The National Research Council of the Philippines (NRCP) responded to a query raised about Filipino scientists regarding support for their discoveries and inventions. Sepeda emphasized collaboration with government agencies for funding and implementation.
NRCP Executive Director Dr. Bernardo Sepeda said: "Sa kasalukuyan, ang pino-pondohan namin ay ang mga basic research at pagdating sa application, may iba't ibang ahensya tayo sa pamahalaan na 'yan naman ang trabaho (Currently, what we fund is basic research, and when it comes to application, we have various government agencies that handle that aspect)."
"While NRCP focuses on funding basic research, agencies like the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), Department of Agriculture (DA), and Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) provide support for application-oriented projects," explained Sepeda.
"Pero in terms of supporting our scientists, there is a lot of support from the ground lalo na sa mga regional offices (But in terms of supporting our scientists, there is a lot of support from the ground, especially in the regional offices)," he said.
Sepeda encouraged Filipino scientists to engage with regional offices and seek support for their initiatives, stressing the importance of partnerships in driving impactful solutions at the community level.
Moreover, to encourage broader participation in NRCP activities, he invited interested individuals to apply for membership through the NRCP website, emphasizing the organization's role in fostering collaboration and innovation for the benefit of the nation.
With its unwavering commitment to research excellence, he said that the NRCP continues to spearhead efforts to address societal challenges and drive sustainable development through science and innovation.