National Research Council of the Philippines GOVERNING BOARD 2026 - 2027
Michael Angelo B. Promentilla, Ph.D.
President
Chair of Division VII-Engineering and Industrial Research
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Dr. Michael Angelo B. Promentilla is a Filipino environmental systems engineer, professor, research leader, inventor, and sciencepolicy practitioner whose work has consistently advanced the integration of research excellence, innovation, and societal impact. He is a Professor of Chemical and Environmental Engineering at De La Salle University and is recognized for building bridges across environmental systems engineering, sustainable materials, circular economy, decision science, and policy-oriented sustainability research. His career exemplifies a scholar who not only advances knowledge within disciplines but also mobilizes that knowledge across disciplines, institutions, and sectors toward a vibrant STI ecosystem. Dr. Promentilla received his training in chemical engineering at UPLB and UPD and earned his doctoral degree in Socio-Environmental Engineering from Hokkaido University, Japan. Over the years, he has developed a distinctive body of work at the intersection of environmental systems engineering and materials innovation. His research ranges from curiosity-inspired theories and models for complex decision-making, risk analysis, and sustainability assessment to the design and development of circular innovations that transform waste into value-added products. As an inventor with multiple patents and a materials engineer, he has helped develop eco-bricks, geopolymer composites, and other low-carbon construction materials derived from industrial and mineral wastes, while also contributing advanced techniques for materials characterization through X-ray microtomography and image-based analysis. As a research lead, Dr. Promentilla has directed and contributed to major interdisciplinary programs supported by NRCP, DOST-PCIEERD, and international organizations. His portfolio includes initiatives such as the UK Newton Prize NexCities, and Bio+Mine, where he has practiced transdisciplinarity as a lived research approach by integrating engineering, environmental science, systems modelling, policy analysis, and community engagement. Through these programs, he has demonstrated how research can move from laboratory investigation to ecosystem restoration, to circular-economy solutions, and to stakeholder-informed innovation pathways. Dr. Promentilla is also widely recognized for translating research into policy and diplomacy. He is an alumnus of the ASEAN Science and Technology Fellowship program. He has contributed to national and regional policy processes, including scientific and technical work on the Transboundary Diagnostic Analysis of the South China Sea, thereby embodying science diplomacy at the national, regional, and international levels. His scholarship has resulted in more than 200 Scopus-indexed publications (h-index of 31) across diverse but interconnected fields, reflecting both transdisciplinary breadth and disciplinary depth. Beyond research and publication, he has mentored early-career researchers, served in professional and civic leadership roles, including as a board member of the Society for the Conservation of Philippine Wetlands, Inc., and continues to advance innovation-for-impact as a cohort member of the UK Royal Academy of Engineering 2026 Global Leadership Innovation Fellowship. His distinctions include the 2026 Lasallian Signum Award for Excellence in Social Engagement, the 2025 Severino and Paz Koh Lectureship Award for Engineering, the 2024 Hitachi Global Innovation Award, the 2023 NSTW Outstanding Research and Development Award for Applied Research, the 2018 NRCP Achievement Award, and the 2013 Outstanding Young Scientist Award in socio-environmental engineering conferred by the National Academy of Science and Technology, Philippines.
Eric Zeus C. Rizo, Ph.D.
Vice President
Chair of Division V-Biological Sciences
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Dr. Eric Zeus C. Rizo is currently a Balik Scientist and an Assistant Professor in the Division of Biological Sciences, College of Arts and Sciences, University of the Philippines Visayas. He also serves as the Assistant to the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs of UPV. Dr. Rizo finished his Ph.D. from Jinan University in Guangzhou, PRC, with a specialization in Hydrobiology. His research work spans from systematics and diversity to the ecology of subtropical and tropical freshwater zooplankton and watershed management and conservation. He is currently the president of the Association of Systematic Biologists of the Philippines (ASBP) and the chair of the National Research Council of the Philippines (NRCP) Division V (Biological Sciences) and incumbent Vice President of the council.
Rochelle Irene G. Lucas, Ph.D.
