National S&T scholars presented to Secretary Montejo

Some of this year’s Science and Technology scholars were presented to the Department of Science and Technology Secretary Mario G. Montejo at a ceremony held in the Executive Lounge in the DOST Compound on April 27.   On November 20 last year, a total of 25,672 examinees took the 2012 DOST-SEI Undergraduate Scholarship Examination in 128 test centers nationwide. Only 3,359 qualified for the scholarship. Of this number, 2,594 are recipients of the Science and Technology Scholarship Act of 1994 (Republic Act 7687) and 405 are DOST-SEI Merit Scholars.   The qualifiers from the National Capital Region (about 10% of the total) were at the ceremony.   DOST Undersecretary for S&T Services Fortunato dela Peña said that this year’s unprecedented number of qualifiers is proof of the government’s growing commitment to science and technology. “We hope that we will have 10,000 scholars by next year,” he said. “Our scholars come from all walks of life and from all fields. The Philippines’ greatest asset is its human resource and I believe that we should continue to harness it.”   One highlight of the ceremony was when Dr. Jose Ernie C. Lope, a past scholar, took to the podium, to talk to the students about what the scholarship had done for him.   Lope is currently an Associate Professor at the Institute of Mathematics of the University of the Philippines and was a DOST-SEI scholar in 1991. He graduated summa cum laude from UP with a Bachelor of Science and received his MS and PhD from Sophia University in Tokyo.   He also won first place in the Du Pont Talent Search for Young Scientists in 2002.   Secretary Montejo also told the students that the scholarship would aid their families by easing the burden of paying for their education, and will help them become productive and accomplished members of society.   “There are plenty of opportunities out there, not just in government but in business,” Montejo said, referring to his own background as a successful inventor and entrepreneur.  “Walang kasing competitive as the S&T field in the country.” - AMD, GMA News