A product of the public-school system, Filemon Berba Jr., chairman of the Philippine Foundation for Science and Technology (PFST), is aware that students in public schools need all the support to be exposed in science and its related disciplines.
Through his leadership and the support of the board of trustees, council of advisers, officers and staff, the PFST continues to promote scientific culture to students, especially to those in the public-school system.
In a recent interview with the BusinessMirror, the former Ayala Corp. executive said science exhibits are the centerpiece of promoting science to the youth.
“Our mission is to promote the basic foundation of science to the youth,” Berba pointed out.
“We will stick to that objective. Developing the scientific foundation and culture is a must for the youth to ensure they will appreciate the current trends in science,” he added.
PFST’s projects and undertakings are anchored on its flagship program, the Philippine Science Centrum (PSC), which promotes the interactive-learning approach in creating science and technology consciousness and interest among the youth and the general populace.
Its seven traveling exhibits are also part of PFST’s promotion of science around the country.
The PFST reported that combined visitors’ attendance to the PSC and its traveling exhibitions for 2017 and the first quarter of 2018 totaled 482,467 visitors.
The PFST regularly conducts 140 to 150 interactive exhibits every year. Around 60,000 to 70,000 visit the Science Centrum annually.
The traveling exhibits have accommodated 370,995 in 2017. In the first quarter of 2018, it has received 54,718 visitors in 26 venues, accommodating a total of 425,713 for 2018.
Berba said PFST has partnered with local government units and public schools in organizing the exhibits. They share on a 50-50 basis the proceeds in the gate receipts of the exhibits.
“It helps us get above the water,” he said.
He described as “fun and chaotic” as children explore the wonders of science at the centrum. Besides showing science items, it also hosts birthday parties with a science theme.
“This gives the celebrator and the guests as well a chance to learn something about science in a fun way,” he said.
He commended former Science Secretary Estrella Alabastro for the support to PFST and current Science Secretary Fortunato T. de la Peña, who allotted P10 million last year which benefited 205,000 students of Soccsksargen and the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, who are victims of war, violence and conflict.
The holding of science exhibits in the war-torn area was commended by the United States-based Association Science and Technology Centers in the World.
Moreover, PFST Executive Director May Pagsinohin was cited by the Informal Learning Leadership Collaborative for her leadership in science center management.
As part of the celebration of its 28th anniversary in 2018, the foundation organized a Science Café with the topic “Advance Life Support: Keeping Astronauts Alive and Well.” It featured Balik Scientist, Dr. Apollo Arquiza, known for his achievement as the first to cook by frying in a simulated low-gravity environment (moon and Mars) on the G-Force One Plane under the National Aeronautics and Space Administration reduced gravity program.
Established in 1984, the PFST is a nonstock, nonprofit private organization dedicated in producing a critical mass of young people interested in the value of science for their future.
Dr. Ruby Cristobal, division chief of the Science Education Institute of the Department of Science and Technology, said facilities, such as the Mind Museum and the PSC, play a key role in the promotion of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).
“Exposure to interactive exhibits provide an opportunity for an open approach to learning STEM, since students get to directly experience how a particular concept is operationalized in an engaging way,” she told the BusinessMirror in a recent e-mail interview.
Cristobal pointed out that facilities, such as the Mind Museum and the PSC, should continue to be responsive to the K to 12 curriculum, to fill the gaps in terms of making abstract concepts more concrete, closer to everyday experience such that learners will be able to recognize, infer and think critically about their occurrence and application in the physical world, in a way that follows the scientific process.
“In other words, knowledge should be operationalized and practiced,” she added.
Cristobal said teachers should take advantage of the exposure of their students to interactive exhibits by integrating their experience to the planned lessons in order to reinforce and enrich very abstract concepts.
She said the government should strengthen its collaboration with civil society organizations behind these science centers, and should also provide the model through the Salinlahi project of National Academy of Science and Technology.
Image credits: PSC photo