Corporate Secretary
Chair of Division I-Governmental, Educational, and International Policies
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Rochelle Irene G. Lucas holds the position of Full Professor and Former Dean of the Br. Andrew Gonzalez FSC College of Education at De La Salle University-Manila. With an extensive academic background, she has made noteworthy contributions to the field, particularly in psycholinguistics, bilingualism, multilingualism, second language acquisition, motivation, language anxiety, and alternative assessment. Her research has been featured in esteemed Scopus and ISI indexed journals.
Dr. Lucas further enriched her professional experience as a Fellow at the International Deans’ Course (IDC) facilitated by the DAAD (German Academic Exchange Service) from 2010 to 2011. Her commitment to scholarly organizations is evident through her past presidency at the Linguistic Society of the Philippines (LSP) from 2012 to 2015 and her role as Secretary of the Comparative Education Society of the Philippines (CESP) from 2013 to 2017. As a Board member, she actively participates in various professional bodies such as the Linguistic Society of the Philippines (LSP), Summer Institute of Linguistics (SIL), ERB Chair 2 of Philippine Social Science Council, Social Science Research Ethics Board (PSSC-SSERCB) and the DOST-National Research Council of the Philippines (NRCP) as its current Division 1 Chair and Corporate Secretary. Notably, Dr. Lucas also serves as a Field Contributor for Ethnologue, an international language documentation website. Recently, she is appointed as a CHED Technical Panel member for Foreign Languages.
She successfully concluded a language documentation research project on Hanunoo Mangyan, generously funded by the DOST-National Research Council of the Philippines (NRCP). Simultaneously, she collaborated as a co-researcher in a three-year Erasmus Mundus project focused on Science teachers in the country.
In recognition of her outstanding contributions, Dr. Lucas received the 2021 Achievement Award for Division 1 (Governmental, National, and International Policies) from the National Research Council of the Philippines (NRCP). Additionally, she holds the prestigious LSP’s Br. Andrew Gonzalez FSC Distinguished Professorial Chair in Linguistics and Language Education in 2022. She is a Fulbright Advanced Research and University Lecturing Program Fellow for AY 2024-2025 at Teachers College, Columbia University New York.
Dixon T. Gevana, Ph.D.
Treasurer
Chair of Division VI-Agriculture and Forestry
Ross D. Vasquez, Ph.D.
Assistant Corporate Secretary
Chair of Division IV-Pharmaceutical Sciences
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Ross Dizon Vasquez, PhD, is a Professor 5 at the University of Santo Tomas (UST) Faculty of Pharmacy and The Graduate School. He currently serves as Chair of the National Research Council of the Philippines (NRCP) Division IV (Pharmaceutical Sciences) and as a Supervising Scientist at the UST Graduate School. Dr. Vasquez is recognized for his pioneering integration of advanced zebrafish (Danio rerio) models for high-throughput pharmacological and toxicological screening. His recent research leverages Artificial Intelligence (AI) and computer vision, employing tools such as DeepLabCut and OpenCV — to automate the assessment of behavioral alterations and cardiotoxicity. These methodologies enable precise, markerless tracking of cardiac physiology and locomotor complexity in response to phytotherapeutic agents, pharmaceutical compounds, and environmental pollutants.
Dr. Vasquez holds a PhD and MSc in Biological Sciences from the University of Santo Tomas, complemented by a degree in Botany, Medical Technology and academic units in Pharmacy. This interdisciplinary foundation positions him at the intersection of natural product discovery and contemporary pharmacological research. His work on anti-angiogenic agents, wound-healing therapeutics, natural products for mental health, and neuropsychiatric disorders has been disseminated through publications in high-impact peer-reviewed journals.
In addition to his research contributions, Dr. Vasquez serves as a Member of the Research Ethics Committee of both the UST Graduate School and the Faculty of Pharmacy, and as a Member of the Special Technical Committee for Health Sciences under the Civil Service Commission.
Betchaida D. Payot, Ph.D.
Assistant Treasurer
Chair of Division XII-Earth and Space Sciences
Ma. Louise Antonette N. De Las Penas, Ph.D.
Chair of Division II-Mathematical Sciences
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Ma. Louise Antonette N. De Las Peñas is a Professor of Mathematics based at the Department of Mathematics, Ateneo de Manila University. A mathematician and prolific researcher, she is recognized for her expertise in Discrete Geometry and Mathematical Crystallography, and Technology in Mathematics Education.
