NAST-PHL discusses streamlining scientific permit issuance in PH
The National Academy of Science and Technology of The Philippines’ (NAST-PHL) Agricultural Sciences Division has organized a policy talk to address the issuance of scientific permits in the country.

During the virtual meeting held on Sept. 26, NAST Secretary Academician Dr. Jaime C. Montoya expressed his hope to gather ideas and recommendations on harmonizing the permitting system, "making it more accessible for scientists to share their research and discoveries."
Under the theme "Kailangan ba ng Scientific Permit? Kailan? Paano? At Bakit?" (Do We Need a Scientific Permit? When? How? Why?), the forum aimed to simplify the process of acquiring scientific permits and to discuss improvements in regulatory implementation, all for the betterment of the Filipino scientific community.
Scientific permits are mandated by law and serve to protect and preserve natural resources, particularly endangered species and their habitats.
Leading national and international scientific journals often require researchers to obtain such permits to ensure ethical research practices, sustainable study conduct and to prevent potential legal disputes.
NAST-PHL said that in the Philippines, the issuance of scientific permits is governed by several regulatory bodies, including the Department of Environment and Natural Resources-Biodiversity Management Bureau (DENR-BMB), Palawan Council for Sustainable Development, Department of Agriculture-Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, and the National Museum of the Philippines.
Katherine Soriano from DENR-BMB emphasized the importance of understanding the roles and responsibilities of these agencies in implementing the Wildlife Resources Conservation Act or Republic Act 9147.
This law necessitates a Gratuitous Permit for research that involves collecting wild flora and fauna specimens and their byproducts and derivatives.
Soriano also pointed out that the process flow, requirements, and permit signatories vary based on factors such as the applicant type (foreign or local), collection sites, and the specific research context.
Moreover, it said among the challenges clients seeking scientific permits face are "difficulties in submitting the necessary requirements to the correct office and delays in the permit acquisition process, which can hamper research activities."
“Getting a permit is not a right but a privilege. It is not given naturally but rather an obligation that we need to comply with before we acquire it,” it added.