PCAARRD to mark its 9th anniversary

THE Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources and Development of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST-PCAARRD) will be celebrating its 9th anniversary on December 22, 2020.

In the virtual celebration, the DOST-PCAARRD will underscore its dedication to improve the agriculture, aquatic, and natural resources sector (AANR) in the country.

With the theme “PCAARRD @9: Recognizing Excellence ‘GALING’ Amidst the Pandemic,” DOST-PCAARD is set to recognize its partners in research and development (R&D) and the media with its annual Science and Technology (S&T) Awards and Recognition.

The event which starts at 1:30 p.m. can be viewed via Facebook Live and is expected to be attended by partners and friends from research and development institutions, media, DOST officials and other personalities from the private and public sectors.

According to it, the theme stemmed from the program dubbed Good Agri-Aqua Livelihood Initiatives towards National Goals (GALING)-PCAARRD Kontra Covid-19, which the DOST-PCAARRD initiated as its response to the effects of the global health pandemic.

PCAARRD said the term “galing” is a Filipino word that connotes healing and excellence, which resonates with its tagline: Excellence in agriculture, aquatic, and natural resources sector (AANR) Innovations.

When pronounced with a slower accent, “galing” likewise means “from,” denoting that the technology offerings are from the various research and development (R&D) initiatives of the DOST-PCAARRD.

The celebration underscores the council’s continued commitment to improve AANR through R&D, technology transfer activities, and various services.

For this year, the ceremonies will be recognizing the contributions that improved and developed the lives of Filipino people amid the COVID-19 pandemic through the following awards that will be handed out during that day: Best R&D Paper Awards, Dr. Elvira O. Tan Awards, the Ulat SIPAG Awards, and Ugnay Awards.

Breakthroughs in innovations and research of Filipino scientists that were recently presented in the National Symposium on Agriculture and Aquatic Resources Research and Development will be recognized as the Best Research and Best Development Papers.

The Dr. Elvira O. Tan Awards acknowledges outstanding Filipino scientists and researchers for their publication of R&D results that support the mission of the DOST-PCAARRD in developing the country’s economy and food security.

While the Ulat SIPAG Awards recognizes private professional media practitioners in both print and broadcast media that help promote S&T articles on PCAARRD’s priority concerns, particularly its initiatives in Industry Strategic S&T Programs or ISPs.

Among the participants in the 2020 Ulat SIPAG Awards is Panay News that has already posted two consecutive victories in the 2018 and 2019 editions of the competition.

This year, PCAARRD is bringing back the Ugnay Awards, which aims to recognize the outstanding accomplishments of the Regional R&D Consortia, while completers of the GREAT or Graduate Research and Education Assistantship for Technology Program will be feted.

Other than the awards, the council will likewise accentuate the accomplishments of the DOST-PCAARRD Innovation and Technology Center (DPITC), introduce the new Learning Management System, and launch several new publications.

The event will be streamed live via the DOST-PCAARRD’s official Facebook page, www.facebook.com/pcaarrd./PN