Prof. De Las Peñas heads three research labs in the university: Symmetries in Algebra and Geometry (SAGE) Lab, Mathplus Resources Lab and the Mathematics in Art, Culture and Creativity (MACC) Lab where she has been mentoring postdoctoral, PhD/MS and undergraduate mathematics students; and research teams have been working on government and internally funded projects. Prof. De Las Peñas has mentored at least 40 graduate students, including 12 PhD Mathematics graduates in the area of Discrete Geometry and Mathematical Crystallography.
Prof. De Las Peñas is a recipient of several research awards including the National Research Council of the Philippines (NRCP) Achievement Award in the Mathematical Sciences and the Philippine Commission on Higher Education (CHED) Republica National Research Award. She has published her research extensively in over a hundred publications. A number of her published articles has been given recognition by the Philippine National Academy of Science and Technology (NAST) as outstanding scientific papers.
Prof. De Las Peñas is former President of the NRCP and Chair of the Mathematical Sciences Division, and a member of the CHED Technical Panel in Mathematics. She is currently Co-Editor of Acta Crystallographica A: Foundations and Advances and Column Editor of the Mathematical Tourist of the Mathematical Intelligencer. She serves as consultant of the International Union of Crystallography (IUCr) Commission on Mathematical and Theoretical Crystallography. She has also been appointed to the Committee of Finance, Compliance and Risk of the International Science Council.
Jose Ma. M. Angeles, Ph.D.
Chair of Division III-Medical Sciences
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Dr. Jose Ma. M. Angeles is the current Chair of the Medical Sciences Division (2024-2028) of the National Research Council of the Philippines under the Department of Science and Technology. He is a Professor and currently the Chair of the Department of Parasitology, College of Public Health, University of the Philippines Manila. He was appointed University Scientist 2 through the UP Scientific Productivity System for 2023-2025. He is a registered medical technologist who has completed his B.S. Medical Technology degree at the Manila Central University. He then completed his Master of Public Health at the College of Public Health, University of the Philippines Manila, and his Ph.D. in Animal and Food Hygiene at the National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine. He has also received training from the Schistosomiasis Laboratory, Biomedical Research Institute in the USA, and the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute in the UK. He has also received Post-Doctoral Fellowships from the Association for Preventive Medicine of Japan and the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science. Dr. Angeles has been conducting several molecular biology and genetic research projects and developing serological diagnostics for Schistosoma japonicum infection in humans and animal reservoir hosts. He has received research grants from the Global Health Innovative Technology Fund of Japan, the World Health Organization, Merck Inc., and DOST-PCHRD. He has past and ongoing international research collaborations with several institutions from Japan, Taiwan, Canada, and the USA. He has been tasked by the WHO Southeast Asian Regional Office and the Ministry of Health Indonesia to spearhead training on recombinant antigen ELISA for schistosomiasis surveillance in Central Sulawesi, Indonesia. He has also authored and co-authored several research papers on parasitology published in international peer-reviewed journals. With his research contributions, he has been awarded the 2025 PAMET National Crisanto Almario Memorial Award for Research and the Annual Philippine Federation of Professional Associations (PFPA) Distinction Award 2026 for the Medical Technology Profession (Applied Research and Development Category). He also served as an Editor for a book on ELISA published in New York. He currently serves as the Vice-President of the Philippine Association of Tropical Medicine and Global Health (PATMEGH). He is a member of several professional organizations, including PAMET, the Philippine Society of Parasitology, the Japanese Society of Parasitology, the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, and the Global Schistosomiasis Alliance – Research Working Group.
Maria Ela L. Atienza, Ph.D.
