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The NAST Philippines, the government’s highest recognition and advisory body on science and technology joins the scientific community in mourning the demise of Academician Ramon F. Abarque Jr. He passed away on January 9, 2018. He was 89.

Acd. Abarquez is recognized by NAST in 1993 for his significant contributions in the field of cardiovascular diseases and to exercise ECG methodology. His career has yielded many of the seminal papers in cardiology over the years – pioneering works that are no less than groundbreaking. Among his important pioneering works include: ECG testing during exercise using an electrode he designed which is universally accepted for its superior prognostic implications; the ECG diagnosis of hypokalemia (low levels of potassium in the blood); and the use of digitalis as prophylactic and protectant against heart failure. He, with other scientists, was also involved in the study on thrombolysis (clot) dissolution, now a standard therapy for typical heart attack cases first studied in 1964 inexperimentally occluded coronary vessels in dogs.

He obtained his AB (1948) and MD (1953) from the University of the Philippines. He undertook post graduate training in internal medicine, cardiology and physiology at Memorial Bellevue Division of Cornell Medical School, New York City on a Rockefeller Fellowship and New York Heart Association Research Grant. From instructor, he worked his way to Professor at the College of Medicine, UP Manila and held various positions at UP. He also held positions in private sector and hospitals.

Among his many awards are the Cultural Heritage Award for outstanding contribution to science and technology (1963), Achievement Award in Medical Sciences, Philippine National Science Society (National Research Council of the Philippines) (1989), and Distinguished Scientist Award, Philippine Heart Association (1986).

NAST PHL held a necrological service, in coordination with the Philippine College of Physicians and Philippine Society of Hypertension, at 7:00PM at Heritage Memorial Park, Taguig City.

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The world’s academies of science release a ‘Statement on Climate Change and Education’.
 
For the remainder of the 21st century and beyond, climate change poses an existential threat to humanity.

Under the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement, the world’s nations agreed to keep global temperature rises to within 2 degrees above pre-industrial levels. One degree of that rise has already occurred. However, in the recent COP23 meeting held in Bonn, Germany, we are still heading towards 3 degrees rise, and possibly more. The Paris Agreement also states “Parties should take measures ... to enhance climate change education” (Paris Agreement, Art.12).

“Decisions on how to tackle the effects of climate change need to be based on sound science and rational judgement,” says Krishan Lal (India), co-chair of IAP for Science. “They will also need to be made through the coming years – so it is the younger generation, currently in schools and learning about science, who will need to make those decisions.”

Unfortunately, in many countries, science education is often poor and does not develop the rational thinking or provide the inter-disciplinary study required to learn about climate change.

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MANILA HOTEL—Academician Guillermo Q. Tabios III represented the National Academy of Science and Technology, Philippines (NAST PHL) in the 6th Philippine Professional Summit (PPS) as he spoke on “Breakthroughs in Science and Technology and their Impact on the Philippine Infrastructure Development Program.” This event, co-organized by the Philippine Association of the Professional Regulatory Board Members, Inc. (PAPRB) and the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC), gathered Filipino professionals from around the world to engage them on “THE GLOCAL FILIPINO PROFESSIONALS: Responding to the Philippine Aspirations and International Development with ‘MALASAKIT AT PAGBABAGO.
 
The Summit was organized to discuss the Philippine Development Plan 2017 – 2022, covering both of its hard and soft infrastructure programs, which serves as leverage for the country’s competitiveness. PAPRB and NAST PHL coordinated in observance of science and technology’s role in improving the competitiveness of the Filipino professional, specifically on “Breakthroughs in Science and Technology and their Impact on the Philippine Infrastructure Development Program.” His Excellency, President Rodrigo Roa Duterte, delivered the keynote address for the event, standing firm behind his administration’s actions against corruption, illegal drugs and extremism. He ended his speech by emphasizing his task to “protect the people and preserve the Republic of the Philippines.”
 
 
Acd. Guillermo Q. Tabios III, member of the Engineering Sciences and Technology Division of NAST PHL, discussed the Role of Science and Technology in Water Resources Infrastructure Development. Three water resources systems were showcased to illustrate the use of science-based tools to evaluate alternative plans and configurations. These systems are namely: (1) Metro’s Manila New Centennial water supply project to meet the increasing domestic water demand of Metro Manila; (2) Balog-Balog Dam to augment the irrigation water needs of Tarlac rice farms; and (3) Cagayan de Oro River flood mitigation plan, which had to be revisited after Typhoon Sendong of December 2011.