Scientia Vol. 27 Issue No.1 (The Pursuit Issue)

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13 community

opinion Crossing the red line

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#Halalan2022 will not save us

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You should join Scientia (no, really)

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18 feature & literary

Joey Ocon: Powering the future for Filipino energy scientists

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Pandemic snap!

Research runs on 50% workforce

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The Missing Pieces Of A Puzzle

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How to Get Away With Terror

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Bridging the Gap: Alliances for S&T

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Eyes Watch, Eyes Linger

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Stride in Pride: 32 Demands of Filipino Queer Scientists

t h e c ove r The pandemic seized us all—but unequally. Those at the top move with looser restraints, while those at the bottom wrestle a firmer chokehold. We are trapped in this vertical prison, feeding off what’s left to descend on The Platform.

To truly defeated

contents

pursue a better normal, along with the system

the virus must be that aggravates it.

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Uncuff our scienti S opinion

cientists and researchers have time and again hunkered down to face the tiresome, if not daunting, task of cutting through the miles-long red tape that stands between them and the fulfillment of every publiclyfunded research project they wish to see through to the end. Never-ending piles of paperwork that have to be filled out and submitted have been a familiar and less-than-comforting mainstay in every office or laboratory since time immemorial. However, bureaucracy in the field of science and technology (S&T) in the Philippines may be more than just a workplace hassle preventing one from catching the last jeep home.

The slow burn of research The 149-page Republic Act No. 9184, otherwise known as the Government Procurement Reform Act, outlines the necessary procedures surrounding the procurement of all publicly-funded materials and services in the country, including scientific and research equipment. Previous complaints about the excessive bureaucracy surrounding the procurement process brought about the creation of the Anti-Red

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Tape Authority and the Government Procurement Policy Board, both of which seek to expedite the inefficiency of the government procurement system.

However, red tape continues to persist within the S&T sector and beyond.

Scientific research often requires the use of various precise and highly specific instrumentation. Unfortunately, the lack of industries in the Philippines that can produce specialized scientific equipment means that Filipino scientists have to depend on a handful of foreign manufacturers to buy equipment from outside the country.

Since direct contracting with foreign companies for instrumentation and materials is forbidden, one has to find a local partner to purchase the needed equipment in a bid. This, however, increases the probability of the price shooting up to double, or even triple the original price as local contractors compete with each other. “Because the procurement system creates a local monopoly amongst the vendors, the vendors charge two to three times more for the same items

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red ists, end red tape that our international competitors charge,” said Dr. Alex Young from the Institute of Environmental Science and Meteorology (IESM). “For example, a field tissue homogenizer that costs PHP 50,000 in the USA costs PHP 150,000 in the Philippines (and takes three months to ship).”

Funding for research proposals and procured scientific equipment remains another issue. While red tape concerning the purchase of goods from foreign companies increases expenses, the actual budget allocation for research and development in the Philippines remains limited. With only 0.14% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) allocated to research and development in the Philippines back in 2017 against the UNESCO recommendation of at least 1%, the added financial burden created by red tape further eats away at the already small pool of resources provided by the government to the country’s scientists.

Even then, securing funding from the government is already fraught with numerous problems. Dr. Eiza Yu from the Marine Science Institute (MSI) compared her experience from researching abroad

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to researching here in the Philippines.

“It takes so long for them to approve, or even look, at our proposals,” Dr. Yu recounted in an interview. “Abroad, once they give a call, in three months, alam mo nang funded ka, and in two months, nandiyan na ‘yung pera sa’yo. Pero dito, may mga proposals na sobrang tagal ma-fund o ma-approve, and at that time, ‘yung prinopose mong LAB paso na, ‘yung mga taong trinain mo, wala na.”

The slow progress when it comes to securing funding pushes researchers to rely on private donations from foundations and organizations to fund their projects in the meantime and have the finances disbursed by the government later on. This proves difficult, as one has to go find potential donors, drum up proposals and partnerships, and worry about continuity in terms of research and funding for a supposedly publicly-funded research project. “‘Yun ‘yung frustration: it takes years to get your proposal funded. And even then, it takes a lot of time to get the money disbursed,” said Dr. Yu.

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With the hassle of finding a local partner instead of direct contracting with foreign suppliers, the increased expenses brought about by red tape, and the problems that come with securing funding on time, the procurement of even just basic research materials can take up to three to six months or even longer.

Dr. Deo Onda, a researcher from MSI, recalls one instance when his research team had to go to the Kalayaan Islands for a project. It took three months for Dr. Onda’s team to procure fuel in order to visit the islands; fortunately, they were able to rely on donations from a foundation to get the fuel as it was taking so long to procure from the government.

The slow procurement of the requisite materials and instruments that are necessary for conducting experiments deters the progress of research projects and unnecessarily stretches them on for extended periods of time. “...By the time Philippine scientists receive their equipment and supplies, because of the red tape, international competitors are six months ahead with more money to spare,” says Dr. Young.

Aside from this, Dr. Leo Armada from the National Institute of Geological Sciences (NIGS) cited the lack of consistency and uniformity in the implementation of rules and regulations, as well as in the communication between governing bodies, as a major cause of red tape. He recounted a recent incident on the retrieval of a donation of face masks from Taiwan which got held up at the Bureau of Customs and could only be retrieved after going through numerous documents and offices.

A lack of urgency In the long run, the lengthy process that has to be undertaken and the slow turnover of procedure can prove detrimental to the progress of scientific research in the Philippines. Instead of focusing on the actual research, scientists are burdened with having to figure out how to handle

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financial and administrative matters which they have not been previously equipped for.

Time and effort that could have been spent on making progress on the project are instead redistributed towards mere paperpushing.

The issue is two-fold; while red tape is harmful in the long run, its effects are particularly felt more directly as well. Dr. Gino Velasco from the Institute of Mathematics (IM) relayed the previous frustration of his colleagues while obtaining government data for mathematical modeling biology, which is especially important to predict relevant and accurate models that heavily impact public health concerns such as dengue and malaria and the necessary public health measures and legislation surrounding them.

This is highlighted in a time of crisis, when it can prove to be even deadlier.

Medical workers and scientists alike have bemoaned the excessive bureaucracy that exacerbated the sluggish response to the COVID-19 pandemic, from the Department of Health’s (DOH) deferred approval of mass testing in Marikina City last March despite the city government already having been ready with a molecular testing laboratory and 3,000 testing kits at the time, to the slow evacuation of PUIs and PUMs in Iloilo City.

Since scientists are constantly obstructed with unnecessary steps and documents, progress with research and development is impeded significantly.

While the government has already taken some steps to fix red tape, such as the creation of the Anti-Red Tape Authority, Filipino scientists are still bombarded with excessive bureaucracy, effectively helping maintain the status quo of a stagnant S&T sector.

“The solution to procurement issues can only go so far as to streamlining procurement processes,” said Dr. Benjamin Vallejo of IESM. “We have to go through the legislative route.” In this regard, the concerns of scientists and researchers in

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the Philippines have to be broadcasted to a wider audience consistently, whether it be through a representative group or by legislation. Dr.Vallejo also underscored the urgency of addressing the issue of red tape in these critical times. “We have to strike now because of the pandemic. It has exposed serious faults; we need this to immediately respond to the crisis,” he said.

exacerbating the costs and continuing our dependence on foreign markets. Because of the lack of proper financial support from the government and the diminished capacity for researchers to develop local S&T, the productivity of scientists and researchers in the Philippines is decreased, severely hampering the production of new research and technology in the country.

In the short-term span of things, Dr. Ricky Nellas, the UP Diliman College of Science Associate Dean for Research, Innovation, Development, and Enterprise (ADRIDE), suggests starting with revising the procedural manual implementing specialized procurement and new rules.

If it works in the College of Science, then the whole university may test it out as well, followed by the whole system, and hopefully beyond. “May challenges, pero buong UPD, as well as the system, working together, kaya naman, lalo na’t ang daming natatamaan.”

This, along with the inaccessibility of science and technology in the country, further contributes to the dwindling number of students wanting to take up S&T as a career path in the future. Unless its issues are addressed, the demotivating state of the sector will continue feeding into the cycle that leads to the backwards and stagnating state of S&T in the Philippines.

The plight of local S&T Unwinding the red tape constricting science and research in the Philippines is certainly one of the first steps we can take towards achieving a thriving science and technology field in the country.

However, cutting down that long string of bureaucracy is only the first step to tackling a whole slew of issues that have plagued local S&T for decades.

Multiple issues faced by scientists because of red tape, such as the trouble of obtaining the necessary instruments for research work and the slow approval of research proposals and funding, are all linked to overarching neglect for the S&T sector in general.

The fact that our science workers have to rely on foreign manufacturers is already indicative of our alarming lack of industries.

As the Philippines lacks local industries that can properly absorb professionals, scientists are driven to find more opportunities for work abroad, and various scientific materials have to be purchased from foreign suppliers,

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There is a need to change how the government downplays the concerns of the S&T sector. In addition to how unprioritized S&T development is, the pleas of scientists for better treatment and working conditions continuously fall on deaf ears.

Red tape, as it stands, is already a hindrance to national industrialization, which is in itself a potential solution to one of the facets of excessive bureaucracy by establishing local industries that can manufacture the highly specific instrumentation and materials needed for scientific research in the Philippines.

If we have any hope of making S&T better for scientists in the Philippines, we must not falter in shedding light to these issues and promoting the calls of our science workers.

In the words of Dr. Yu, we should not stop struggling to have the concerns of scientists and researchers in the Philippines voiced out to a broader audience.

“Nakakapagod talagang maglalaan kami ng oras para sa ganitong mga problema,’ she said. “But to stop is not an option. Nakakapagod siya, pero hindi siya dahilan para tumigil kami. It is tiring, but it’s not going to deter us from doing our job and our purpose.”

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#will not

Halalan 2022 save us

w ri t t e n by Alab Mirasol Ayroso g r a p h i c s by Jeri Latorre Christian Robic Hermosa

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he current political situation has pushed the limit of many of those previously apolitical. With the recent legislative actions that infringe on public interest amidst a pandemic, such as the passing of the Terror Law and the ABS-CBN franchise non-renewal, outrage is seen both on the streets and online. As the Twitter hashtag #Halalan2022 trended, Filipinos were quick to promote politicians who were deemed worthy to be voted into position, in hopes of freeing us from the failures and wrongdoers of the current administration.