Chair of Division VIII-Social Sciences
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Professor, Department of Political Science, Bulwagang Silangang Palma, University of the Philippines Diliman, Diliman, Quezon City 1101 Philippines
Page:
https://polisci.upd.edu.ph/faculty/atienza/
Google Scholar: http://scholar.google.com/citations?user=nKbWzWgAAAAJ&hl+en
Maria Ela L. Atienza, PhD is Professor and former Chair of the Department of Political Science, University of the Philippines (UP) Diliman. She is currently the Editor of the Philippine Political Science Journal (the Scopus and Web of Science internationally-refereed journal of the Philippine Political Science Association [PPSA] published by Brill), Chair of Division VIII (Social Sciences) of the National Research Council of the Philippines Governing Board, and member of the Board of Trustees of the Social Weather Stations, Inc. and the Social Sciences and Philosophy Research Foundation. She also served as Director of the UP Third World Studies Center (2010-2013), President of the PPSA (2007-2009), Co-Convenor of the Program on Social and Political Change, UP Center for Integrative and Development Studies (CIDS) (2018-2023), and President of the Pi Gamma Mu Honor Society (Philippine Alpha Chapter [UP]) (2022-2025). She obtained her BA (magna cum laude) and MA degrees (1992 and 1993) both in Political Science (BA-MA Honors Program), from UP Diliman; Executive Masters degree in European and International Relations (with distinction) from the Amsterdam School of International Relations, University of Amsterdam (1998); and PhD in Political Science (2003) from the Graduate School of International Cooperation Studies, Kobe University, Japan. Professor Atienza’s research interests and publications cover local governance and devolution, human security, health policy and politics, among other topics. She was co-investigator in a three-year project on poverty alleviation in areas affected by super typhoon Haiyan and co-authored the book Urban Poverty in the Wake of Environmental Disaster (Routledge, 2019) with Pauline Eadie and May Tan-Mullins. She co-edited with Teresa Encarnacion Tadem the book A Better Metro Manila? Towards Responsible Governance, Decentralization, and Equitable Development (Palgrave MacMillan, 2023). Her recently finished research projects and publications are on constitutional performance assessment of the 1987 Philippine Constitution (particularly in the areas of the judiciary and local governments), localization in humanitarianism and humanitarian diplomacy, and charter change debates. She has published in the following indexed journals: Asia Pacific Viewpoint, Asian Journal of Comparative Politics, Asian Survey, Contemporary Southeast Asia, Disaster Prevention and Management, Natural Hazards, and Philippine Political Science Journal. Her book chapters have been published by The Brookings Institution, ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute, Palgrave MacMillan, Routledge and Springer. She is the recipient of the first Young Scholar Dissertation Award (2006) from the International Society for Third Sector Research for her dissertation, the Yasuhiro Nakasone Incentive Award (2007) from the Institute for International Policy Studies, and the 2014 National Research Council of the Philippines’ Achievement Award for Division VIII (Social Sciences) and conferred Scientist III by the UP Scientific Productivity System for 2020-22 and 2023-25. She is currently Visiting Professor (non-resident) of the Faculty of Health, Medicine and Social Care, Anglia Ruskin University, 2024-2027, mainly involved in the current collaborative research project on Filipino nurses’ migration to the United Kingdom and return and reintegration in the Philippines as well as in developing future collaborative projects involving the UP and Anglia Ruskin University. She is also active in training and extension programs for social sciences and political science teachers, policy staff, development workers, personnel of government agencies, local government officials, and bureaucrats as well as serving as resource person on key political and social issues for several Philippine legislative committees, executive agencies, professional associations, the private sector, and media (international and local).
Jose Perico H. Esguerra, Ph.D.
Chair of Division IX-Physics
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Jose Perico “Perry” Esguerra obtained his PhD degree in Physics from the University of the Philippines Diliman in 2001. He is now a Professor at the National Institute of Physics and faculty member of its Theoretical Physics Group. Prof. Esguerra’s research is in the fields of classical and statistical mechanics and mathematical physics, with recent focus on stochastic processes, anomalous diffusion, and the analysis and applications of first passage processes. He served as President of the Samahang Pisika ng Pilipinas from 2009 to 2010. He has led the Philippine team to the International Physics Olympiad for several years, and chairs the Philippine National Astronomy Education Coordinator team for the IAU Office of Astronomy for Education. He co-organized the selection and assisted the training of several Philippine teams to the International Olympiad on Astronomy and Astrophysics. He is currently the Examination Committee Chair of the Philippine Physics Olympiad and the Philippine Junior Physics Challenge. He was a member of the CHED Technical Panel for Physics from 2009 to 2024. He is a recipient of the UP Diliman’s 2026 Gawad Tsanselor para sa Natatanging Guro, and the 2016 NRCP Achievement Award for Physics , and has been the Chair of the NRCP Division IX- Physics since April 2023.
