The National Academy of Science and Technology, Philippines (NAST PHL) will conduct its 39th Annual Scientific Meeting (ASM) on July 12 – 13, 2017 with the theme “Attaining Sustainable Development Goals: Philippine Fisheries and Other Aquatic Resources 20/20”.
For this year, NAST PHL adopted the Sustainable Development Goals (SGDs) to be its overarching theme. The Agricultural Sciences Division, being the host division, agreed to focus on “fisheries” where science is critical. They are also interested in determining how these sectors will impact the achievement of SGDs in the Philippines.
This annual activity of the Academy aims to convene a conference to determine how the Philippines will achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. It serves as the leading forum for the presentation of the results of scientific and policy research.
In line with the thrust of the Duterte administration, NAST PHL will conduct Regional Scientific Meetings in Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. For Luzon, NAST PHL will hold the two-day Regional Scientific Meeting in Baguuio City on 15 – 16 May 2017. This is in coordination with the Department of Science and Technology Luzon Cluster (Regions I, II, III, IV-A, IV-B, V, CAR, and NCR).
Invited experts include: Dr. Vachel Gay B. Paller, associate professor at the Institute of Biological Sciences of UP Los Baños, will discuss about “Fish Health and Its Implications to Food Security”; Dr. Maria Lourdes San Diego-McGlone, professor at the Marine Science Institute, will discuss “Water Quality Issues Linked to Fish Production”; Dr. Lynn Crisanta Panganiban, professor at the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology of the UP College of Medicine and consultant at the National Poison Management and Control Center, will discuss “Environmental Contamination of Aquatic Resources: Implications on Health”; Ms. Josie Platon-Desnacido, Science Research Specialist at the Food and Nutrition Research Institute, who will discuss about “Fish in the Filipino Diet: Pros and Cons”; Dr. Aaron Joseph L. Villaraza, associate professor at the Institute of Chemistry, College of Science UP Diliman, will talk about “The Philippine Seas: Frontier of Pharmaceutical Discovery and Development”; and Dr. Ravelina R. Velasco, acting dean of thw College of Fisheries of Central Luzon State University, will discuss about “Freshwater Aquaculture: Status, Prospects, and Problems in the Philippines”.
Policy recommendations on appropriate interventions as agreed upon during the plenary sessions will be submitted to the Philippine government and the private sector. More than 350 scientists and researchers from all over Luzon are expected to attend this activity.