While it may seem empowering as democracy is ideally held in the palms of the people, the failure to recognize that the system is what needs changing (not the people in charge) dooms us to the unending cycle of oppression we have been facing for a long time.

Election is an illusion.

Elections are not the end-all and beall of change. It is a choice between the major political parties predominated by landlords and compradors with business interests. Elections maintain the illusion of a democratic leadership brought by a new face where in fact, regardless of the winning party, the power remains in the same hands.

The issues plaguing the Duterte regime— tyranny, treason, and plunder—are all deeply rooted in our history of colonization, and the imperial control over the rule of corrupt officials. The lack of integrity of government positions dates back to the Spanish era, where offices were awarded based on patronage or were auctioned off to the highest bidders.

Those who even had the slightest chance of being elected consisted purely of hacienderos or allies of the Spaniards.

house speaker representative in 2018. The same goes for the Marcoses who, even with all the proof and records, still hold positions in the Congress plus a guilty Imelda with no arrests in sight. Literally none of them had to face the consequences and all got to walk away scot-free.

As long as this kind of structure is kept to the current ruling classes, no genuine change to the character of the government in its entirety will happen. Elections don't work because the ones who win are the rich and powerful. They have the means to manipulate the electoral process and once are in office they can form “ As long as this they even more nefarious networks kind of structure is to keep them in power.

Even now, as an independent state, positions are still kept to those who kept to the current can afford it. The financial influence of the landlord and ruling classes, no WE CANNOT WAIT comprador class has over the genuine change to FOR 2022. campaigns of those who are the character of running for positions dictates The problem cannot be the outcomes of elections. solved with a trend online, nor the government These elite-serving candidates can we be saved by simply in its entirety will putting a competent leader transform into monkeys parading their wealth with loud in charge. Duterte may be the happen. “ catchy jingles and pretty faces face of the evils in this time, on advertisements meanwhile, but it did not start with him the genuine leaders with no financial nor will it end when he is replaced. However, advantage have no chance in competing this does not mean you shouldn't go out with them. Expenses for these campaigns and vote. If you are eligible by the time of are costly, and are paid for by those in the the elections in 2022, by all means, please go ruling class, and in turn the elected officials register and vote. But it shouldn't end there. are under the influence of those who funded We should never give up on our democratic them as seen with Duterte’s cabinet with rights by asserting and exerting effort to seats appointed to businessmen who also speak out and assemble. What we need is a happen to be in his list of contributors to his complete transformation to a better system campaign. wherein the public sector will be the leaders in a new kind of politics.

This unjust system doesn't end with elections, nor does it end when they lose The two years we have to 2022 is not for their position. This is exemplified with former us to wait for the elections; it is the time for president Joseph Estrada who, despite being us to immerse and amplify the concerns charged guilty with plunder and perjury in of the masses; to listen and advocate for 2001, was able to run and take the position that change with the people who are most of Mayor of Manila in 2013. He was granted affected by exploitation. We need to organize executive clemency by former president the broadest possible united front, to mobilize Gloria Arroyo in 2007 who, guess what, was to the streets (safely) and act on these calls. also tried for plunder! In the same manner, Our collective action is more powerful than a the former president was able to resume in hashtag could ever be. power as she was put into position as the opinion

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( N O , w ri t te n by C.J. Palpal-latoc

R E A L LY ! ) O g r a p hi c s by Tiffany Ashley Uy

Some organizations only benefit their own members. Others pull off outreach activities here and there.

And then there are the student publications that spend hours every day to try and produce content that informs, entertains, defends, and educates their readers.

There is definitely a feeling of pride and honor (and pressure too) in being part of a student formation that has public service embedded in its core. And it doesn’t matter whether you’ll be writing sharp opinion articles, producing chummy features, or running administrative errands; once you’re part of Scientia, you are serving the people because you help the publication grow.

As a member of the Scientia staff, you will join other students in amplifying the voice of marginalized groups, leading discussions in science and technology (S&T), promoting our local research,

So joining a busy student publication like Scien Scientia since I was a freshie and who is still here a you’ll make in your college life. Here are a couple of

publishing information people need to know, and of course writing commentary on the issues of the day.

Evidently, producing a publication is one of the more difficult ways to serve the people.

It can be tiring and stressful, and sometimes you feel like people just don’t care. But there are also touching moments. We’ve received feedback from people saying that they appreciate our work and urge us to continue telling stories.

Receiving those comments is one of the best parts of the job.

We’re not winning Pulitzer Prizes here or ousting corrupt politicians with exposés just yet (maybe next year), but we’re glad to be doing what we can to man the front lines in the fight for better support for S&T and for a better country. Why not spend your college days as a true-blue Siyentista ng Bayan?

Scientia was born in 1988 after College of Science students and the Board of Regents voted in favor of its Charter.

57%

of Scientia is woman-powered.

nce you’ve stuck around in the college for at le degree is not exactly a joyride or a walk in the

Once you join Scientia and start doing the work, it’s impossible for you not to learn anything new and useful.

We organize internal workshops for writing, designing (layout and graphics), and even administrative work. But the learning really comes in from the work opportunities presented to you. Like any other publication, Scientia has no shortage of possible things to do, and taking on these opportunities with the help of your editors will provide you with experience to hasten your (marketable) skills and build your confidence.

Depending on which of the three committees (one for writing, design, and admin work) you’ll join, you’ll learn to become a better writer, designer, or coordinator. (You

Latin Modern Roman, the font used for Scientia’s masthead and logo, is taken from the font catalogue of LaTeX, a popular typesetting system.

In certain conditions, the 1988 Charter permits editors-in-chief to reign for as long as they’re students in the college.

A bot scrapes the webpage of the Philippine Journal of Science, the oldest scientific journal in the country, and alerts Scientia for new content.

Since Scientia’s revival in 2016, editors-in-chief have come from geology, physics, chemistry, and biology.

east a semester, maybe even for just a week, you’ll understand—regardless of how much of a nerd you are—that a science park. It gets pretty tough out here, even for the summas!

ntia might seem a little crazy of an idea when considering your workload. But let me tell you, as someone who has been in as an officially graduating senior (lord, help me), I’d argue that becoming a student journalist is one of the best decisions f reasons.

can become all three at the same time if you want. We won’t hold you back!)

But there are also learnings beyond the technicalities of running a publication. Scientia also conducts internal educational discussions (which are basically informal lectures/round tables) on important issues such as national industrialization and the state of S&T in the Philippines, among other topics. And then of course you’ll get to talk to experts and go to events that have much to teach you.

There is so much room for growth, and we celebrate people’s development. As much as it seeks to serve the people, Scientia is also an outlet for your talents, a place for you to better your skills. And it’ll look good on your resumé too!

The farthest place a Scientia reporter has been sent to (since 2016) is the Bataan Nuclear Power Plant, which is about 195 km of road travel from the National Science Complex.

The New Yorker is the original style inspiration for Scientia’s covers since 2018.

Some people figure that they won’t be able to handle the demands of being a campus journalist while also being a science student. That’s understandable.

However, the workload is actually not that bad (unless you’re an editor in which case you’ll have more things to keep in mind).

Nobody is being pushed to write an article every day, not even the news writers. There is some (necessary) pressure to write (or design or do errands) on a regular

basis (regularity depends on which subcommittee you’re in), but we’re actually quite lenient especially when people have exams or some good reason to be inactive. Just don’t ghost people and nobody’s going to get mad at you.

Like I said, we’re not running out of possible things to do, so it’s quite easy to have work tunnel vision. But we try to look out for our own staff and to be understanding of people’s needs and boundaries.

Scientia is a good place for you to learn skills that a science degree alone can’t provide. It’s also one of the best ways for you to give back to the community and fight for change.

So sign up now: bit.ly/JoinScientia2020

The most popular poem Scientia ever published is “Hapag-kainan” by former editor-in-chief Sofia Federico.

The poem tackles the plight of NutriAsia workers.

Scientia’s first cover in August 1988 featured the blueprint of the then tobe-constructed National Science Complex.

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JOEY OCON:

POWERING THE FUTURE FOR FILIPINO ENERGY SCIENTISTS

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ost of the youth today are unaware of their own potential but it does not mean that it will not manifest in time. Despite difficulties, anything is possible when one is equipped with a dedicated mind and a determined heart. Just like Dr. Joey Ocon, fueled by his passion in science, who persisted through his mission in advancing energy science research in the Philippines and lighting up the path for young aspiring scientists to follow in his footsteps.

A NAST-TWAS awardee

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Medals, trophies, and plaques—as much as these are objects meant to display and boast about, such awards primarily serve as a pat on the back, a motivation to do better. Such is the case for Dr. Joey Ocon, the 2019 recipient of the National Academy of Science and Technology and The World Academy of Sciences (NAST-TWAS) Prize and formerly one of the 2015 NAST Outstanding Young Scientist (OYS) awardees. Considered as among the most prestigious grants for scientific work in developing countries, the TWAS Prize is given to recognize and support outstanding young scientists in developing countries. w ri t te n by Nikka Joy Macasa Pauline Alyanna Lontok Kyla Carmea Javier

Only one TWAS Prize is awarded to a young outstanding scientist in each developing country, annually. This year, the awarding took place online during the NAST 42nd Annual Scientific Meeting. For Dr. Ocon, to receive such recognition validates his contributions and work in the university for the past five years. “I think ang message lang for me is that I’m on the right path in terms of my career, as a professor and a scientist,” he affirms.

Behind the success

g r a p hi c s by Hanz Salvacion

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Ocon’s passion for science stems from his childhood. Growing up in Davao where there are little to no opportunities to pursue science as a career, he did not have a role model to look up to. He attributes his interest in the sciences to the books that he read as a child. “As young as early grade school, I was doing a lot of experiments [on] plant extracts and then gumagawa [ako] ng mga ointments from a certain plant na nabasa ko sa isang science book,” he said. He was also interested in mathematics, which led him to decide on pursuing a science-related career. Eventually, he took up a Chemical Engineering course in UP Diliman for his undergraduate studies.