Derrick Ethelbhert C. Yu, Ph.D.
Chair of Division X-Chemical Sciences
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Dr Derrick Yu is Full Professor 8 at the Department of Chemistry, and heads the Materials Science and Nanotechnology Research Unit at De La Salle University, Manila, Philippines. A Philippine government-registered professional chemist, his chemistry education includes bachelor’s and master’s degrees from DLSU, and doctorate degree from Hokkaido University, Japan; he also had further training at the Institute for Solid State Physics – Division of New Materials Science, University of Tokyo. His main research topics are: molecular engineering of phthalocyanines as multifunctional organic-based electronic conductors for information technology applications; and sustainability and circular economy of materials. His recognitions include “New Talent Asia 2011” (one of Asia’s rising stars in inorganic and organometallic chemistry) from the United Kingdom Royal Society of Chemistry, “2012 Outstanding Young Scientist” from the Philippine National Academy of Science and Technology; he became elected Fellow of the UK Royal Society of Chemistry in 2014, and long-term invited Fellow of the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science in 2019. Dr Yu was elected as regular member of the NRCP in 2013 and took his oath in 2014. Since then, he has served for 8 years as section chair under the Division of Chemical Sciences, as well as 2 years as associate editor for chemical sciences in the NRCP Research Journal.
Joyce L. Arriola, Ph.D.
Chair of Division XI-Humanities
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Dr. Joyce L. Arriola is a Professor of Communication and Literature at the University of Santo Tomas where she currently serves as Chair of the Department of Communication and Program Lead of the Communication and Literature programs of the Graduate School. She currently chairs the NRCP Division of Humanities.
Dr. Arriola has been conferred the NRCP Distinctive Achievement Award in the Humanities in 2019. She also won an Outstanding Book Award from the National Academy of Science and Technology for her book titled Pelikulang Komiks: Toward a Theory of Filipino Film Adaptation (UP Press, 2019). In 2007, she won the National Book Award for Film/ Film Criticism for her boon titled Postmodern Filming of Literature: Sources, Contexts and Adaptations (UST Publishing House, 2006).
Dr Arriola once served as Member of the CHED Technical Committee for Literature (2011-2025) and the NCCA National Committee on Literary Arts (2019-2022).
Her research interests include memory studies, adaptation studies and communication theology.
Adrian P. Ybanez, D.V.M, Ph.D.
Chair of Division XIII-Veterinary Medicine
Roberto B. Corcino, Ph.D.
Member-at-Large
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Dr. Roberto B. Corcino is a University Professor in the Mathematics Department of Cebu Normal University (CNU). He obtained his Bachelor of Science in Mathematics from Mindanao State University–Main Campus (MSU–Main) in 1992. He subsequently earned his Master of Science in Mathematics (1998) and Doctor of Philosophy in Mathematics under a straight program (1999) from the University of the Philippines Diliman.
In recognition of his academic excellence, Dr. Corcino was awarded the prestigious J. William Fulbright Senior Research Fellowship, which he pursued at the Mathematics Department of Clayton State University, Georgia, USA, from August 2007 to February 2008. Prior to joining CNU in 2014, he served as a faculty member at MSU–Main for over two decades (1992–2014). During his final years at MSU, he also served as Director of the Mamitua Saber Research Center (2012–2014).
Since joining CNU in June 2014, Dr. Corcino has been a key member of the research faculty and has actively represented the university in international academic engagements. In 2015, he served as a Visiting Professor at Chungnam National University in Daejeon, South Korea. Notably, he led the team that developed the curriculum for the Doctor of Philosophy in Mathematics at CNU, which was granted a Certificate of Program Compliance (COPC) by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) on January 24, 2025. The program was first offered in the second semester of Academic Year 2024–2025, marking CNU as the first institution in the Visayas Region to offer Ph.D. in Mathematics program.
