By JOWI CARTECIANO, MediCore, NRCP  

THE National Research Council of the Philippines celebrates its 70^th foundation anniversary Dec. 3 at the college of science auditorium of the University of Santo Tomas. 

The celebration will focus discussions on the theme “University-Government-Industry Collaboration in Research and Development”.  NRCP aims to “synergize the goals and interests of government, academe, and private sector” to transform R&D outputs into marketable information, products, and processes.

NRCP also hopes that the discussions will generate ideas that would contribute to the development of appropriate strategies, policies, and technology management approaches to optimize benefits from R&D results.

“The governing board and members of NRCP hopes to come up with a covenant that would outline the respective responsibilities” of the three major stakeholders along the principle of collaboration.

Recent research outputs of NRCP members led to the development of herbal medicines for common illnesses, mitigation and management strategies against environmental and wildlife degradation, natural disaster, and even innovative teaching methods for gifted Filipinos.

Studies on previously unknown aspects of ethnic Filipino culture also led to recognition and preservation of such discoveries.

Other significant research works undertaken by NRCP member-scientists include those in geothermal and biogas energy, coconut mutation that spurred the macapuno industry, and improved plant breeding that stimulated the cutflower industry.

NRCP is a collegial body under the Department of Science and Technology and lists 2,813 members nationwide working in the different basic and applied sciences.