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Admittedly, he was not exempted from the difficult rollercoaster ride that every Isko faces in their undergraduate years. “First exam ko sa Math 17 . . . I failed. I think 59 point something percent lang ‘yong score ko and [I’m] coming from . . . three straight regional championships in Math in Davao region, so medyo . . . shocking,” he shared. Since then, he exerted more effort in studying for his classes, transforming a general weighted average of 2.00 in his first semester to graduating from the BS Chemical Engineering program cum laude.

Ocon was already employed in a private company when he realized that he wanted to pursue graduate studies. He then went on to complete his masters degree in Chemical Engineering at UP Diliman in 2011 and his PhD in Environmental Science and Engineering at Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST) in South Korea in 2015.

During his last year in South Korea, he thought of starting his own lab in the Philippines. “Iniisip ko na kailangan ko mag-build ng future researchers do’n sa field,” he said. Inspired by his adviser Dr. Jaeyoung Lee—who put up his own lab named after his professor, German Physicist and Nobel laureate Gerhard Ertl—Ocon felt that he should honor his professor in the same manner. As soon as he went back to the Philippines, he co-founded LEE, the Laboratory of Electrochemical Engineering, in the Department of Chemical Engineering at his alma mater. This decision was not something he would regret. For the past seven years, the lab has heavily contributed in electrochemistry and catalysis research. “I think we’ve been the most active laboratory in the department in terms of publications with around . . . 50-60 publications in the past seven years. And then in terms of research funding, we’ve been very active in getting funding from CHED, DOST, and from private companies,” he remarked.

Hands-on As a scientist and an engineer whose mentality is wired for constant development, Ocon always had something to work on. Despite bustling with his administrative work as the chair of the Department

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of Chemical Engineering, he still manages to balance his research endeavors all while mentoring both undergraduate and graduate students. “Since 2015, I was also able to mentor two PhD students and graduates, 16 masters and graduates, pursued more than 10 research projects and more than 50 publications,” he recounted.

But the nimble scientist that he is, his brisk pace is far from dwindling. At the time being, he supervises multiple on-going projects of his research group as the LEE founding laboratory head. Ranging from molecular scale research to complex system-scale research, the group studies a broad set of fields anchored on the concepts of electrochemistry, energy storage, and renewable energy. The devicelevel projects such as Leadium, Jolt, and AeroZinc are battery prototypes developed with funding from PHINMA Energy, DOST, and UP, respectively.

Ocon’s expertise in energy storage and renewable energy systems also paved the way for projects that not only provided innovative technologies but also policies that aided techno-economic studies especially in off-grid islands. ElectriPHI, for example, is an on-going seven-million-peso project, funded by the Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs (OVPAA), that can help improve rural electrification planning in off-grid islands in the country. “‘Yong goal dito is to build a web-based database of off-grid islands . . . Then afterwards, ico-combine namin ‘yan sa na-develop namin na energy systems simulation and optimization tool para mayroon kang web interface na pwede mong gawin ‘yong simulations on electrification planning,” he explained. This could be utilized by stakeholders such as electric cooperatives in provinces and electrification agencies like the National Power Corporation and the National Electrification Administration.

He leads ChlorGen, one of the initiatives of the College of Engineering (CoE) to aid in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. Working with him are faculty members from the Department of Chemical Engineering and Dr. Allan Yago from the Institute of Chemistry. Funds were outsourced from CoE through donations from alumni and other private individuals.

ChlorGen’s aim is to build a portable prototype of a disinfectant system that produces a mild bleach solution that can be used by establishments requiring

constant disinfection. They were able to build a successful prototype, however, according to Ocon, there has been a delay in developing additional units for deployment due to stricter policies and delay in the release of funding.

Aside from these, Ocon also contributes to a multi-disciplinary team from UP Diliman and UC Berkeley developing technologies for the removal of arsenic in groundwater. The technology is based on electrochemical coagulation and arised from the need for safer drinking water in certain towns in Pampanga.

On top of all that, the young scientist persistently works on his future research publications and is in the process of making a new personal record. “This year, . . . on track ako na makapag-publish between 15-20 papers . . . I think pinakamarami ko siya since 2016 or 2017,” he said. But, just like anyone else during the quarantine, he also takes some time off for recreation and his personal health to cope with the on-going crisis. “It took me some time din to adjust sa schedule. Of course, nagne-Netflix, nagbi-binge watch, naglalaro ng StarCraft, or recently chess.”

Research in a developing country There is a need for more scientists, especially in Ocon’s field.

Researchers working on electrochemistry for energy storage are limited, which, led him to establish the LEE. However, this proves to be a difficult undertaking because of the existing problems in bureaucracy and procurement.

“Very challenging ang pagre-research sa Philippines.

Sa lab namin [in Korea], may credit card ‘yong project.

[Kapag] mag-o-order kami, credit card na lang. After a few days, dadating na ‘yong chemicals and other consumables ng project, mabilis yung procurement,” he compares to UP that, as a government institution, suffers from the red tapes involved in procurement.

He believes that the edge of Filipino scientists lies in their research ideas as it seems nearly impossible to be globally competitive in terms of funding and equipment. This hope for global competitiveness also diminishes as slow procurement processes and limited resources stretch out the research timeframe.

Because of these challenges, Filipino scientists are attracted and even encouraged to pursue graduate studies abroad. In the case of Ocon’s research group, he encourages his students to pursue their PhD overseas since the country’s infrastructure is yet to be established. “‘Di ko sila pinipigilan [mag-PhD abroad] kasi alam ko na mas matututo sila abroad, given the difficulties ng pagre-research sa Philippines.

Otherwise, mafru-frustrate lang sila or kaya ‘di matatapos ‘yong PhD,” he shared, with hopes that when his students find it favorable to return to the country, they will thrive in their expertise and give back. However, in most cases, scientists who pursue graduate studies out of the country are exposed to a better working environment for research that entices them to continue working abroad.

Despite these present challenges in research and development, Ocon believes that there is significant growth in research and development (R&D) of the country for the past ten years in terms of funding hikes. To further this, he believes that our country should focus on sending scientists abroad for graduate studies so they can, in turn, train local scientists in their field.

The young scientist maintains a positive outlook on the state of R&D in the country saying, “Marami pa ang improvements na nakikita ko . . . If you’re a scientist na nag-iisip kung magwo-work ka ba sa Philippines, or magpu-pursue ka ng career abroad, for my case, I think optimal pa rin yung pag-stay sa Philippines . . . Maraming benefits pa rin [sa] pagwork sa Philippines,” he shared.

His advice to aspiring scientists and professors is to study hard, to have fun, and to find a mentor who can set an example of having a productive and fulfilling career in the university. From his own experience, he shared that “isa sa mga joys of working at UP is ‘yong pagme-mentor din ng students . . . ‘Yong nagbibigay naman ng motivation sa mga professor ay ‘yong success stories ng students na eventually ay nakikita nila . . . doing sciences, not just for the love of science but because they see a career in doing that.”

References Ocon, Joey. “Joey Ocon, PhD.” Laboratory of Electrochemical Engineering, 2020. http://lee-upd.com/team/joey-ocon/.

UPD College of Engineering. Rep. NAST-TWAS Prize for Young Scientist in the Philippines – Dr. Joey D. Ocon, July 10, 2020. https://coe.upd.edu.ph/2020/07/ 10/nast-twas-prize-foryoung-scientist-in-the-philippines-dr-joey-d-ocon/.

UPD College of Engineering. Community Bulletin 20200331 – 7, March 31, 2020. https://coe.upd.edu.ph/2020/03/31/ community-bulletin-20200331-7/.

World Academy of Sciences. “TWAS, the Voice for Science in the South.” TWAS. Accessed August 2020. https://twas.org/ twas-voice-science-south.

graphics by: & Jeri Latorre on ci a lv Hanz Sa

written by: o& Sam Penian ga n ra a P Nyrene

Pandemic snap!

Research runs on 50% workforce

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ast March 10, UP Diliman suspended classes and non-essential work in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and restricted access to buildings was implemented right away in the university’s College of Science (CS).

CS laboratories and offices resumed operations months later on June 1, following Metro Manila’s shift to general community quarantine (GCQ). The shift ended an approximately three-month Luzon lockdown or enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) placed to curb the pandemic.

Several weeks before the lockdown, the Institute of Chemistry (IC) Research building was still bustling with day-to-day activities—research assistants (RAs) carrying paperwork, delivery personnel unloading parcels, and a herd of students clad in lab gown marching to an instrument room.

Starting June, there were new day-to-day norms across all buildings within the College of Science—a pause for temperature reading, a sanitation routine at the entrance and, in some buildings, the lack of familiar colleagues to bump into in the hallways, only printed arrows guiding the one-way clockwise foot traffic. Beyond the visible protocol changes, the challenges of lockdown aftermath amid a still-uncontained pandemic were just beginning.

In the post-ECQ period, the first six weeks after GCQ declaration, researchers in CS returned to face modified work arrangements, strict working guidelines, and a race to catch up on delayed research projects affected by region-wide work suspension placed on March 15.

Researchers catch up on four-month backlog Ongoing projects were delayed for at least four months, according to Dr. Ricky Nellas, CS Associate Dean for Research, Innovation, Development, and Enterprise (AD RIDE).

Laboratory operations were suspended during the ECQ; in addition, after the ECQ, only a maximum of 50 percent of the personnel are allowed to physically report to work.

The UP Diliman Post-ECQ Guidelines recommends campus units to identify which of “essential” and “priority” work requires physical presence in offices and to implement workfrom-home arrangement when possible (e.g. attending to manuscripts, reports, and other administrative tasks).

Various directors from CS institutes stated that all research projects have been affected in some way. For institutes with studies involving field work, the Marine Science Institute

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oasis geochem lab (MSI), for instance—not only the lack of workforce in the CS premises has affected these projects, but also the travel restrictions across the Philippines.

Before the pandemic, around four to seven out of the 22 sections of the MSI would send researchers to work at field locations such as the Benham Rise, the Kalayaan Islands, Batanes, and Tawi-tawi all year long.

