The House Committee on Higher and Technical Education chaired by Rep. Ann Hofer (2nd District, Zamboanga Sibugay) recently approved a measure institutionalizing an annual research competition among colleges and universities to help boost national development.
Rep. Salvador Belaro, who authored House Bill 4254 or the proposed “Research Competitive Act of 2016,” sought for the approval of the measure saying that in many developed economies, the academe is an indispensable partner of industry on research, and the output of the academe is the time-tested catapult of innovation in business and the private sector.
The output of the academe is the time-tested catapult of innovation in business and the private sector.
The bill mandates all schools and universities to hold an annual research competition among their students. Competition categories along fields of study may be made by each college or university.
It also provides for the holding of an annual research competition among colleges and universities within a particular province or region to be participated in by the winners of the research competition in the school level.
Winners of the provincial competition shall compete in the annual regional competition and winners in the annual regional competition shall compete in the national annual competition, according to the bill.
The Commission on Higher Education (CHED), in collaboration with the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), shall formulate the rules and regulations. The funds necessary to carry out the provisions of the said measure shall be included in the General Appropriations Act of the year following its enactment into law and thereafter.
The Association of Local Colleges and Universities (ALCU) expressed strong support for the bill.
“The development of manpower resources will really need a strong research culture and research arm that will help push the productivity level of our manpower resources in the country,” said ALCU Executive Director Dr. Dalisay Brawner.