Wazzup Pilipinas!?
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. recently joined the world in congratulating Filipino science diplomat Glenn Banaguas for the latter’s induction into the United Kingdom London-based Royal Society of Arts (RSA). Banaguas is the first science diplomat from the Philippines to become a fellow of the RSA, which counts among its distinguished ranks historical luminaries such as Charles Dickens, George Washington Carver, David Attenborough, Nelson Mandela, Tim Berners-Lee, Karl Marx, Marie Curie, Stephen Hawking, and Benjamin Franklin.
"Tunay ngang ang galing at talino ng mga Pilipino ay maipagmamalaki saan man sa mundo. Maraming salamat sa kahusayang iyong patuloy na ipinamamalas (Indeed, the brilliance and intelligence of the Filipinos can be pround of anywhere in the world. Thanks to Glenn Banaguas for his continued excellence)," President Marcos said in his official message, which was broadcast across all official government channels.
Banaguas thanked the President for the latter’s kudos, which he welcomed as warm support from his countrymen.
“While I am thankful and deeply humbled by the international recognition I have received, the President’s message resonates deeply for me since it comes from where support is most needed—from home,” Banaguas said.
“Thank you so much, Mr. President. I greatly appreciate your message, Sir. I have never expected that someone who is nobody like me would be commended by the most powerful man in the country. My heart will always be grateful, Sir. May the grace of God continue to follow you. And may every Filipino touched by your hand be blessed forever. God bless, Mr. President," Banaguas said.
"Sir, I wholeheartedly support you and your climate agenda for the Philippines and the Filipino people,” he added.
"Given the chance to meet the President, I will provide him with not only the science and evidence-based strategic solutions but also the most humane and gender-responsive schemes to address the impacts and risks of climate change... from scientific wide-ranging assessment, capacity development, project management to climate financing programs as well as multilateral cooperation among actors,' he mentioned.
"I wish I could meet our dear President. How can I reach you, Sir?" Banaguas humbly asked.
Banaguas, a distinguished scientist and science diplomat, is among Asia's leading experts in environment, climate change, and disaster risk. He is the founder and president of the Environmental and Climate Change Research Institute, an organization that brings "science and diplomacy" to the poorest communities and marginalized sectors in the Philippines.
Banaguas founded Climate Smart Philippines: Science for Service Program, which provides research, training, and capacity-building to all stakeholders in the country to combat climate change and disaster risks. He also chairs the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Science Diplomats and the United States (US)-ASEAN Fellows for Science and Technology. He also serves as climate diplomat of the European Union-Asia Expert Panel for Climate Diplomacy and Environmental Security. He is also the Executive Fellow and Expert of the renowned Geneva Centre for Security Policy (GCSP) in Switzerland.
Banaguas is the Adviser of the country's flag carrier, the Philippine Airlines for sustainability and resiliency programs. He also provides climate change capacity-building efforts to the Philippine Association of Colleges and Universities. He leads the UNDP's climate security program for the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) and provides technical assistance to Mindanao Development Authority's climate change and energy projects.
Banaguas has Ivy League credentials - he took Climate Change and Energy from the Harvard Kennedy School and Sustainability Leadership from Yale University. He also took the Applied Remote Sensing program from the National Aeronautics Space Administration (NASA), peacebuilding programs from the United States Institute of Peace (UNIP), and security courses from the Geneva Centre for Security Policy (GCSP).
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