Guidelines to July 31 along with several amendments.

The college regulated access to its premises to curfew hours of 8 P.M. to 7 A.M. Staying overnight was allowed within the limit of one authorized personnel at a time.

“We’ve only successfully gone to [the] field three times—all of them involving going to the UPD-CSMSI Bolinao Marine Laboratory. Bolinao, Pangasinan allowed work a month earlier than NCR,” Dr. Laura David, MSI Director, said. She also mentioned concerns on the lack of existing studies on the susceptibility of divers to COVID-19.

Returning workers were required to accomplish a Health Checklist and Health Screening Form to conduct self-monitoring of symptoms, exposure, and travel history prior to going to the campus. According to the CS Post-ECQ Guidelines, personnel who are residents of areas with “high-density of COVID-19 cases” should not physically report to work.

“Overall, the ongoing crisis has led CS researchers to request for project extensions, for recalibration of work plans and deliverables, for realignment of budget, and for extended deadline of report submissions,” Nellas wrote to Scientia in an email correspondence.

Service laboratories including the MSI, the IC and the Institute of Biology (IB) temporarily suspended external services.

Months worth of delay may cause major setbacks on science projects that are granted funding on time-bound contracts. An estimate of 500 research assistants are working on various projects of research institutions in the college. In 2018 alone, the college amassed 1.65 B of total project funding from various agencies including the Department of Science and Technology (DOST).

Instis lay strict safety measures The UP Diliman Post-ECQ Guidelines required all workplaces within campus to conduct temperature screening before entry, to suspend the use of biometric scanners, and to install alcohol dispensers and foot baths across all workplaces within campus. The campus-wide guidelines were implemented under Administrative Order No. FRN-20-052 dated May 13.

CS implemented specific safety protocols such as limiting the number of staff (usually a maximum of four) in a laboratory room and reducing each staff’s physical attendance to only two to three days per week. Social distancing, wearing masks, and constant sanitization of facilities were also observed.

On July 20, Dr. Giovanni Tapang, the Dean of CS, announced the extended implementation of Post-ECQ

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Returning workers face ‘new normal’ challenges Meeting deadlines and advancing progress on projects continued to be halted by the global pandemic. Limited working conditions inevitably come with various challenges depending on the nature of laboratory procedures involved.

An RA from IC described how a lab procedure that used to take around only five days may take up to three weeks in the post-ECQ period. Laboratory procedures involving extensive reaction time (e.g. 24 hours for one reaction) cannot be performed consecutively in a twoday work schedule, causing succeeding reactions to be rescheduled to the following week. Some research workers also experienced working overnight at the institute to make significant progress in projects.

Furthermore, returning workers endure health risks, travel limitations, and the lack of add-on insurance for COVID-19, as noted by Nellas.

Several frontliners have voiced out such grievances to gain the attention of their institute administration.

According to Dr. Ian Fontanilla, Director of the Institute of Biology (IB), frontliner maintenance personnel expressed concern over exposure risk and difficulty of

Refer Administrative Order FRN-20-052. Implementation of the UP Diliman Post-ECQ Guidelines. 13 May 2020. https://upd.edu.ph/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/ A .O.-FRN-20-052-dated-May-13-2020-reImplementation-of-the-UP-Diliman-Post-ECQGuidelines.pdf Department of Health. COVID-19 Bulletin #79. 1 June 2020.

Department of Health. COVID-19 Bulletin #141. 2 August 2020.

Tapang, G. Science for the People: Sustained Scientific and Research Excellence in a Public Service.

Presented at The Affirmation Ceremony of Prof.

Giovanni Tapang as the 7th Dean of the College of Science, National Science Complex, October 8, 2019.

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walking the long distance between home and work.

The commute risk was just an addition to the risks of COVID-19 exposure from cleaning the institute facilities.

To reduce exposure while traveling, the working days for frontliners were reduced from six to three consecutive days, forming two groups, “MTueW” and “ThFS”. The personnel were also provided goggles, masks, gloves, temporary sleeping areas for workers who lived far, and briefing on Post-ECQ guidelines and policies on safety.

Communication and paperwork woes arise Research projects involve various paperwork such as procurement processing, receiving deliveries, and outsourcing services. In the middle of the pandemic, laboratories and offices also faced communication difficulties. For instance, research workers who outsourced assay services from external institutions faced difficulties in getting contact with those offices regarding their samples.

Besides these, the processing of documents needed in administrative tasks face delays because of the restricted access and the need for decontamination.

Some RAs experienced salary delays when documents were halted by the lockdown.

Existing technologies and the adaptability of UP Diliman to e-transactions had eased some challenges of processing documents, but legal limits still caused lags.

“Government rules also require hard copies of documents with liquid signatures. Getting people to sign these documents and bringing them to the required offices also take time, and unnecessarily put people at risk,” Dr. Fontanilla stated.

Science workers persist amid quarantine Despite the various constraints, some CS researchers are eager to return to work on their respective research projects. Not only graduate students have returned to the college premises for

rences

laboratory work. Shaina Cervera, a recent BS Chemistry graduate, finished her thesis laboratory work during the post-ECQ period.

When NCR shifted to GCQ, Cervera braved a nine-hour trip from Isabela to Quezon City with only one stop-over to spend about fifteen days working in the Analytical Chemistry Laboratory at IC. One of her motivations was her aspiration to become a doctor.

“I really wanted to graduate this semester, especially because I’m about to enter med school this coming school year. Not finishing the experiment would mean no manuscript and no graduation for me, so that would delay me for a year, and I don’t think I can afford to waste that much time knowing the long process of being a doctor,” Cervera explained.

Performing experiment trials for her undergraduate thesis with reduced workforce was not an easy feat. Cervera encouraged other thesis students to “only do lab work and go to IC if [they] really need to,” to bring complete lab PPE, to go straight home after working hours, and to bring packed food and water.

At MSI, the admin continues to get several requests from research workers to be allowed to report to work, according to David.

“Masipag at dedicated talaga ang researchers ng MSI,” the MSI director said. However, they have to limit access to a maximum of fifty percent of the workforce, in accordance with the university’s safety guidelines.

The CS administration plans to gradually increase the manpower of the college under GCQ. At the same time, according to the Office of the AD RIDE, research units intend to (1) “proceed with experiments and achieve promised deliverables”; (2) “proceed with onsite activities if needed”; (3) “cautiously proceed with field works if given permission from UPD, LGUs, and national government”; and (4) “continue writing manuscripts, proposals, and reports.”

However, UP Diliman once again closed its offices on August 4 following the national government’s announcement to place NCR under Modified ECQ (MECQ) from August 3 to 18. The UP Diliman Post-ECQ Guidelines was temporarily suspended.

Metro Manila put under stricter MECQ for two weeks.

PCOO. 3 August 2020. https://pcoo.gov.ph/news_ releases/metro-manila-put-under-stricter-mecq-fortwo-weeks/ Office of the Dean. Extension of the Implementation of CS Post-ECQ Guidelines to July 31 with amendments.

20 July 2020.

University of the Philippines - Diliman. UP Diliman PostECQ Guidelines. https://upd.edu.ph/wp-content/ uploads/2020/04/Post-ECQ-Guidelines.pdf UP College of Science. College of Science Health Sensing Form. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdfBuY_ kXrcAPyCgUI2fTD tb0cPSVR9u78xGwzMyjnh_ ZlqwQ/viewform?usp=sf_link

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The Missing Pieces of a Puzzle w ri t te n by Gian Carla de Guzman g r a p hi c s by Deitro Dazo

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ith the pandemic persisting, our immersion with all things digital deepens. With the world— almost too literally—accessible at our fingertips, more things come to our senses and compete for our attention. Inevitably, we experience fatigue. Here, though, we cite sources on why this happens and what we can do to reduce this exhaustion.

Essentially, digital interactions are challenging roadblocks for the brain because of their demands and restrictions. Exposure to too much information or information overload is also related to social media fatigue.

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In the simplest sense, our brain becomes exhausted from digital face-to-face interactions (e.g. Zoom) because it multitasks. We can treat everything that comes into our senses as one big puzzle. Our brain is looking for something, but it can’t find this missing piece from digital interactions. It looks for this missing piece while being too focused on excess, unfamiliar pieces of stimuli.

The “missing piece” pertains to the non-verbal cues, like gestures and expressions, that our brain can easily see and interpret during inperson conversations. In digital faceto-face interactions, our evolved effortless ability to read these cues are disrupted. Instead, our brain becomes concentrated on spoken words rather than non-verbal cues, which are barely visible due to the 16:9 cropping of our companion.

Set-ups with multiple panels of screens showing the participants also overload the brain and its central vision, as it is forced to take in various

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sights in one go. In this case, our brain tries to meaningfully interpret the environment, but finds this task hard because its focus is scattered. During such engagements, there is also a need to be mindful of the few available cues (i.e. words, eye contact) to keep track of social interactions. Overall, the brain becomes exhausted at the additional need to focus and put things together in an interaction setting so different from what it’s used to.

Video calls that we now do from our homes also opens us to more distractions.

We have different home environments and circumstances that makes total focus seem like a far fetched dream.

Fatigue becomes persistent as we transition to online classes and digital interactions. With things competing for our attention at every click and tap, things can become overwhelming. Everything is online, so where else should we go? How can we help our brain fit pieces of a puzzle together at the face of what could be digital adversities?

Here are some pointers that could help us ease into our suddenly deepened immersion with technology: Hit the brakes! Unfocus. Plus, remember what focus means for others.

Too much focus tires out the circuits of our brain, the body’s main engine. This impairs our decision-making and may drain our energy. “Unfocusing” lets our brain recall and process information, such as paragraphs of a long reading.

Like people, focus has different faces.

For instance, stimming, or self-stimulatory behaviors like doodling, pacing, or fidgeting can actually help a classmate with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or autism spectrum disorder (ASD) focus better. Anyone can engage in stimming, so we should accept and understand these behaviors.

Rather than eliminate, reduce distractions that you can control.

Given our different circumstances and abilities, it is not always possible for everyone to remove all distractions.

However, we can reduce the things competing for our attention. For example, we could block certain websites during certain hours to prevent distractions.

