THE ADVANCEMENT of science and technology in the country has been fuelled by the recent signing of the Balik Scientist law by President Rodrigo Roa A. Duterte.
Republic Act (RA) 11035, or the “Act Institutionalizing the Balik Scientist Program,” is expected to provide more incentives to returning Filipino experts, scientists, inventors, and engineers who would share their expertise in the country.
The said law would strengthen the implementation of the Department of Science and Technology’s (DOST’s) Balik Scientist Program which was first established in 1975 through Presidential Decree No. 819, however, it was only implemented in 1986.
Since its implementation, several scientists have returned in the country on short- and long-term basis to mentor science and engineering students and faculty along their line of expertise through research and development, teaching, and other activities.
This sharing of expertise significantly contributed to the acceleration of the scientific, agro-industrial and economic development of the country.
Through the Balik Scientist Law, a returning scientist can participate in the DOST’s Grants-in-Aid research and development.
A grant may be provided to the Balik Scientist and released through the host institution for the implementation of the project in accordance with relevant government regulations and the need of the program involved.
A Balik Scientist can also enjoy various compensations which include tax and duty exemptions to importation of professional equipment and materials, free medical and accident insurance covering the award period, reimbursement of expenses for baggage related to scientific projects, and even exemption from “renouncing their oath of allegiance to the country where they took the oath.”
The benefits also include special working and non-working visas, a round-trip airfare from a foreign country to the Philippines, exemption from local travel tax, and DOST-subsidized visa application.
Also under the bill, long-term Balik Scientist awardees can enjoy relocation benefits, such as support in securing job opportunities for the spouse of the awardee, and admission support for the children of awardees in preferred schools, relocation allowance and monthly housing or accommodation allowance, and funding for the establishment and development of a facility or laboratory.
After its passage in the bicameral session last March, DOST Secretary Fortunato T. de la Peña said this is very crucial to strengthen the Balik Scientist Program of the DOST because we have areas that lack experts such as space technology and artificial intelligence which are just starting.
He believes that having enough human resource in these fields would help the country in conducting various research and development projects in these areas.
The bill also states that the Balik Scientist Program will prioritize experts in the fields of space, technology, artificial intelligence, biomedical engineering, energy, agriculture, food technology, biotechnology, information and communications technology, pharmaceutical, disaster mitigation and management, environment and natural resources, electronics, genomics, health, manufacturing, nanotechnology, cyber security, and semiconductors.
The counterparts of Senator Bam Aquino, the principal sponsor and author of the Balik Scientist bill, in the House of Representatives are Representatives Seth Frederick R. Jalosjos, Divina Grace C. Yu, and Erico Aristotle C. Aumentado. (jaypeeyap@ymail.com/PN)
