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UP Scientific Productivity System (SPS) Awarding Ceremony for Batch 2022-2024 of UP Scientists
29 September 2023 | Friday | 1:00 PM
Charles Fuller Baker Memorial Hall, UP Los Baños

Magandang hapon po sa inyong lahat.

First of all, my warmest congratulations to the pride and inspiration of our country’s academic community, the lifeblood of our University: our outstanding UP Scientists for 2022 to 2024, who will be honored today at this UP Scientific Productivity System (SPS) Awarding Ceremony. 

I am deeply honored to be here with you today to recognize and celebrate academic and scientific excellence, relentless dedication and discipline, and groundbreaking contributions and innovations by the esteemed members of our community, especially the contributions and innovations that have directly impacted the lives of Filipinos for the better. 

The UP Scientific Productivity System was established by the Board of Regents in August 2005 with a clear vision: to support the development of science and technology, and to encourage and reward scientific productivity within the 91ÊÓƵ. Today, we bear witness to the fruition of that vision, embodied in the remarkable individuals we are here to honor.

UP has always recognized the importance of nurturing its scientists. Through the provision of research funds and various awards, we have worked to create an environment where academic and scientific excellence and artistic expression thrive, where creativity, invention, insight and innovation flourish. The “UP Scientist” Award is a testament to the University’s commitment to nurturing scientific development, as it not only bestows esteemed recognition but also provides material incentives and a conducive environment that fosters advanced scientific productivity for the betterment of our nation.

You, our deserving scientists, researchers, innovators and mentors—our UP Scientists—are bestowed with this prestigious rank for a period of three years, accompanied by a monetary award. The rewards are well-earned, as your dedication to advancing the boundaries of knowledge and finding ways to harness this knowledge to benefit our people, especially the marginalized and neglected, is priceless. You have earned not only this recognition but also our deepest respect and admiration from us here in UP, and the honor and gratitude of the country.

Since the inception of the UP Scientific Productivity System, the University has appointed 774 individuals to the UP Scientist ranks. With scientists retaining or improving their ranks, we are witnessing the tangible impact of our long-term campaign and initiatives to support our academic community in their pursuit of excellence and service to the nation.

Let us take a moment to acknowledge the achievements of our UP Scientists over the years. Each batch of scientists has left an indelible mark on our University and the nation as a whole. This legacy of excellence extends from 2006-2008 to our most recent Batch 2022-2024, comprising 56 Scientist I, 9 Scientist II, and 12 Scientist III appointments, totaling 77 individuals who have pushed the boundaries of knowledge in their respective fields.

These statistics, however, merely scratch the surface of the profound impact our UP Scientists have had on society. Your research, discoveries and innovations have changed lives and moved to transform our nation. You have created treatments, pharmaceuticals, and cutting-edge diagnostic and mapping tools that figured front and center in our government’s fight against the pandemic as well as other health problems. You have made discoveries and innovations that give our people, communities and sectors the tools to boost productivity through environmentally sustainable methods; to mitigate risk of disaster and disease; to communicate and learn more efficiently; to make valuable information more accessible. You have conducted wide-ranging explorations of Philippine society, delving deep into all facets of our histories, our cultures, our economic and sociopolitical realities—all that have made us who we are today, and all that would make us who we wish to be—and shared these with our leaders, policymakers, local governments and communities to provide much-needed shifts in mindsets that make all transformation possible. 

And perhaps most importantly, you have taught generations of UP students and young Filipinos the joys and the discipline of science and innovation, and how to harness these in real, concrete ways to benefit people and communities. Through your mentoring and example, you have nurtured new generations of Filipino scientists and innovators who will drive the nation’s development and enable us to face the challenges of the 21st century with fresh, new perspectives.

Of course, today’s awarding ceremony is not just a celebration. It is also an opportunity for us to engage with one another, for our esteemed guests, faculty, UP Scientists, students and staff to come together, share current research practices, discuss major accomplishments with high societal impact, and lay out our proposed works for the future. I am confident that our programs and initiatives, partnerships and collaborations now and in the future will have at their core UP’s guiding principle of service to our people and to humanity at large. After all, service remains the ultimate measure of our success and relevance as academics, as scientists, as innovators, and as knowledge creators. 

Once again, my heartfelt congratulations to Batch 2022-2024 UP Scientists. As you receive your well-deserved awards today, remember that you are not only being honored for your past achievements but also entrusted with the responsibility to continue pushing the boundaries of science and technology for the betterment of our nation.

Mabuhay ang mga Siyentista ng Bayan!

Daghang salamat.  Maayong hapon kaninyong tanan.