SOME 263 campus journalists and school paper advisers from across the country can help "improve public understanding and appreciation of the value of science in everyday life," Science Communicators Philippines Inc. (SciCommPh) head Ruby Roan-Cristobal said during the 21st Word Cup National Campus Journalism Press Conference and Contests.
Word Cup Associated Editors Co. Executive Director Eugenio Sonny Calapit welcomes participants to the 21st Word Cup National Journalism Conference and Contests at Angels Hill, Tagaytay City, on May 4 and 5, 2024. Campus journalists take videos and photos of the event as a reference for their outputs. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO Word Cup Associated Editors Co. Executive Director Eugenio Sonny Calapit welcomes participants to the 21st Word Cup National Journalism Conference and Contests at Angels Hill, Tagaytay City, on May 4 and 5, 2024. Campus journalists take videos and photos of the event as a reference for their outputs. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
Roan-Cristobal, senior lecturer at the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB) College of Development Communication, saw the need for scientists and those in the applied sciences to speak more publicly while challenging campus journalists to serve as "microphones" to hype interest in the field.
"Science communication and education help inform policymakers and provide sound bases for decision-making," she said.
The Word Cup, held at Angels Hill in Tagaytay City on May 4 and 5, carried the theme "The Role of Science Museums in Promoting A 'Science Nation: Fostering Interests in Science, Math and STEM-Related Courses and Careers."
Roan-Cristobal also hosts the Sunday radio program "Radyo Henyo" on DZRH and has been the chief science research specialist at the Department of Science and Technology (DoST) for 46 years.
She said, "NGOs are more vocal" when many scientists who generate actual knowledge through research are often out of the picture.
Roan-Cristobal was with co-presenter May Pagsinohin, who manages the Philippines' first museum dedicated to science, during the conference.
Pagsinohin, executive director of the Philippine Foundation for Science and Technology, who oversees Science Centrum, shared the views of Roan-Cristobal that scientists need to do more to help promote interests in the field, which in turn may prod public officials to fund science education.
She observed that public and private investments in science museums remain low.
While Science Centrum, a privately operated museum dedicated to promoting interests in the sciences, has served over a hundred thousand visitors over the years, the proportion remains low compared to around 26 million learners nationwide.
Pagsinohin said a financial investment of about P5 million is needed to create a regional science centrum. The organization currently has eight regional hubs in partnership with local governments.
Eugenio Calapit, organizer of the 21st Word Cup, said the event featured two of the country's experts "as a necessary first step in voluntarily assisting the Department of Education (DepEd) in promoting science and math education in view of the very low Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) ranking of 15-year-old learners in the country."
"They say that it takes a community to raise a child, and we add, properly communicating with them the issues and challenges can help address these concerns," Calapit, a former media professional with a doctorate and advanced degrees in education and management, added.
He added that the participants will submit their contest entries based on the information gathered from the press conference and their follow-up interviews with the presenters. After that, the evaluation will be done by invited Word Cup Fellows, who are media practitioners.
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