On July 12-15, 2021, the National Academy of the Science and Technology, Philippines (NAST PHL) will conduct the 43rd Annual Scientific Meeting (ASM) with the theme "COVID-19 Pandemic: Learning from the Past, Coping with the Present, Moving to the Next.". The Health Sciences Division, chaired by Academician (Acd.) Jaime C. Montoya will be hosting the 43rd ASM. This is the second ASM to be conducted virtually due to the restrictions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The 43rd ASM will serve as a forum for sharing of best practices on coping with and addressing the Covid19 pandemic as well as discussing the existing gaps and problems in the country’s health care delivery and health infrastructure, which were further aggravated by the global pandemic. Impacting on all sectors of society and national development, it has become imperative that we learn from these experiences during this crisis and institute all of the needed health reforms and improvements to make our health and social systems more resilient and responsive to emergent and emerging health crises. Another pandemic like COVID-19 is inevitable in the future so we have to learn from what we have done in the past, assess where we are and address the current gaps, and problems to be better prepared for such an occurrence in the future.

This year’s ASM is fully packed with significant events such as the (1) launching of Scientific Poster on July 12, (2) launching of NAST Digital Publications on July 13, (3) presentation of research results of NAST Awardees, and the most awaited part, (4) awarding ceremony for different NAST Awards on July 15. The Investiture and Oath Taking of New Academicians and Corresponding Members will also be held on the last day of the 43rd ASM.

Gracing the 43rd ASM are Dr. Anthony S. Fauci, Director, US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Dr. Francisco Q. Duque III, Secretary, Department of Health, and Secretary Carlito G. Galvez Jr., Chief Implementer, National Policy Against COVID-19 as keynote speakers. There will be six (6) plenary sessions, which will cover the following topics: Food, Environment, and Health: Exploring the Connections; Viral Evolution, Dynamics, and Modelling Interventions; Systems Approaches to Address Present-day Hazards; Educating for our Future: Retrieving the COVID-19 Generation; Balancing the Economy and Health; and Health Systems Response and Preparedness.

Prior to the conduct of the 43rd ASM, Regional Scientific Meetings (RSMs) in Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao were conducted in partnership with the DOST Regional Offices. Discussions from the regions were used as basis of the presentations in the 43rd ASM. The resolutions generated from the RSMs will be also be incorporated in the 43rd ASM resolutions.

The Annual Scientific Meeting is an annual activity of the Academy that serves as the leading forum for the presentation of scientific and policy research. Policy recommendations on appropriate interventions will be submitted to the Philippine government and the private sector for their consideration and appropriate action.

Interested participants may still register at tinyurl.com/2021ASMRegistration. For more information, you may visit the NAST PHL website at www.nast.ph and social media accounts through: Facebook https://www.facebook.com/nastphl/, Instagram https://www.instagram.com/nastphl/, and Twitter https://twitter.com/nastphl.