The principle behind this is that you’re decreasing the information your brain needs to take in.

Reach out to people around you.

Whether it be with your family or peers, talking about feelings of distress helps you release, understand, and better organize your emotions.

This also applies to learning. If your subject does meet via video calls or group chats, interacting with classmates or professors can help you understand the lesson by learning from them or asking them questions.

The pandemic necessitated more online interactions, which could become an added stressor to students. However, we must know that these stressors did not come from nowhere. The mental health crisis during this pandemic is just a piece of a puzzle of systemic issues, whose gaps are filled in by other problems like accessibility, social standing, crisis action, and others.

Ultimately, we must recognize that safe, accessible, and quality education-one where everyone’s mental health is nurtured--can be only achieved by calling for proper medical solutions from the government.

Save your energy.

When overwhelmed, it is recommended to turn off your camera and/or microphone so that your brain takes in less information. Save some fuel for reading non-verbal cues.

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Hi kids!

Can you help me find my idea of a Perfect Christmas in our country’s “Better Normal”?

1. Free Mass Testing 2. Contact Tracing 3. Government funded health care 4. Safe and Efficient Public Transportation 5. Ligtas na Balik-Eskwela 6. Free Public Wifi 7. Ayuda CARTOON BY MC PEREZ COLORS BY ELIYAH MONTE

HOW TO GET AWAY WITH TERROR w ri t te n by Jazryl Carl Galarosa

g r a p hi c s by Deitro Dazo

It was the afternoon of July 7 when Cristina Palabay, secretary general of human rights alliance Karapatan, was served a warrant of arrest by an official who introduced himself as an LBC courier. Another officer in plainclothes accompanied him as the perjury complaint of National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon against Palabay, officers of Karapatan and two other organizations was revived and filed in court. Despite the recall order for an arrest warrant against Palabay issued on April 29, the police officials insisted that they only received the warrant of arrest on July 6. All of these, from the courier scheme, plainclothes, to the operation procedures by the police, were illegal under their own written handbook.

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scientia vol 27 no 1

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t may sound like an impossible dream lifted from a post-apocalyptic novel, but this kind of world is already persisting in the Philippines. We are now living in our own version of dystopia as amid the coronavirus pandemic, our human rights and democratic freedom are at the brink of their death.

President Rodrigo Duterte signed into law the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020 on July 3, which penalizes any acts of “terrorism” defined under its book. Under the AntiTerrorism Law, we can be arrested even without a warrant based on the mere speculation that we might be a terrorist.

Compared to the Human Security Act of 2007, the Anti-Terrorism Law allots a longer detention time from at most three days to 14-24 days. Furthermore, the AntiTerrorism Act of 2020 removed the fine for damages caused by deprivation of liberty.

Red-tagging would be more rampant as under a repressive regime, any member of organizations that they consider to be terrorists defined under their own book can be arrested. Once someone was tagged or suspected to be part of a terrorist group, they can be wiretapped: every conversation on the phone would have ears that would eavesdrop, every move would have eyes that would monitor, and every word would have a mouth on constant watch, enabling surveillance and bypassing our privacy.

Avoiding the eyes The eyes of terror have stepped into cyberspace as once someone posts anything online, a simple screenshot would already make it out to the world to know and to access forever. Unironically, even a meme of dissent could be viewed as an act of terrorism as any public pronouncement can be used as an accessory to the crime.

In avoiding the eyes on the watch of our online data and activity 24/7, Republic Act 10173 or the Data Privacy Act of 2012 can get us covered. The Data Privacy Act seeks to protect our privacy and our communication while ensuring free flow of information. The law further recognizes that “personal information in information and communications systems in the government and in the private sector are secured and protected.”

The Data Privacy Act is driven by transparency, legitimacy, and proportionality: meaning, we have the right to know as data subjects what personal information would public and private institutions collect from us

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and how it would be processed. Any processes involving our personal data must be accessible, fair, with a purpose aligned with public policy. Furthermore, informed consent is necessary on our end while giving us the choice to withdraw our consent.

Our rights to access information whenever our data is being processed for whatever purpose are also covered under the Implementing Rules and Regulations of the Data Privacy Act. We also have the right to order the erasure of our personal data to an institution’s filing system.

Finally, any illegitimate and unauthorized processing of our data will be penalized and will be “subject to compliance and enforcement orders, cease and desist orders, temporary or permanent ban on the processing of personal data, or payment of fines.”

Knowing the provisions of the Data Privacy Act must give us an idea on how they could use our personal information.

The more we can understand how they can and cannot use our data, the better we would know what to do when terror locked its eyes upon us or crossed the boundaries of our personal spaces.

Withstanding the storm Even with the Data Privacy Act, it would not give us a complete safeguard as the Anti-Terror Law enables surveillance.

We have to say goodbye to the Data Privacy Act as once we were tagged as terrorists, we will be wiretapped. When we wake up one day to suffer the same fate as Palabay, how do we respond to the imminent storm? What should we do on ground if we are handed a subpoena or worse, arrested? Karapatan, a human rights organization that has been on the frontline of our human rights struggle since the Martial Law era, prepared a paralegal bust card to remind ourselves in times like these.

When we are arrested, we have the right to talk to our relatives and to reach out to a lawyer of our choice. Moreover, we could refuse to answer questions, to give a written statement, to sign documents, and to be photographed and fingerprinted especially without the assistance of a lawyer as part of protecting your privacy.

Everyone subjected to a warrantless arrest must be presented with an inquest fiscal, an informal or summary investigation. Otherwise, it would be an illegal detention and we are entitled for an immediate release.

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Meanwhile, if we receive a subpoena especially for cyberlibel, Atty. Alvin Gregorio, lawyer at Patac, Plaza, Gregorio and Tesalona Law Offices, shared on social media what we should do. The same things apply when we are arrested, we must be in contact with a family and with a lawyer, but a subpoena only means an invitation for investigation.

With a subpoena in your hand, we must read it thoroughly as we look for the allegation and the material subject for the subpoena. Explain to the lawyer the situation and if there is no concrete post, demand in writing to be informed of the basis of the complaint.

Always know the basis of the complaint.

The best way to protect ourselves from a complaint is to know the complaint itself as it is part of our right. We also have a choice to attend the proceedings, but it would be better if we let our lawyer attend on our behalf.

Finally, both Karapatan and Gregorio share the same sentiment to be calm while asking for the name, rank, and other pertinent details of the investigating officer handing an arrest or a subpoena.

Always communicate with a family and demand to contact them for location, and other support that we need at that moment.

Preventing the calamity Just like preparing for an upcoming calamity, vigilance and preparation are keys to reduce the risk and mitigate the impacts of terror in our freedom. Being familiar with how a warrant or a subpoena looks like and practicing security protocols in and out of the online world would be helpful to protect ourselves.

It is best that on a day to day basis, even if we are mostly confined to our homes, we apply the same online protocols and we are always extra careful in sharing information with strangers. From this point it would be helpful if we have contact details of our friends, paralegal, and even a lawyer just in case we have been summoned or arrested. It would also be handy to bring our ID and our own bust card at all times and it is much better if we memorize its contents. After all, it has our rights.

Mobilizations, especially at the time of a coronavirus pandemic, are crucial more than ever as we are risking both our health and security. So, it would help if we have someone around to join us in our calls: a buddy system, a first aid on standby,

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and a meeting point would boost up our safety when terror is disguised in uniform or worse, plainclothes.

With this, of course, it is our duty to protect the community whom we dedicate our calls for. We must keep communities safe as well especially with the vulnerable communities we serve and work with as they live with the constant fear of terror abusing their people and taking their land. Always apply the protocols we practice online and on ground and we would be all set to protect not just our privacy but also the welfare of the people.

Braving the world of terror As we can see the aftermath of the Anti-Terror Law unfold with our own eyes, it is imperative for us to keep them open, vigilant to the countless human rights abuses of the state against the people they vowed to serve and protect. We have lost Ka Randy and Zara Alvarez in a span of days — activists who struggled with us in our fight for democracy. But now is not the time for us to falter even with the growing threat of Anti-Terror Law in our freedoms each passing day. In the world looming with terror, we must be brave to stand with the people, for the people.

Exercising our freedom of expression is a need to reinvigorate our democracy whenever this fascist administration tries to topple it. More than fear, it must be our call to dissent and criticize what must be done better as we hold those in power accountable. With the draconian Anti-Terrorism Law impeding our human rights into this administration’s rendition of a martial law, it must be the time for us to be vocal more than ever.

With warrantless arrests and redtagging filling our headlines every day amid a public health crisis, it calls a need for us to stand strong despite the storm.

By knowing our legal rights and knowing what to do, we are one step closer into getting away with terror, with the ultimate step of taking terror out from its roots through toppling a fascist regime.

References Escobar, Miguel. “In Case The Cops Forget: These Are Your Rights Upon Arrest.” Esquiremag.ph. Esquire Philippines, September 12, 2017. https://www.esquiremag.ph/politics/ news/in-case-the-cops-forget-these-are-your-rights-uponarrest-a00207-20170912.

“Implementing Rules and Regulations of the Data Privacy Act of 2012.” National Privacy Commission, March 29, 2017. https:// www.privacy.gov.ph/implementing-rules-regulations-dataprivacy-act-2012/.

“Republic Act 10173 – Data Privacy Act of 2012.” National Privacy Commission, July 19, 2016. https://www.privacy.gov.ph/dataprivacy-act/.

“Republic Act No. 11479: GOVPH.” Official Gazette of the Republic of the Philippines, July 3, 2020. https://www.officialgazette. gov.ph/2020/07/03/republic-act-no-11479/.

scientia vol 27 no 1

IN THE KNOW: Boosting your online security IN THE NOTES: TERMS YOU NEED TO KNOW

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File encryption and storage is the process of encoding data which makes it unreadable or inaccessible to users other than people with the correct access keys.

VPNs or virtual private networks use a network of dedicated servers around the world to manage traffic. These servers mask the user’s IP address in the internet.

End-to-end encryption is a system of communication where only the communicating users can read the messages.

On-the-fly encryption means that the data is automatically encrypted right before it is saved and decrypted right after it is loaded, without any additional user intervention.

