Press Release
July 10, 2008

ANGARA: S&T BREAKTHROUGHS ARE EFFECTIVE ANTIDOTE FOR SOARING PRICES OF FOOD, FUEL

Senator Edgardo J. Angara today urged agriculture and food scientists to work closely in formulating a comprehensive plan to cope with the looming crisis of continuously increasing food and fuel prices.

Speaking at the 3rd National Convention of the Outstanding Young Scientists, Inc., Angara stressed that there is a need to reasonably predict and carefully draw the map of what our country's future will be at this critical time and in the advent of technological revolution.

"Scientific breakthroughs are birthing all over the world. It's like a falling star. All we have to do is gather and spot what are useful to us in this country and adapt them to our situation. The revolution in bio-technology, nanotechnology, neuro-technology, ICT [information, communication technology] is rapidly and radically changing the planet; and the way we live, our lifestyle, our expectations, our quality of life. The change is taking place right now," said Angara, who also chairs Congressional Commission on Science, Technology and Engineering (COMSTE).

Angara also observed that the burden of food and fuel is heavily shouldered by the Filipinos despite the fact that our country for quite some time has trained many farmers from neighboring countries.

"We might have difficulties in fuel, yes, because we are fossil-dependent so I am not too much lamenting on that fact; but more on food because there is absolutely no reason why its prices as well as supply should be insufficient in this country," Angara said.

He added, "The modern technologies and instruments right now make life less miserable; if we have longevity, that long life can be a healthy life with the magic of DNA drugs and stem-cells through the power of neuro-science. It can be said that now we can lengthen people's lives and make them healthy at the same time. But what is the use of a long life and healthy life if there's no food, no light, and no power. If we just focus and target and not be fickle-minded about producing enough food for our people, surely we can manage this crisis."

Angara also stressed that if the country concentrates on developing renewable sources of energy, imported fuel dependency will be lessened.

"Believe me, right now we are 80 percent dependent on imported fossil fuel; but if we will just concentrate on developing our renewable sources of energy like wind, water, geothermal, biomass and solar within 5 years, we can change that formula and make it 50-50. Fifty from renewable sources, 50 from fossil fuel. This poses a tremendous advantage if we are going to use a cleaner technology. Our environment will be cleaner and we would not use dollars or euros to import because these are our own resources," Angara said.

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