Manila Bulletin
De Vera cites PCARI Project as proof of CHED's support to research, other academic pursuits
De Vera cites PCARI Project as proof of CHED's support to research, other academic pursuits
De Vera cites PCARI Project as proof of CHED's support to research, other academic pursuits
Published Feb 21, 2019 09:24 pm
By Merlina Hernando-Malipot
The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) assured that it will continue to support and fund joint research, faculty exchanges, scholarships and training that aim to address issues and problems that face the country.
Dr. Prospero De Vera III
(FACEBOOK / MANILA BULLETIN) CHED Chairman J. Prospero de Vera III, in an interview on the sidelines of the recent launch and turnover of the Shared Genomics Core Laboratory (SGCL) at the Philippine Genome Center (PGC) in University of the Philippines (UP) Diliman, said that there will be funding available for the Philippine-California Advanced Research Institutes (PCARI) Project. “For the first time, in 2018 and 2019, the budget for PCARI was not cut so we were able to maintain it at the same level as the previous year,” De Vera said. “So we have money until, I think, about two more cycles of PCARI or two more years at the minimum,” he added. The PCARI is a project by the CHED which "brings together top scientists, researchers and faculty of Philippine universities and the University of California to do joint research, faculty exchanges, scholarships and training on issues and problems facing the country." For 2019, De Vera said that the budget for PCARI is “a little less than a billion pesos.” However, he expressed optimism that if the projects under the program will continue to bring good results, lawmakers might be convinced to continue to provide funding for it in the national budget. “Kung maipakita natin sa mga mambabatas natin na maganda talaga ang nagiging resulta ng PCARI, baka makumbinsi natin sila na dagdagan pa nila ito ng ilang taon, (If we are able to show our lawmakers that the results of the PCARI are good, then we might convince them to add funding to it in the coming years),” he explained. Meanwhile, De Vera said that CHED is currently arranging the management of the PCARI projects. “Tatanggap na tayo ng mga proposals sa mga susunod na buwan” (We might be able to accommodate proposals in the coming months),” he added. FOR THE PEOPLE De Vera noted that the Duterte administration “continues to fund higher education at levels never before done by any administration.” The completion of the SGCL, for instance, is an example of a project that will benefit millions of Filipinos. Lodged at the PGC in UP Diliman, the SGCL is a research laboratory which houses one of the most advanced technologies in the Southeast Asia for DNA sequencing, bioinformatics, among others. The said laboratory will “increase dedicated research space for students, researchers, and scientists interested in throughput genomics.” Aside from the SGCL, De Vera also witnessed the inauguration of a new cutting-edge biobank to expand Cancer research in the Philippines. Last Monday, February 18, the UP inaugurated the Cancer Ghenome-Biobanking System and Biomonitoring Program or the Biobank facility at the Philippine General Hospital in Manila. The Biobank project is a joint initiative of the UP and the University of California-San Francisco (UCSF) funded through the PCARI through the Institute for Health Innovation and Translational Medicine (IHITM). With this, De Vera said that the UP and other Philippine universities “can now do high level research for cancer cure.” Biobanking refers to the process of collecting samples of biological specimens such as cells and tissues to aid researchers to better understand a certain disease and help in developing drugs. “A biobank extends beyond the function of being a long-term storage and conservation facility for biological specimens. In other countries, such facilities have contributed to pioneering medical advances, including precision medicine—a method which allows a clinician to tailor a specific treatment for a particular patient initiatives such as this largely impacts our country’s health system,” De Vera said. These projects funded through CHED-PCARI, De Vera noted, are among of the “many investments of the government on health research and innovation.” Thus, CHED continues to encourage higher education institutions (HEIs) to “conduct researches that will provide solutions to health problems that affect the lives of Filipinos.”
Dr. Prospero De Vera III(FACEBOOK / MANILA BULLETIN) CHED Chairman J. Prospero de Vera III, in an interview on the sidelines of the recent launch and turnover of the Shared Genomics Core Laboratory (SGCL) at the Philippine Genome Center (PGC) in University of the Philippines (UP) Diliman, said that there will be funding available for the Philippine-California Advanced Research Institutes (PCARI) Project. “For the first time, in 2018 and 2019, the budget for PCARI was not cut so we were able to maintain it at the same level as the previous year,” De Vera said. “So we have money until, I think, about two more cycles of PCARI or two more years at the minimum,” he added. The PCARI is a project by the CHED which "brings together top scientists, researchers and faculty of Philippine universities and the University of California to do joint research, faculty exchanges, scholarships and training on issues and problems facing the country." For 2019, De Vera said that the budget for PCARI is “a little less than a billion pesos.” However, he expressed optimism that if the projects under the program will continue to bring good results, lawmakers might be convinced to continue to provide funding for it in the national budget. “Kung maipakita natin sa mga mambabatas natin na maganda talaga ang nagiging resulta ng PCARI, baka makumbinsi natin sila na dagdagan pa nila ito ng ilang taon, (If we are able to show our lawmakers that the results of the PCARI are good, then we might convince them to add funding to it in the coming years),” he explained. Meanwhile, De Vera said that CHED is currently arranging the management of the PCARI projects. “Tatanggap na tayo ng mga proposals sa mga susunod na buwan” (We might be able to accommodate proposals in the coming months),” he added. FOR THE PEOPLE De Vera noted that the Duterte administration “continues to fund higher education at levels never before done by any administration.” The completion of the SGCL, for instance, is an example of a project that will benefit millions of Filipinos. Lodged at the PGC in UP Diliman, the SGCL is a research laboratory which houses one of the most advanced technologies in the Southeast Asia for DNA sequencing, bioinformatics, among others. The said laboratory will “increase dedicated research space for students, researchers, and scientists interested in throughput genomics.” Aside from the SGCL, De Vera also witnessed the inauguration of a new cutting-edge biobank to expand Cancer research in the Philippines. Last Monday, February 18, the UP inaugurated the Cancer Ghenome-Biobanking System and Biomonitoring Program or the Biobank facility at the Philippine General Hospital in Manila. The Biobank project is a joint initiative of the UP and the University of California-San Francisco (UCSF) funded through the PCARI through the Institute for Health Innovation and Translational Medicine (IHITM). With this, De Vera said that the UP and other Philippine universities “can now do high level research for cancer cure.” Biobanking refers to the process of collecting samples of biological specimens such as cells and tissues to aid researchers to better understand a certain disease and help in developing drugs. “A biobank extends beyond the function of being a long-term storage and conservation facility for biological specimens. In other countries, such facilities have contributed to pioneering medical advances, including precision medicine—a method which allows a clinician to tailor a specific treatment for a particular patient initiatives such as this largely impacts our country’s health system,” De Vera said. These projects funded through CHED-PCARI, De Vera noted, are among of the “many investments of the government on health research and innovation.” Thus, CHED continues to encourage higher education institutions (HEIs) to “conduct researches that will provide solutions to health problems that affect the lives of Filipinos.”