FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
Second Regular Session 
1 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The Constitution, Article XIV, Section 12 provides that: 
SEC. 12. The State shall regulate the transfer and promote the adaptation 
of technology from all sources for the national benefit. It shall encourage 
the widest participation of private groups, local governments, and 
community-based organizations in the generation and utilization of 
science and technology. 
Our country has been blessed with gifted scientists who has produced breakthroughs in 
many fields of sciences. The sad reality however is that many if not most of the scientists in our 
country do not have the necessary training and support to be able to communicate their findings 
to the policymakers who can put their work to good use. 
With the increasing presence of science and technology in public policy issues, a greater 
national effort needs to be made to train scientists to engage in the public dialogue. Graduate 
training programs in science and engineering often lack opportunities for students to develop 
communications skills that will enable them to effectively explain technical topics to 
nonscientific audiences. 
Providing training in communications skills development will ensure that locally trained 
scientists are better prepared to engage in dialogue on technical topics with policymakers and 
business leaders. Training scientists to interact with policymakers will improve accessibility to 
information and ensure that technical expertise is included in the public policy dialogue. 


This bill seeks to mandate the Department of Science and Technology to encourage 
programs that will train our scientists to communicate the results of their endeavors to the 
policymakers. 
2 


FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC) 
8 
A& 
i J ~ J L )  
‘f. 7 
OF THE PHILIPPNES 
1 
Second Regular Session 
1 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
1 
AN ACT 
2 
3 
4 
TO PROVIDE FOR COMMUNICATIONS TRAINING TO IMPROVE THE ABILITY OF 
SCIENTISTS TO INTERACT WITH POLICYMAKERS 
5 
6 
Congress assembled: 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of representatives of the Philippines in 
7 
8 
Act of 2008.” 
SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the “Scientific Communications 
9 
10 
11 
12 
SECTION 2. Program. - The Department of Science and Technology (DOST), shall 
establish a program to make grants to institutions to provide communications training to graduate 
students to improve the ability of scientists to interact with policymakers. Such program shall be 
integrated with other national programs for the training of scientists. 
13 
14 
SECTION 3. Award. - Grants shall be awarded under this law on a competitive, merit- 
reviewed basis, in a manner so as to ensure relevance to public policymaking. 
15 
16 
SECTION 4. Reporting. - A recipient of a grant under this section shall transmit to the 
DOST an annual report describing the operations of the program funded by the grant. 
17 
18 
SECTION 5. Appropriations. - To carry out the provisions of this Act, such amount as 
hereby necessary is hereby authorized to be appropriated from the National Treasury. 
19 
20 
21 
valid and subsisting. 
SECTION 6. Separability Clause. - If any provision or part hereof, is held invalid or 
unconstitutional, the remainder of the law or the provision not otherwise affected shall remain 
1 


1 
2 
3 
SECTION 7. Repealing Clause. - Any law, presidential decree or issuance, executive 
order, letter of instruction, administrative order, rule or regulation contrary to or is inconsistent 
with the provision ofthis Act is hereby repealed, modified, or amended accordingly. 
4 
5 
SECTION 8. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
6 
Approved, 
lapm080808 
2