His research interests include enumerative and analytic combinatorics, special functions, and mathematical physics. He has published 127 scientific papers in international peer-reviewed journals, 90 of which are indexed in Web of Science and/or Scopus. His work has garnered 1060 citations on Google Scholar, with an H-index of 19 and an i10-index of 31.
Dr. Corcino is deeply committed to graduate education and mentorship. He has served as dissertation adviser to ten (10) Ph.D. students in Mathematics (nine from MSU-IIT and one from UP Diliman), two Ph.D. students in Science Education (Mathematics), and one Ph.D. in Research and Evaluation. He has also supervised twenty-one (21) Master of Science in Mathematics students from MSU–Marawi, CNU, and UP Diliman.
His scholarly contributions have been recognized through several prestigious national awards, including the NAST Outstanding Scientific Paper Award (2004), the NAST Outstanding Young Scientist Award (2008), and the NRCP Lifetime Achievement Award (2014). In 2016, he was listed among the Top 150 Filipino Scientists by the Cybermetrics Lab under Project ACUMEN. Within CNU, he received eight Presidential Citations between 2018 and 2021 and was most recently recognized as the university’s Best Scientist based on the AD Scientific Index Ranking.
Dr. Corcino has held several key leadership roles at CNU. He served as Director of the Research Institute for Computational Mathematics and Physics (2017–2023), Dean of the College of Computing, Artificial Intelligence, and Sciences (CCAIS) from September 19, 2023 to February 26, 2024, and again from May 7, 2024 to May 15, 2025. He also served as Campus Director of CNU–Balamban (February 27, 2024 to May 5, 2024) and CNU–Main (January 2, 2025 to May 16, 2025), Vice President for Academic Affairs (May 16, 2025 to July 31, 2025), and Director of the Quality Assurance Unit from September 29, 2024 to August 9, 2025.
Beyond the university, Dr. Corcino has made significant contributions to the mathematical community. He served as National Board Member of the Mathematical Society of the Philippines (2016–2022), Convention Chair of the 2018 MSP Annual Convention held at Hotel Stotsenberg, Clark Freeport Zone, Pampanga, and President of the Mathematical Society of the Philippines–Cebu Chapter (2017–2024). He also served as Director of the Summer Upgrading Program for College Mathematics Teachers (SUPCOM 2017) held at Bicol University, Legazpi City.
At present, he is a Member of the Governing Board of the National Research Council of the Philippines (NRCP) and the President of the Mathematical Society of the Philippines – Region VII Chapter.
Jinky B. Bornales, Ph.D.
Member-at-Large
Usec. Leah J. Buendia
DOST Representative
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Dr. Leah J. Buendia is the current Undersecretary for Research and Development of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST). Prior to being an Undersecretary, she became the first Assistant Secretary for International Cooperation of the Department from 2016 to 2022.
Undersecretary Buendia supports the leadership of the DOST in advancing science, technology and innovation (STI) in the country and in ensuring that the results therefrom are maximized for the benefit of the people.
From the Eight (8) Big-Ticket R&D Programs to DOST Grants-in-Aid Program, Undersecretary Buendia steers the direction of research and development initiatives of the Department. The Eight Big-Ticket R&D Programs cover Artificial Intelligence (AI), geospatial analytics, quantum computing, Industry 4.0, circular economy, smart agriculture, smart technologies, and biologics in Pharma, an evidence of the DOST’s commitment and investment in research and innovation. Usec. Buendia also oversees the management of the DOST’s research and development projects through the DOST Grants-in-Aid (GIA) Program which provides grants for projects aligned with the current DOST priorities.
As the Undersecretary for Research and Development, Dr. Buendia leads the promotion of coordination and collaboration among stakeholders of R&D and dissemination of research results through the conduct of National Research and Development Conference (NRDC). In addition, she spearheads the implementation of the Balik Scientist Program as well as the S&T Fellows Program and supervises the four (4) DOST Councils and seven (7) Research and Development Institutes.
Lastly, Usec. Buendia leads the Department’s international bilateral and multilateral partnerships, including joint research programs, joint scholarship programs, exchange of scientists, and capacity building activities, among others while also elevating the Philippines’ position in the international science, technology, and innovation community.
