Congress studying laws to improve RP competitiveness
By Erwin Oliva
INQUIRER.net
First Posted 18:21:00 06/25/2008
MAKATI City, Philippines -- A bicameral congressional commission has met to explore possible amendments to laws to improve the country's competitiveness in six sectors, which includes the information and communications technology industry.
A panel representing the high-tech industry has identified the nagging problems of brain drain, data privacy and intellectual property as roadblocks to the country's competitiveness worldwide during an en banc meeting of the Congressional Commission on Science, Technology and Engineering (Comste) attended by lawmakers and a panel of experts early this month.
Senator Edgardo Angara, who presided over the en banc meeting, is among the lawmakers involved in the congressional commission. Lawmakers who attended include Senator Pia Cayetano, Representative Juan Angara and Representative Mariano Piamonte.
Angara and House Representative Joseph Abaya of the first district of Cavite presided during the meeting.
"The end goal is for a legislation that will make our country competitive in six sectors," said Dennis Posadas, deputy executive director of Comste, in an interview.
Comste has created six expert panels representing the food and agriculture; health; semiconductor and electronics; ICT; basic science, math, and engineering education; and energy and environment, said Posadas.
The meeting was meant to find out the current status of the country in these six sectors, Posadas added.
Comste is scheduled to hold another en banc meeting sometime in August to discuss where "the country wants to go," he said.
Comste was created by a joint resolution of the 13th Congress to "create, amend, or repeal laws and propose budgets that will make the Philippines competitive in science and technology," a statement from the Comste said.
In its report, the semiconductor and electronics panel noted that the country is now lagging behind neighboring countries like Vietnam and China, as the country has been largely unsuccessful in efforts to create an environment capable of attracting and sustaining future investments.
The basic science, math and education panel said there was a need for an appropriate curriculum to provide students with the necessary qualifications for the professional sector.
The energy and environment panel zeroed in on the need to implement laws, such as the Biofuels Act and seek the passage of the Renewable Energy bill, which would help direct efforts to free ourselves from dependence on foreign fuel supplies.
The health panel, for its part, noted outdated legislations and the migration doctors and nurses to foreign countries.
The food and agriculture panel expressed concern over the declining productivity of domestic farms and the growing reliance on imported food sources such as rice.
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