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800 DOST scholars volunteer in fight against COVID-19

By NICOLE-ANNE C. LAGRIMAS,GMA News

Around 800 scholars of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) have volunteered for different roles in the department's agencies as the Philippine grapples with COVID-19, Secretary Fortunato dela Peña said Thursday.

He said DOST scholars from the bachelor's degree, master's and up to the PhD levels have volunteered across the country to perform various jobs, including encoding data, helping out as statistical clerks, and serving at the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine and other testing centers.

"Kami po ay natutuwa dahil ito ay pagpapakita ng sense of bayanihan ng ating mga DOST scholars," Dela Peña said at the Laging Handa briefing, adding that the number of volunteers may increase in the coming days.

He also said the DOST is looking to bring in additional experts to their pool to help evaluate suggestions submitted to them.

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President Rodrigo Duterte has told the DOST and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to double their workforce and to operate 24 hours a day amid the COVID-19 crisis.

Dela Peña said Thursday that the DOST can double its personnel once it launches all the projects in its pipeline.

He also explained that some of their staff members are assigned to monitor developments abroad, prompting them to work at night. Personnel who monitor clinical trials may also consult authorities anytime, he said.  --KBK, GMA News