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StatementofDOSTonconcernsoverDIWATA1|GOVPH

StatementofDOSTonconcernsoverDIWATA1|GOVPH

StatementoftheDepartmentofScienceandTechnology
OnEngr.PaoloEspiritusconcernsoverDiwata1
[ReleasedonApril5,2016,10:20a.m.]
TheDOSTrecognizesthatitsmainresourceinprogressingthecountrysR&Dagendaliesinthequality
ofitsscientistsandengineers.Assuch,thewelfareofourresearchersandscholarsistheDepartments
primaryconcern.
TheDOSTandthePHLMicrosatprogramteamofUPDilimanhavereadthepostofEngr.PaoloEspiritu
onsocialmediaonFriday,April1,2016.Intheafternoonofthesamedayameetingwascalledwith
Engr.Espirituandtwootherprojectengineerswhowerethenpresentinthecountry.
Asaresultofthatmeeting,theDOSTandthePHLMicrosatprogramwishtoprovidecertain
clarificationsandresolutionsasawaytomoveforward:
1.In2014,theDOSTPHLMicrosatProgramwasimplementedtobuildthecountrysfirstmicrosatellite
incollaborationwithHokkaidoandTohokuuniversitiesinJapanandtoprovideanopportunityforthe
nine(9)engineersinvolvedintheprojecttoobtaintheirMSdegreesfromtheseinstitutions.
2.Underthisplan,theengineerswereissuedstudentvisastoallowthemtostayinJapantobuildthe
microsatelliteandfinishtheirMSprogramsinpertinentengineeringfields.
3.DOSTfindsnothingderogatorywiththetermstudent.
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4.Asscholars,theDiwata1engineersinfactreceivestipends35%highercomparedtowhata
Monbushoscholarshipprovides.Ontopofthattheyalsogetadditionalcompensationfortheirworkin
thedevelopmentofthemicrosatellite.
5.Communicationlinesbetweentheengineers,theprojectteamandtheDOSThavealwaysbeen
open.Ontheirconcernontheworkloadoftheoriginalseven(7)engineers,theprogramteam
respondedbysendingtwo(2)additionalengineerstohelpintheDiwata1development.Moreover,
forDiwata2,morepersonnelwillbesentandlongerdevelopmenttimewillbeprovided.
6.TrainingofthelocalteammembersisprovidedforinthePHLMicrosatbudget.Theirparticipationis
equallyimportantandclearedbytheirprojectleadersandbyDOST.Thetaskofbuilding,launching
andoperatingamicrosatellitedonebythe9memberJapanbasedteamhastobesupportedby
othernecessaryactivitiessuchastheestablishmentofthegroundcontrolstation,calibrationand
validationofsensors,remotesensingproductdevelopment,buildingupamicrosatelliteresearchand
instructionalfacility,etc.ThisnecessitatesthetraveltoJapanofthelocalteammemberstotrainwith
theirJapanesecounterparts.
7.TheDOSTandthePHLMicrosatProgramreiteratetheirrecognitionoftheeffortsoftheFilipino
engineersandscientistsinvolvedinthedevelopmentofDiwatalandcontinuetohighlightand
emphasizetheircontributionsandaccomplishmentsinvariousvenues.
8.TheonlyfancyfoodtheDOSTofficialstookwasatthesimpledinnerhostedbyHokkaidoand
TohokuuniversitiesforsomeofficialsoftheJapanAerospaceExplorationAgency(JAXA),professors
fromthetwo(2)JapaneseuniversitiesandthePhilippineDiwatateamincludingtheengineers,two
(2)DOSTofficialsandone(1)UPofficial.
9.ThetwoDOSTofficialswenttoJapaninJanuary2016forthefollowingpurposes:1)tomeetwith
JAXAofficials(thePresident,VicePresidentsamongothers)andofficiallyturnoverDiwatatoJAXA,
theprogrampartnerforthetransportofDiwatatoNASA2)tomeetwithofficialsoftheJapanese
MinistryofTradeandIndustry(METI)and3)promotetheBalikScientistProgramamongtheJapan
basedFilipinoS&TexpertsincollaborationwiththePhilippineEmbassyinJapanandtheS&T
AdvisoryCouncil(STAC),JapanChapter.TheseDOSTofficialsweregivennomorethanadaily
subsistenceallowanceasallowedbygovernmentrules.
10.Areturnserviceobligationisaconditiosinequanonimposedonallgovernmentfunded
scholarships.ThisreturnserviceobligationcanbefulfilledbyworkinginthePhilippinesforthe
requirednumberofyearswithsalariespaidbyemployerswhetheringovernment,privateentitiesor
theacademe.
11.Theservicebondsarenotmeantaspaymentforscholarshipsandexpensesmadebythestateforall
grantees/scholars.Theyprovideamechanismforthecountrytobenefitfromwhatourscientistsand
engineershavelearnedintheirprograms.DOSTiscurrentlysupportingmorethan16,000S&T
undergraduatescholarsandPhilippineScienceHighSchoolscholarsandmorethan2,000Masters
andDoctoralstudentsbothhereandabroad.
12.Thereturnserviceobligationsareinaccordancewithexistinglawsandpoliciesandareclearlystated
inthecontractssignedbytheengineers.However,DOSTwillcontinuetoexploreequitableterms
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withintheboundariesofsuchlawsandpolicies.
13.DOSTtakesthisopportunitytorecognizethecontributionsofitsscholarsinnationbuildingthrough
science,technologyandinnovation.

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