledge they will be needing to promote health and strengthen health systems around the world. The programme is focused on analyzing models of leadership in the hope of developing an individual action plan for personal leadership growth.
The participants of the programme are chosen by a committee of medical and scientific professionals, who reviewed the nominations received by the global network of the IAP that includes 140 national and regional member academies collaborating to provide independent expert advice on scientific, technological and health issues, and the ‘M8 Alliance’, a unique network of 25 leading international academic health centers, universities and research institutions.
For this year, National Academy of Science and Technology, Philippines (NAST PHL), the country’s premiere recognition and advisory body on matters related to science and technology, nominated two outstanding physicians who both made it as official participants of the programme. They are Dr. Jaifred Christian Lopez and Dr. Raymond Francis Sarmiento