The Balik Scientist program was established in 1975 but only implemented in 1986 to encourage returning Filipino scientists and experts. President Duterte recently signed the Balik Scientist Act to provide incentives like tax exemptions and funding to address the country's lack of over 19,000 scientists needed. Senator Bam Aquino, author of the bill, hopes this will help the Philippines increase its ratio of 189 scientists per million to be on par with countries like South Korea which has over 5,000 scientists per million.
The Balik Scientist program was established in 1975 but only implemented in 1986 to encourage returning Filipino scientists and experts. President Duterte recently signed the Balik Scientist Act to provide incentives like tax exemptions and funding to address the country's lack of over 19,000 scientists needed. Senator Bam Aquino, author of the bill, hopes this will help the Philippines increase its ratio of 189 scientists per million to be on par with countries like South Korea which has over 5,000 scientists per million.
The Balik Scientist program was established in 1975 but only implemented in 1986 to encourage returning Filipino scientists and experts. President Duterte recently signed the Balik Scientist Act to provide incentives like tax exemptions and funding to address the country's lack of over 19,000 scientists needed. Senator Bam Aquino, author of the bill, hopes this will help the Philippines increase its ratio of 189 scientists per million to be on par with countries like South Korea which has over 5,000 scientists per million.
Duterte signs Balik Scientist law The Balik Scientist program under the DOST was first
established in 1975 through Presidential Decree No. 819
MANILA, Philippines – President Rodrigo Duterte signed under the administration of former president Ferdinand into law a measure providing incentives and assistance to Marcos. But it was only implemented until 1986. returning Filipino experts, scientists, inventors, and engineers. PH lacks 19,000 scientists in research and dev't – Bam Aquino Duterte signed Republic Act No. 11035 or the Balik Scientist Act, after the Senate and the House of MANILA, Philippines – The Philippines needs 19,000 Representatives ratified the final version in March. more scientists to be a significant force in research and development, Senator Paulo Benigno "Bam" Aquino said Senator Paolo Benigno Aquino IV, principal sponsor and on Saturday, May 13. author of the measure, welcomed the passage of the law, saying it would also address the country's lack of scientists. The United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (Unesco) suggests a ratio of 380 scientists per "Matutugunan din ng batas na ito ang kakulangan ng bansa every million population. sa scientists, upang makasabay na tayo sa ating mga kapitbahay sa Asya na mas marami ang nagtatrabaho sa During a hearing on Senate Bill No. 175 or "Balik Scientist research and development," Aquino said in a statement on Bill", it was discovered that the country only has 189 Thursday, June 21. scientists per million, far from the ideal figure. There are about 110 million Filipinos based on the latest census. (This law will address the lack of scientists in the country, (READ: Can the Philippines produce its own Einsteins?) so we can catch up with our Asian neighbors, which has more people working for research and development.) “Paano tayo makakasabay sa ibang bansa pagdating sa research at development kung kulang tayo ng 19,000 During the Senate hearings, it was discovered that the scientists?” asked Aquino, author of the bill and the current country has only 189 scientists per million, when the ideal chair of the Senate committee on science and technology. ratio is 380 scientists per million. (How do we keep up with other countries in terms of research and development if we lack 19,000 scientists?) Aquino pointed out that the Philippines trails South Korea and the United States, which have 5,300 and 3,500 The Balik Scientist Bill seeks to institutionalize the scientists per million, respectively. Malaysia, for its part, program of the Department of Science and Technology. has 2,000 scientists per million. (READ: 5 things to make PH a better place for scientists) The program provides overseas Filipino scientists with financial benefits and incentives to encourage them to Key provisions return and contribute to research that will address development gaps in the country. Under the law, the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) will be the main implementing agency. “Sa tulong ng panukalang ito, mahihikayat natin ang mga Filipino scientist sa ibang bansa na bumalik sa Pilipinas at According to the DOST, a returning scientist can enjoy tumulong sa pagpapaunlad ng ating research and various forms of compensation, such as: development,” Aquino said. (With the help of this measure, we can encourage Filipino scientists abroad to return to the tax and duty exemptions in the importation of Philippines and help boost research and development.) professional equipment and materials free medical and accident insurance covering the The Balik Scientist program is among the priority measures award period of the Senate committee on science and technology. reimbursement of expenses for baggage related to scientific projects Data from the Senate committe shows that the country exemption from "renouncing their oath of pales in comparison with other countries in terms of the allegiance to the country where they took the oath" number of scientists in the government and private sector. participation in the DOST's Grants-in-Aid research and development According to the committee, South Korea and the US have special working and non-working visas and 5,300 and 3,500 scientists per million, respectively. In DOST-subsidized visa application Southeast Asia, Malaysia has 2,000 scientists per million – way higher than the Philippines' 189 per million. round-trip airfare from a foreign country to the Philippines A 2015 report from UNESCO Institute for Statistics shows exemption from local travel tax that among 157 countries, Israel has the biggest number of They can also avail of relocation benefits, such as support scientists per million population at 8,300. In Asia, South in securing job opportunities for the spouse and in Korea is tops with 6,900 scientists per million as of 2015. admitting children into preferred schools, monthly housing or accommodation allowance, and funding for the Meanwhile, Singapore and Malaysia each have 6,700 and establishment and development of a facility or laboratory. 2,100, respectively. They are the top two countries in Southeast Asia with scientists. Science and Technology Assistant Secretary Teodoro Gatchalian earlier said that the current funding for the Balik Scientist program would increase significantly with the law's passage. The DOST had a budget of P25 million for the program in 2017. (READ: Making policy decisions on the Philippine scientific enterprise system)