Email security refers to any procedure protecting the email and its entire process from any unauthorized access.

IN THE NET: APPS & SITES TO UP YOUR PRIVACY Jitsi is your reliable partner for secure video conferencing. Here, meeting rooms are created when someone enters and are immediately destroyed when everyone has left.

ProtonMail is a secure, easy-to-use email service with built-in end-to-end encryption. All emails that go through ProtonMail are secured automatically with end-to-end encryption.

Signal is an app that provides end-to-end encryption of both messages and calls. It is also run by Signal Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing these services to repressed individuals around the world.

ProtonVPN has the same developers as ProtonMail with no logs policy and a free option that is billed as medium speed with access to only three countries.

VeraCrypt is a software used for establishing and maintaining an on-thefly-encrypted data storage device.

IN THE NOW: TIPS FOR STARTERS

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Tor, which stands for The Onion Router, is an internet security option that comes with its own dedicated browser on desktop.

Mix upper and lowercase letters and alphanumeric characters and symbols in your password for better security quality. Refrain from using birthdays and other similar information.

Encrypt all files related to your organization (e.g. EDs, pubs, documents) as well as files containing personal information (e.g. passwords, addresses).

Store encrypted files/volumes in appropriate folders or drives.

Secure data in secure data containers.

You can encrypt entire flash drives too.

Be wary of using potentially malicious applications and services online, such as the FaceApp as well as quiz games on Facebook. Many of these ask permission to access the information found on your social media profiles and use or sell it to third-party advertisers and companies.

Remain anonymous. Do not use your real name or any information related to you as your email address.

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Encrypt your files and data before sending, even via ProtonMail, to add another layer of data security.

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Not Yet Doctors twitter: @NotYetDoctors

Looking for a podcast to listen to during quarantine? Not Yet Doctors got you covered! Hosted by an MD-to-be and a PhD student, Gaby Flores and Robert Aguilar respectively, Not Yet Doctors is a fresh podcast series dedicated to bridge the gap between Filipino scientists and medical practitioners. The series, which launched its first episode last June, discusses and gives commentaries on topics aligned with medicine, research, and everything else in between. Episodes can be streamed online through iTunes, Apple Podcast, and Spotify.

Queer Scientists PH twitter: @queerscienceph

The Queer Scientists PH is a team of LGBTQIA+ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Pansexual, Transgender, Genderqueer, Queer, Intersexed, Agender, etc.) STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) practitioners, professionals, and advocates, with the mission to promote queer visibility of Filipinos in STEAM - “one story at a time.�

Sentinel PH

w ri t t e n by Pauline Alyanna Lontok Janina Eloise Alviar

twitter: @ph_sentinel fb: ph.sentinel

The Science and Technology Editors League of the Philippines (Sentinel PH), is a nationwide association of youth S&T-oriented publications. Formed initially by University of the Philippines (UP) Diliman College of Science undergraduates back in early 2019, Sentinel PH is geared towards promoting local S&T and advocating genuine national industrialization through journalism. Adhering to their goals, Sentinel PH conducts discussions, fora, and seminars highlighting the role of science journalism and science communication in nation building. Just last year, they organized SENTX 2019, a two-day event which featured talks from various science journalists and professionals and alike.

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ow more than ever, the whole world turns to science and technology (S&T) for ways and solutions to improve living and combat risks against life itself. With physical distancing becoming the new normal in this current COVID-19 pandemic, we have largely relied on virtual media in maintaining social relationships and keeping ourselves informed. The sudden shift in the way we live our everyday life pushed everyone to find new ways to reconnect with the world through screens and digital links.

FlipScience

website: FlipScience.ph; fb: FlipScience; twitter:@flipscienceph FlipScience is the first Filipino-operated science news tedia networks such as GMA and Summit Media. Together with Hana Abello, an experienced social media marketing manager and specialist, the two kick-started FlipScience to foster Filipinos’ appreciation for the sciences. Since 2017, the team has regularly published original content and shared materials from external sources with the goal to “combat misinformation, promote science in the Philippines, and inspire a new generation of Pinoy scientists and science communicators.” Feed your curiosity and be up-to-date on science and research with FlipScience!

Association of Filipino Scientists in America twitter: @AFSAOfficial fb: filipinoscientisinamerica

The Association of FIlipino Scientists in America (AFSA) is a non-profit network of Filipino scientists across America with the goal to seek the expertise of its members from various fields of study and extend a hand to the Filipino community. AFSA was formed back in October 2019, during a cafe meeting between Carla Bertulfo and 10 more individuals. Since then, its community has grown, with more than 70 members all over the United States of America (USA). As the leading organization uniting and mobilizing Filipino scientists in the USA, AFSA continues to push forward their advocacies on environmental science, health, and S&T through online events such as educational discussions, fora, and information campaigns.

Science Chat PH

twitter: @sciencechatph fb: Science Chat PH

g r a p h i c s by Jeri Latorre Tiffany Ashley Uy With no foreseeable end to this pandemic yet, the internet has become a vital platform especially for organizations who strive for more visibility and higher regard to those working in the field of S&T here in the Philippines.

Get to know a few science-centric organizations directed towards promoting S&T and science communication among Filipinos — may it be through science journalism or simply starting up a conversation.

If you are planning on taking up postgraduate studies yet are clueless on where to start and what to expect, a little chit-chat with peers might do the trick. Science Chat PH, a growing community of Filipino research enthusiasts across the globe, was formed last April by five graduate student-researchers — Pierce Manlangit, Mae Mercado, Aiko del Rosario, Julze Alejandrte, and Bernard Racoma.

The co-founders of Science Chat PH, who all connected through Twitter, are UP graduates now pursuing their respective MS and PhD programs. Inspired by Academics Chatter and the multidisciplinary community, Open Academics, the organization was formed to “serve an unserved community of students in the Philippines,” primarily connecting postgraduate students and giving scientists an avenue to talk freely about their specializations. Aside from hosting webinars to facilitate conversation on STEAM-related topics, the group also engages their members through features (Faces of Science), and weekly games (SiyenSaya).

eyes wa eyes I

’m an unremarkable person.

I run on a routine which, after five years of college graduation, comes to me as something automatic. I wake up at six every day and my alarm clock has yet to fail. I eat my breakfast then I prepare for my day. I ride the train, getting on and off the same two stations. I work in my cubicle with the same blue walls until it’s time to go home. I hang out with my co-workers after work hours sometimes. I’ve been running on autopilot in the past five years.

There’s nothing to see.

Despite that, the eyes are still watching.

Sometimes, they are easy to miss – the miniscule lenses embedded on the walls and the small microphones wedged in the cracks and holes, but most of the time, they are out for everyone to see. When I walk in the streets, I’d see children playing with the surveillance camera at the entrance of a convenience store, giggling as they ran back and forth while watching the lenses follow their movement. Sometimes the eyes are actual eyes, pretending to be someone in the background.

The details are kind of hazy in my memories, but I know, the eyes are here because of the rise in activity of underground subversive groups that aims to topple the government. Any sign of unrest is detrimental to peace and should be put out before it can grow into flames.

I don’t really mind the eyes watching me. There’s nothing to be afraid of if there’s nothing to see.

26

In the past three years, there has been an addition to the routine, in the name of HC, my co-worker who sits three cubicles away from me. We’ve formed a sort of an odd friendship.

HC would come to my cubicle during lunch break to talk my ear off about whatever topic that tickles his fancy. I never really gave him a sign of interest, but he didn’t take my indifference as a sign of unwelcome.

“Yo, MK, what do you have for lunch?” I see HC from my peripheral vision, dragging his computer chair to my cubicle and holding a sandwich with the other hand. I put my computer on sleep and rolled my chair around to face him as he plops down his seat, “I’m getting tired of eating sandwiches, but I can’t for the life of me get up early to prepare an actual meal.”

I’ve found that HC doesn’t mind if I don’t respond, so I turn around to face my desk and grab my backpack to take my packed lunch out. HC peeks over my shoulder, “It’s buttered broccoli today, huh?”

I nod in reply and take my first bite.

“Have you heard about that rebel that got caught last night?” HC asks. I tilt my head towards him, hoping that my expression conveyed my answer.

No. HC eyes me with interest. “JS,

scientia vol 27 no 1

atch, linger w ri t te n by Kyla Carmea Javier

g r a p hi c s by Christian Robic Hermosa

frozen for a second, not quite noticeable.

I follow his gaze and my eyes pass over to the new recruit. I return my gaze back to HC. He snaps out of it, resuming to greet our colleagues present.

Was that a look of recognition?

It shouldn’t matter, but it bugs me the whole night.

from that terror organization that got ambushed five years ago. There’s only two of them left on the run.”

I continued eating my lunch, not feeling the need to contribute to the conversation. HC takes another bite from his sandwich with his eyes still on me. “Don’t you think it’s good? To finally catch those rebels that disrupt our peace.”

Before I can nod in agreement, one of our seniors comes by my cubicle and leans on HC’s chair.

“There’s a new recruit in the department upstairs. They’re going to throw him a party later. Wanna come?”

Our senior asks. “I think he’s about your age, so it’d be nice if you can hang out together.”

HC’s eyes light up, “Of course we’ll come! Right, MK?” I nod in reply.

“Great! I’ll see you there later!” Our senior then walks away, probably to invite our other co-workers.

Everyone is already seated when HC and I arrived. It is just a small gathering, the majority probably opting out as it’s a weekday. HC waves with enthusiasm to the people we’re familiar with, but then there is a moment of hesitation and he is

feature & literary

In the following days, I find out that I and the new recruit, JN, ride the same train to work. After that morning when he saw me standing at my usual spot, JN would always look for me as he boards the train. While I do not mind being friends with him, there is something about JN that does not sit well with me.

I cannot pinpoint what that is, but he always seems so restless, like he wants to say something but decides not to.

Today, JN is standing next to me on the train on the way to work. After the pleasantries, he didn’t say anything else, so I’m just watching the same old scenery out of the window while JN is silently rocking on the balls of his feet.

I’m not going to lie, doing that on a moving train is an impressive feat.

Out of nowhere, a familiar tune plays in the screens above the windows.

