Apart from higher wages, free housing units and service vehicles await Filipino scientists in return for helping solve “challenges of living in modern society,” Senator Panfilo M. Lacson said over the weekend.
In a statement last Sunday, the Senator affirmed that “contributions of Filipino scientists to help solve the challenges of living in modern society would not be left unappreciated.”
As presidential candidate, Lacson bared plans to provide scientists “free housing units and vehicles on top of better salaries” under his presidency.
Lacson assured this move is part of his and running mate Senate President Vicente ‘Tito’ Sotto III’s overall objective to “offer more dignified compensation packages for those who are supporting the research and development (R&D) sector, especially in aid of our farmers.”
The Lacson-Sotto presidential tandem assured they are open to the suggestion of senatorial candidate Emmanuel F. Piñol to consider granting Filipino scientists a special rate, separate from the normal civil service salary grading of government employees, to keep themselves motivated.
“Piñol was right: If you are a scientist, you deserve an incentive,” Lacson said at a town hall forum with residents, farmers and researchers during their sortie in Zamboanga, endorsing the higher salary grade that distinguishes the Filipino scientists from the ranks of civil service employees under the Civil Service Commission.
Lacson lamented that “we have a lot of talented researchers, but due to lack of funding and support, they are forced to take their talents abroad where they are supported.”
“Once they develop their inventions there, we buy it back; but while they were here, we let them go.”
The Lacson-Sotto campaign team flew to Ipil, Zamboanga Sibugay last March 30 with Piñol and his fellow senatorial aspirant Dr. Minguita Padilla where they were informed of the many challenges confronting the farming sector, which the scientific community could help address with better research funding.
During the forum, the presidential tandem reaffirmed the need to invest further in the R&D industry, which is only receiving 0.4 percent from the national budget. Under his administration, Lacson vows to increase this to at least two percent so that more scientists could support our agriculture, public health and engineering sectors.
“I have always been appreciative of the [R&D industry] because it helps our country survive,” he added, “so that we don’t have to keep buying (products and services) from other countries.”