Published May 20, 2021, 12:12 AM
One fundamental factor in the sustained growth of a country is having a strong and purposive research and development (R&D) program. R&D plays an essential role in society’s advancement. It provides science-based knowledge for the development of new products, solutions and services. While it requires substantial investments and tremendous patience, the rewards are substantial. Unfortunately, R&D in the Philippines is relegated to the back burner in terms of government funding.
It is lamentable that the Philippines is among the “lowest spenders” for R&D. In 2017, the government set an initial funding of R21 billion for a program called Science for Change. It was estimated then that if R&D spending was doubled every year, the Philippines could have reached one percent of GDP, the amount prescribed by the UNESCO as the minimum investment for a country to be competitive.