I didn’t know that those screens can be used for something else other than adverts, despite riding this train for the past five years. It’s the same tune that plays before and after the airing of the evening news on the television. I think it’s an announcement, and an important one at that.

Of course, it catches everyone’s attention. The leader of terrorist group Sueño, RJ, has been caught in a raid a few moments ago and is now in custody.

Only one member of the group is still on

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is a frown on his face, with his gaze fixated on the screen. His hand is trembling, gripping the strap of his messenger bag.

I do not have an answer for that.

the run.

There are whoops of joy in the train, and I can’t keep a smile from forming on my face. Everyone should celebrate peace and give praises to its upholder.

I tear my gaze away from the screen and in the process, I get a glimpse of JN’s face.

His expression is full of distress.

“Are they really terrorists?” There

28

“JN is kind of weird, don’t you think?”

HC stares at me, a hint of disbelief on his face and his mouth hanging slightly open. “What?” I ask.

HC snaps out of it and chuckles nervously. “I’m just surprised,” he says as he straightens up, “that you said something. It’s always just me talking your ear off during lunch break so…”

I gave him a shrug and took the last bite from my packed meal.

“Why’d you say so?” HC asks as I put away my utensils and my lunch box. “Is JN weirding you out?”

HC does it again, eyeing me with interest, the way he did when he asked me about the rebel last week.

That look fills me with dread, the way it is tinged with a slight malice that somehow feels accusatory, but I cannot understand why.

“This morning,” HC looks at me with rapt attention, “I was with him on the train. We take the same line going to work.”

HC nods. “Yeah, I heard he lives two stations away from your stop.” He shifts in his seat. “What was wrong then?”

“There was an announcement,” I look directly in HC’s eyes, “on the train.

A rebel was caught. RJ? If I remember correctly.”

It’s miniscule and unnoticeable, if I weren’t looking straight at him, but it was there. Shock. A millisecond passes and it’s replaced by something else that I cannot put my finger into.

Arrogance?

“Everyone on that train must be happy then,” HC says, and then breaks away from the eye contact to take a bite of his lunch.

“Yeah. Except for JN. He was the opposite of happy. Distressed, even.”

HC looks at me, trying to look for something in my eyes. I do not know if he found what he was looking for.

“Maybe you should stay away from him, MK.” It seems overkill to avoid JN after that one incident, but I find myself

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following what HC told me. It’s been a week since I saw him on the train because I moved to another spot. I don’t think it’s going to be difficult for JN to find me on the train, but he didn’t. The thought of JN finding me is making me paranoid, which I know is irrational, because aside from that weird incident a week back, he hasn’t done anything wrong.

Later in the day, he finds me.

I’m packing up for the day when I see JN approaching my cubicle. His presence unsettles me, despite his harmless appearance. I look in the direction of HC’s cubicle, but I realize he’s not around anymore, leaving after lunch because of a field assignment.

His absence fills me with panic because he’s the only person that I’ve told about JN and I’m clinging to his advice like a lifeline. The sound of JN’s footsteps come to a stop, so I school my panicked expression into something neutral, like nothing happened, before I turn to face him.

“Hey, MK, are you done for today?

Are you free after this?” JN asks, his expression hopeful. There are excited whistles from the other people in the department, and somewhere I hear someone say, ‘Go get your man, JN!’ I want to turn him down, right there and then, but it feels wrong to say that I’m not free and then head straight home after. I finished putting my things away and hiked the strap of my messenger bag on my shoulder before facing him. “I’m free, I guess.

I’m not planning on doing anything besides going home so…”

The irrational part of my mind, that oddly sounds like HC, tells me to back out, to stay away from JN. As much as I want to do that, I come to the realization that I need to suppress this irrationality because it’s unfair for JN, who never really did anything wrong.

“Oh cool,” JN says, his right hand rubbing the back of his head with a sheepish expression on his face.

“There’s a café two blocks away from here, maybe you’d want to go there to talk?”

“Sure. I don’t think I’ve been there before.” Despite my initial reluctance, I find myself grabbing the opportunity to figure JN out. Maybe talking to him will let me understand his weird reaction on the train last week.

feature & literary

JN looks pleased, but traces of confusion mar his expression. I raise my right eyebrow in question.

“Oh, it’s just surprising,” JN explains, “considering that that place is near our workplace, I thought you’ve been there before.”

JN searches something in my eyes and I stare at him in return. There’s something familiar in the way he looks at me, but I can’t put my finger on it.

We are already walking down the streets when I come to the realization that his gaze is reminiscent of HC’s.

JN and I are sitting in a booth near the windows, our hands cradling our warm drinks. JN eyes the hot chocolate in my hands with a frown. I raise an eyebrow in question.

JN smiles, sheepish, like a child caught doing something forbidden.

“Don’t mind me. I just thought you’d be more of a coffee person.”

“I’ve never liked coffee.”

The frown is back on his face again, but he does not say anything. “You know, it’s been a while since we met but I realize we still don’t know each other well.”

“No one knows me well,” I say before taking a sip of my drink. There

29

is a flash of hurt on JN’s eyes. “I don’t think I know myself well, to be honest.

What is there to know?”

“You seem pretty close to HC.” “He talks to me a lot. That’s just it.

I know it seems a bit cold, but I don’t really reciprocate the interest.”

JN nods, swirling the contents of his mug. “That’s…harsh.”

We are silent for a few moments. I feel my phone buzz in my pocket. It’s a message from HC. You’re with JN? I find it baffling at first, for HC to know I’m with JN. The way my life has been unremarkable up until this moment made me forget that there are eyes everywhere. JN, the break in the routine, grabs the attention of the eyes watching.

I put my phone back to my pocket without sending a reply. If they already know then I don’t have to tell him.

“By any chance, did you attend the state university? I think I’ve seen you in campus before…” JN asks, trying to keep the conversation going.

“Oh no. I attended a private university two towns away.” I said, gauging JN’s reaction. He looks almost displeased with my answer, like I’m giving out the wrong answer.

“Is that so? What did you major in then?” The curiosity is back in JN’s eyes, combined with a taunting look that challenges me to give him the answer that he wants to hear.

“I majored in….” What did I major in again?

JN looks at me like he got me all figured out. “You don’t remember, don’t you?”

“Why would I not remember what I majored in?” I ask, incredulous and affronted.

“I’m not talking about that. I’m talking about me, RJ, CL, JS, JM, H— “ It’s that sound again, this time, coming from the television mounted on the wall. The familiar tune catches the attention of everyone. I look at JN, and there it is again, the look of distress.

There is great joy upon our country today, ladies and gentlemen. The last member of the terrorist group Sueño, identified as JM, has been found dead 30

in a raid conducted earlier. All terrorist groups that dared threaten the state are now in custody awaiting trial.

Long live the state!

The television goes back to its regular programming and amidst the howls and cheers of joy in the café, JN vibrates in his seat, visibly distressed.

I frowned at him. “What is wrong with you? Shouldn’t you be happy that we’re finally at peace?”

The look of horror on his face is something I did not expect. He takes my hand and looks in my eyes, “You have to remember, please, MK. You have to remember.”

I feel so confused. Maybe that is an understatement. JN tightens his hold on my hand.

“Please MK, please. Do it. Don’t forget our dream.” JN releases his hold, “You know where to find me.”

With that, he storms out of the café.

Do what? Don’t forget our dream?

“Don’t forget our dream.” A boy my age says. I see them, three young men huddled around a computer.

“No one will forget, RJ.” The boy typing on the computer says. “One day, we’ll be free from the eyes that are watching.”

“You’re right CL. One day, the truth will prevail, and we won’t need to keep our voices hushed.”

“Are you getting tired of having your voice hushed, JS?” There’s another person, lying down on the couch across the room.

“I’m tired of seeing injustice and hearing false truths because our voices are silenced, JM.” They are now looking at me. “We can do this, guys. We’ll get there.” I hear myself say.

Two people burst into the room.

Everyone turns to the newcomers, with expectant looks on their faces.

“We got it!” HC waves a folder in the air while trying to catch his breath.

JN is crouching down with both of his hands on his knees, also catching his breath. “Read it! There’s some terrible things on those documents.”

I find myself walking towards the pair and snatching the folder from HC’s hands. My eyes skim through the documents. Illegal procurement.

Mass killings in prison camps. Arrests without warrant. Death penalty without trial. Things that are never seen or heard of in the media.

I’ve taken two steps towards the computer when it happened.

Gunshots. Smoke. I cannot see past the grey smoke. I hear frantic footsteps.

Hide! Hide! The horrifying smell of iron in the air. There’s a cry of agony.

The sound of locking handcuffs. God, please let CL be alright. I hear the soft creak of the emergency escape door.

I just know, even without seeing, that JN is herding them outside. JN, please

keep them safe.

I feel someone pulling my arm, dragging me somewhere. HC whispers in my ear, “Come with me.” And then, darkness. The next time I open my eyes, there’s a voice telling me, “You’re MK, an office worker, loyal to the state.”

I’ve been living a lie for the past five years.

I shake myself out of that trance, breaking in cold sweat. I feel my phone vibrating in my pocket, but I pay it no mind as I rush back to my apartment.

I ride the train in a daze and suddenly, I find myself back at my apartment, digging out a laptop I didn’t know I owned. I sit down, my fingers flying through the keys, typing out what I know, what we found out, and what the people deserve to know. The phone in my pocket continues to ring, telling me that the eyes are watching me. As I type the final #, the door opens, and a gunshot rings in the air as I click on “post.”

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S R T S P N I E D I R T S R T S E D I R T S R P N I E D I R R T T S S P N I E D I R T R S T S STRIDE IN PRIDE: Demands of Filipino queer scientists

w ri t te n by Nikka Joy Macasa

g r a p hi c s by Hanz Salvacion

Krista is a queer marine scientist focusing on marine biotechnology gene markers in Tridacna gigas or giant clams.

Herald is a bisexual PhD student who, as part of the Modelling and Applications Group, contributed a COVID-19 model to the UP Pandemic Response Team.

Jayson is a trans woman physicist looking into the mechanism of vision in cephalopods and some octopus species.

Mark is a gay mathematician who decomposes matrices for applications in statistics, engineering and sciences.

