BASIC SCIENCES, SUSTAINABLE DEV’T EMPHASIZED AT IYBSSD LAUNCH AT UST

Strengthening foundational knowledge and highlighting the importance of basic sciences in our daily lives are vital now more than ever. To aid this endeavor, the University of Santo Tomas (UST), through its College of Science, partnered with the Department of Science and Technology-National Research Council of the Philippines (DOSTNRCP) to celebrate the Philippine launch of the International Year of Basic Sciences and Sustainable Development (IYBSSD) on Oct. 7, 2022, at the UST Paredes Building.

IYBSSD emphasizes that the basic sciences provide means to meet crucial challenges of survival and learning, like universal access to food, energy, health coverage, and communication technologies, and can help limit or reduce climate change, depletion of natural resources, and extinction of living species. With such a scope, it is no wonder that the basic sciences are key to the United Nations’ Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development.

DOST Secretary Hon. Dr. Renato U. Solidum, in his message, expressed that by constantly trying solutions generated from basic science research, alleviating the existing and anticipated problems in the Philippines is possible. He explained that, “We need to tackle health, energy, transport, water and environment, climate and disaster resilience, and these need to be supported by human resources development through scholarships until Ph.D., and training.”

The UST Vice Rector for Research and Innovation Rev. Fr. Jannel Abogado, O.P., in his opening remarks, said that the IYBSSD wished to “emphasize the orientation of basic science. With it, we can affirm that scientific knowledge sought in basic research is undertaken not just for the sake of generating knowledge, but also to ensure that those concerned with the applied sciences will have a robust foundation in understanding reality to ground their innovative technologies that will ensure the preservation and sustainability of the ecosystem that makes human flourishing possible.”

The IYBSSD launch proceedings remain available for public viewing through the official Facebook page of the UST College of Science (facebook.com/ustgalingscience). The year-long celebration, which was proclaimed by consensus of the 76th United Nations General Assembly, will last until June 2023.