The Department of Science and Technology National Research Council of the Philippines (DOST-NRCP) urged on Monday academicians of higher education institutions to pursue research for the benefit of society.

During the Research Development and Leadership (RDLead) conference and year-end assembly at the Acacia Hotel Manila, NRCP executive director Bernardo Sepeda stressed the importance of the interrelationship of teaching, research and extension, saying that what is taught in the academe should be driven to respond to societal needs and that the response must be anchored ON research.

"Dapat yung teaching, research and institution functions are interrelated. Kung anong natutunan mo sa pananaliksik, ito dapat ang itinuturo sa paaralan, at kung ano ang itinuturo sa paaralan, ito dapat ang nagiging inspirasyon para tumugon sa pamayanan," Sepeda said in a chance interview with the Daily Tribune.

"'Yung pagtugon [d]apat nakabase sa pananaliksik, hindi yung maisipan lang, para 'yung tugon natin, akma dun sa pangangailangan ng pamayanan," he continued.

According to Sepeda, for research to be useful, it should be anchored on the real collective experiences of society.

"Kapag ganito yung ating pagtingin, [k]itang-kita natin na may silbi yung ating pinag-aaralan at hindi nakalutang sa ere. Ang problema natin minsan nakalutang lang sa ere, walang babad sa nangayayari sa realidad. Remember, we are here to solve real-life problems, and research is the way to do it. Hence, the importance of research cannot be undermined anymore," he said

With this, Sepeda encouraged academicians and HEIs to do research, citing that the government has various programs, such as the RDLead, to financially support researchers, specifically the budding research development institutions in the provinces.

"Inaaayahan ko ang lahat ng ating mga kasama sa akedimya na wag matakot na maglaan, magtiyaga, magbigay ng panahon para sa pananaliksik. Nagsisimula man kayo, nakatawid na kayo o nakahakbang na kayo nang milya-milya, lahat kayo ay kailangan pa rin magpatuloy sa pananaliksik sapagkat sa pamamagitan lamang ng pananaliksik, [a]gham, teknolohiya at inobasyon, tayo maiging higit na kapipakinabang para sa kinabakusan ng bayan.