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N I E D I E R D I ST R P N I E E D I R DE STRID I E R D P I R P N I R E T D S I E R D I R P I E N I D I E R T S E E D D I I R R P N I E D E I R D I R T S E D E I D PR IN PRI R T E S D I E R D I I PR T

heir common denominator? All of them bear the brunt of being lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, etc. (LGBTQ+) and of being a science researcher in the Philippines.

For years, transgender and gendernonconforming people have been persecuted for their sexuality, regardless of their contribution to society. A popular tale stars Alan Turing, an English computer scientist who turned the tides for the Allies during World War II by breaking the codes from Enigma but was later condemned a criminal by the United Kingdom’s homophobic laws.

Although not branded by the law as criminals because of their sexual orientation, gender identity, and expression (SOGIE), the Filipino LGBTQ+ community is no stranger to oppression and discrimination. Krista, Herald, Jayson and Mark, themselves, have had their fair shares of marginalization. From the glares in public restrooms to overcompensating for one’s sexuality often through financial support, to outright sexual harassment—they, along with the rest of the LGBTQ+ community, experience prejudice through microaggressions, abuses and exploitation from day to day. Yet, there remains no infrastructure that safeguards and promotes their basic human rights on a national level.

Inadequate support also extends to different sectors, one of which being the science and technology (S&T) sector. Although they are unseen—in some areas, nonexistent even— Filipino queer scientists have backed and driven research and development (R&D) in the country.

But regardless of gender, the state of S&T in the Philippines remains backwards and staggered.

Both sectors have made huge progress over the past years but straddling in both quagmires of being LGBTQ+ and being a scientist in the Philippines remains a great feat and warrants urgent demands for science to be truly inclusive of all genders.

More Visibility

More often than not, when someone pictures a scientist, the image that initially comes to mind is a straight cisgender male doing lab work. In some regions in the country, imagining a scientist alone even proves to be a challenge, what more a queer one?

Such plight stems from the feudal culture that prevailed in the country during the Spanish colonial period. The babaylan and asog, respected political and social leaders in pre-colonial Philippines, were shunned and authority was concentrated in the hands of priests, fathers, and other predominantly male figures.

This manifests up to today in the microaggressions that transgender people, scientists or not, experience. Before working in the National Institute of Physics, Jayson was a researcher in a catholic university and he recalls that there were instances wherein they’d be bullied for their sexuality, citing the “feudal culture prevailing among [their] workmates.” At present, they find themself in a conducive work environment because their colleagues are openminded about SOGIE-related matters and they find comfort in the presence of other queer scientists.

In the past few years, professionals have been at the helm of thoroughly leading this community into the light. On July 5, 2018, the first annual International Day of LGBTQ+ in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) was held to celebrate the works and identities of LGBTQ+ people in all STEM fields. It has gained much reception and support since and has helped raise recognition on the struggles that queer scientists all over the world face.

In the Philippines, Filipino transgender and non-gender conforming science workers have also taken steps to advance LGBTQ+ rights in the country, lead researches and lobby for antidiscrimination legislation among others. And for the first time, the first national conference for the LGBTQ+, the Philippine Queer Studies Conference, will be held in October 2020 to provide an avenue for policymakers, academics, researchers and advocates to discuss the situation of and response on SOGIE-related human rights matters.

Proactively organizing more programs that put more queer scientists in the spotlight should empower aspiring scientists of all gender identities, gender expressions, and sexual orientations to pursue careers in STEM and mobilize them to battle prejudice as a scientific community.

N I E D I R D I T S R P N I E E D I D I R R T S E D E I D R I P R P N I R T E S D I E R D I R P E N I D I E R T S E D D I I PR E IN PR D E I TR E STRID E D I D R I P R P N I E T S D E RI D I PR Protective Policies

In April 2020, Anril Tiatco, professor in UP Diliman and long-time partner of Dr. Alonzo Gabriel, revealed the excruciating process that came after his better-half’s passing. Tiatco was initially prevented from handling different procedures himself before painstakingly explaining their living conditions, since he would not be recognized as family, and eventually being able to reach a compromise. Gabriel was a respected food scientist whose decorated career was oriented towards ensuring food security and safety among small-scale food enterprises.

This is only one of the cases which exhibit the gap between the rights enjoyed by same-sex and heterosexual couples and individuals. The marginalization that the LGBTQ+ community faces even goes as far as hate crimes which oftentimes are not addressed judiciously. One of the main infrastructures that would crucially bridge this is an anti-discrimination bill that recognizes same-sex unions, safeguards the rights of the LGBTQ+, shields them from SOGIE-related abuse, ensures disciplinary action against offenders, and promotes SOGIE equality and awareness.

There must also be provisions that ensure their safety in the workplace and allow them to enjoy basic benefits. In her four years of being a research assistant, Krista never had health insurance which became her ultimate concern when she had a freak accident in 2018, she revealed in her personal blog. Even with the blood gushing out of her wrist, her foremost worry was how to settle the medical bills. Such instances only prove that the welfare of workers of all genders must be an utmost priority--in that they must be provided with appropriate insurance, hazard pay, proper protective equipment, compensation, and job security.

Genuine Inclusivity

It is no news that the prevalent attitude towards the LGBTQ+ in the Philippines is only tolerant and not genuinely accepting. In 2013, a survey by the Pew Research Center revealed that 73 percent of the adult Filipinos surveyed agreed that “homosexuality should be accepted by society” and yet a Social Weather Stations survey in 2018 showed that 61 percent oppose the legislation of same sex unions. “There remains to be a great disconnect with how they’re perceived and how they’re actually treated,” Herald said.

Filipinos are accepting of the gendernonconforming so far as stereotypes are met— the effeminate, loud bakla, the masculine lesbian and the creative gay entertainers. It is the same stereotypes that box LGBTQ+ individuals who, for the longest time, were only visible in the creatives and entertainment industry. For Mark, who wanted to become a civil engineer as a child, his dream seemed rather unthinkable as he initially perceived that the career necessitated a more butch character. “Inisip ko na baka mabully ako ng mga lalake kong kasama sa trabaho or baka hindi ako ma-take seriously,” he recalled. Fortunately for him, he realized later on that he was actually drawn to the mathematics aspect of engineering, prompting him to pursue his current career.

Perceived discrimination in specific settings due to associated stereotypes tend to limit the career opportunities that queer people believe they have. Some fields also seem uncomfortable, if not inhospitable, for some LGBTQ+ people. A study by Mattheis and Yoder (2016) showed that workers’ openness to colleagues was found to differ significantly among various STEM fields, with those participants in the Earth sciences, mathematics, engineering, and psychology reportedly being less out than those working in the physical sciences, social sciences and life sciences.

For S&T to truly flourish, there is a need to cultivate a culture with a visibly welcoming community wherein every curious mind is free to explore in and out of the workplace. Beyond the workplace, it’s crucial to avoid enforcing heteronormative ideals and introduce SOGIE awareness as early as basic education level.

The diversity that comes with accommodating all genders in the workplace, eventually, drives research, education, advocacy, and practice to fulfill their full potential.

Support

As of 2015, the Philippines has 106 researchers in R&D per million Filipinos—a far cry from the UNESCO-recommended figure of 380 researchers per million. As a developing country, we face a large demand for more people in the workforce to drive our nation to progress but a great deal of work still has to be done. For years, the calls to prioritize R&D and basic services have only strengthened.

Especially in the midst of a pandemic, more funds must be allocated to agencies and sectors that would lead us out of this crisis.

E E D D I R P N I E D I R E P N I E D I R E D I R P IN DE E D I R P N I E D I R E P N I E D I R E T D I R P IN Evidently, the crucial elements that address the adversaries of both the LGBTQ+ and the STEM communities are strong government support and better social services.

The stratified struggles of Filipino queer scientists are also weaved with the rest of society. The stunted and backwards state of S&T they endure puts the entire population on the same boat. Thus, the sciences can only be truly inclusive to all genders with free and quality S&T education, sufficient R&D funding, guaranteed job opportunities and security, conducive working conditions, complete compensation and benefits, and accessible basic social services.

Jayson.

Krista.

Herald.

Mark.

Their common denominator? They all demand change—an urgent shift from the existing status quo that has curtailed their liberation for years. They all need a safe space--one that they could occupy with the rest of society while enjoying their basic democratic rights, loud and proud. They all take their struggles in stride to pave the way to an inclusive scientific community—for science sees no gender but all genders must be seen in science.

References

Malig, Kaela. “Late UP Prof’s Same-Sex Partner Says Hospital, Funeral Services Staff Refused to Recognize Him as Family.” GMA News Online, April 18, 2020. https:// www.gmanetwork.com/news/lifestyle/familyandrelationships/734532/lateup-prof-s-same-sex-partner-says-hospital-funeral-services-staff-refused-torecogniz/story/.

Melgarejo, Krista. “Frustrations of a Filipino Contractual Scientist.” Medium. The Xylom™, August 18, 2018. https://medium.com/the-xylom/frustrations-of-afilipino-contractual-scientist-ffc60024a387.

“Researchers in R&D (per Million People).” Data. Accessed August 2020. https:// data.worldbank.org/indicator/SP.POP.SCIE.RD.P6?end=2018.

Salaverria, Leila B. “PH LGBT-Friendly, but 61% Oppose Same-Sex Marriage.”

Philippine Daily Inquirer, July 1, 2018. https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1005757/phlgbt-friendly-but-61-oppose-same-sex-marriage.

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Schneider, Margaret S., and Anne Dimito. “Factors Influencing the Career and Academic Choices of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender People.” Journal of Homosexuality 57, no. 10 (2010): 1355–69. https://doi.org/10.1080/00918369.2 010.517080.

“The Global Divide on Homosexuality.” Pew Research Center’s Global Attitudes Project. Pew Research Center, July 24, 2020. https://www.pewresearch.org/ global/2013/06/04/the-global-divide-on-homosexuality/.

Yoder, Jeremy B., and Allison Mattheis. “Queer in STEM: Workplace Experiences Reported in a National Survey of LGBTQA Individuals in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Careers.” Journal of Homosexuality 63, no. 1 (2015): 1–27. https://doi.org/10.1080/00918369.2015.1078632.

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