The National Research Council of the Philippines (NRCP) on Wednesday cited the nationwide expansion of its research and development program amid efforts to strengthen Philippine research and make it globally competitive.

During the agency’s year-end conference and assembly in Pasay City, NRCP President Dr. Ma. Louise Antonette N. De Las Peñas highlighted the expanding community of mentors and mentees under the Research and Development Leadership to Foster an Inclusive Research Ecosystem (RDLead FIRE) program which aims to strengthen research capabilities in institutions by deploying expert leaders to mentor young scientists and innovators.

De Las Peñas said the program, which covered 48 provinces during its pilot implementation in 2018, has now expanded to 61 provinces nationwide.

“This supports the inclusive research ecosystem that the RDLead FIRE aspires to create,” she said.

Science and Technology Secretary Renato Solidum Jr. likewise congratulated the agency for the program’s growth, citing the addition of 41 new RD Leaders under RDLead FIRE. This brought the total to 116 RD Leaders and 114 host institutions across the country.

“We need each other to keep our individual fire burning. [W]e need your expertise, knowledge, dedication, and burning passion to keep pursuing research and innovation for our country despite the odds,” he said, noting that the country’s human capital is one of its greatest assets.

De Las Peñas said the expanding RDLead community reflects growing public awareness of the importance of research and development.

“The importance of research has been gaining the attention it deserves for the past year but there’s still a long way to go on even broadening its reach and to make it more inclusive,” she said.

“There are multiple reasons why there are sectors in our community that are still not progressive when it comes to research, It is also important to recognize these concerns to think of solutions that can address them,” she added, noting that despite frustrations encountered in research journeys, these should not discourage researchers.

RDLead is one of the components of the Department of Science and Technology’s Science for Change Program, which aims to establish a more robust and inclusive research and innovation environment in the country.