Brilliant Minds Amid Dirty Politics
EVERY Filipino is on his heels as the whole country awaits President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo to deliver her State of the Nation Address on Monday. Who can blame us? The political situation in the past months has been nothing but ordinary.The recently concluded elections have shown some glimmer of hope for change. The Senate is now controlled by the opposition despite token allegations of massive cheating on both sides. Although the administration reasserts its control of the House of Representatives, there has been news of in-fighting among administration congressmen on who would take on the Speakership. The administration, however, boasts of lopsided victories of their candidates in the local governments.
Filipinos from all over the world have also been keen on the recent implementation of the Human Security Act of 2007, better known as the Anti-terror Bill. The spate of political disappearances and the countless human rights abuses simply make the average Juan dela Cruz defensive about this supposedly landmark law. In recent weeks, there has been an upsurge in skirmishes in Mindanao that resulted in numerous casualties on both the military and the Islamic separatists.
At least there’s one good news of late. The release of Italian priest Giancarlo Bossi from Abu Sayaff kidnappers after being held for 40 days has every Filipino breathing a well-deserved sigh of relief.
Still, some issues deemed not worthy of front page coverage may just open a well-spring of hope of the country. If we just make politics take a back seat for a while, we may find refuge in some aspects of society Filipinos can truly be proud of.
Last week, the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) celebrated National Science and Technology Week. In the week-long event, the best scientific minds of the country converged and conferred on technology innovation for micro to small and medium enterprises or MSMEs. Different DOST offices opened house to showcase Filipino achievements in alternative energy, information and technology, health and environment and technology.
Needless to say, the event came and went without much fanfare. Indeed, achievements in this sector of society only become apparent in the long run. However, more than the actual scientific discoveries or innovative inventions, if at all, this meeting of minds only shows that there are Filipinos who, in their quiet achievements, deserve big attention and loud praise. Silently, they breathe hope to our nation’s future.
While Filipinos are not generally known to be scientifically and technologically inclined, the recently-concluded National Science and Technology Week shows there are some, if not a few, who can excel in this field. We reserve this space for them before the political arena becomes animated once more next week as the 14th Congress officially opens.
We salute the beautiful minds of Filipino science and technology advocates.
