VP-Sec. Sara underscores valuable insights of SEAMEO Centers to MATATAG implementation during Malaysia visit

Wazzup Pilipinas!?



Vice President of the Philippines and Secretary of Education Sara Z. Duterte cited the successful education strategies of the Malaysian Ministry of Education and the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization (SEAMEO) Centers which can offer valuable insights for the Philippines in its implementation of the MATATAG Agenda and curriculum.

“Making the curriculum relevant is one of our thrusts, and the lessons on science and math teaching from RECSAM [Regional Centre for Education in Science and Mathematics] can help us achieve this,” VP-Sec. Sara said in her speech during an official visit to SEAMEO Regional Tropical Medicine and Public Health (TROPMED) Network Malaysia.

“We will also learn from SEAMEO SEN’s [Regional Centre for Special Educational Needs] inclusion programmes on how to ensure the well-being of all our learners. TROPMED Malaysia’s initiative will help support the health of our learners and teachers, and establish a safe and healthy learning environment for them,” she added.

VP-Sec Duterte commended the SEAMEO RECSAM for its forward-thinking science and mathematics programs, like the Space Education Hub and the upcoming Makerspace, envisioned to be a hub for creativity and hands-on learning, and the SEAMEO SEN for championing inclusive education.

The Education Secretary likewise lauded TROPMED’s One Health Initiative.

The three centers support the shared goal of inclusive, quality education, as outlined in the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4, and will help reach goals faster, especially in educational and scientific development.

As president of the SEAMEO Council, VP-Sec. Sara’s visit aimed to strengthen ties in education, science, and culture between the Philippines and Malaysia.

“The collaboration between our Ministries of Education and the SEAMEO Centres will hopefully pave the way for new programmes towards achieving our vision for an innovative, inclusive educational system. I believe that cooperation and collaboration can foster unity and stability for our learners, for our countries, and for the region,” VP-Sec. Sara said.



Duterte met with Honorable Fadhlina Sidek, Malaysia’s Minister of Education, to discuss the critical role of education in a nation’s growth, innovation, and a hopeful future. She also had a courtesy call to the Honourable Dato’ Sri Fadillah Yusof, the Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia.

DepEd, partners call for more opportunities for women in STEM field

Wazzup Pilipinas!?



Underscoring the importance of involvement, diversity, and access of women in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) field, the Department of Education (DepEd) gathered around 500 female learners and teachers to celebrate the 2024 International Day of Women and Girls in Science on February 13.

Spearheaded by the External Partnerships Office- International Cooperation Office (EPS-ICO), the event featured activities promoting equality, science and technology, and environmental conservation. The event highlights student exhibitors who showcased their projects and inventions that won them awards in their schools.

"Together, let us champion the cause of gender equality and build a future where every girl, every woman can reach for the stars and unleash their scientific potential,” DepEd NCR Regional Director Jocelyn D.R Andaya said in her welcome message.

RD Andaya, also underscored the significant shift of enrollees in the STEM programs of DepEd. In SDO Manila alone, 51% of STEM program enrollees are girls, signaling the narrowing of gender gaps in science and technology among girls and boys.

Additionally, the program also highlighted the efforts of DepEd partners in ensuring that girls were given the same importance, opportunities, and platforms in the male-dominated field.

Executives from partner organizations and agencies like the Gokongwei Brothers Foundation, Inc., FELTA Multimedia Inc., Philippine Educational Theater Association (PETA), UNILAB Foundation Inc., Department of Science and Technology (DOST), STI Education, and Empower Ability gave presentations on how their organizations and agencies can act as a springboard for female learners who wishes to pursue further education and careers in STEM.

Afterward, the learners were given an opportunity to ask the guest panelists questions during the program's open forum part.

Member learners and teachers for Youth for Environment in Schools (YES-O) are also invited to the event as the program kicked off with an onsite eco-tour led by SM Supermalls.

In this tour, the 35 participants were guided inside SM North EDSA to their facilities on solid waste management, water conservation, energy efficiency, and air quality programs. The eco-tour aims to inspire these YES-O officials and members to take part in the responsibility and caring for the environment.

UP Atmospheric Physicist Takes to the Skies with NASA: Monitoring Air Quality on NASA817

Wazzup Pilipinas!?

Dr. Gerry Bagtasa of the UP Diliman College of Science – Institute of Environmental Science and Meteorology (UPD – CS IESM) took flight with NASA last Sunday, February 11, 2024, as part of an air pollution measurement campaign called ASIA-AQ (Airborne and Satellite Investigation of Asian Air Quality).

NASA817—more specifically the NASA DC-8 plane—is an airborne science laboratory based in NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Palmdale, California. It is flown to other parts of the world to gather data to support the research and experiments undertaken by the global scientific community.

The objective of this particular series of flights with the Filipino team, consisting of DENR-EMB, the Manila Observatory, and Dr. Bagtasa, was to assess the air quality of multiple Asian cities by utilizing satellite remote sensors and air quality models. With the equipment of the modified Douglas DC-8 jetliner, they were able to observe the atmosphere and detect various pollutants such as particulate matter, ozone, carbon dioxide, and methane, which are not usually locally measured above the ground.

“The purpose is to improve our understanding of the dynamics of air pollution in the region,” Dr. Bagtasa said.

With the Filipino team, they were able to help plan the flights by providing air quality and weather forecasts. They also provided insights into local weather patterns, drawing from Dr. Bagtasa and the Manila Observatory’s recent publications and expertise in contextualizing the data being collected.

Flight path of the 8-hour trip around Metro Manila and surrounding regions flying alternately between 1000 ft and 10,000 ft. 



The Experience

NASA817 flew four times to the Philippines on February 6, 7, 11, and 13, and for each flight, there were a few available seats for observers. Dr. Bagtasa and scientists of the Manila Observatory and DENR joined different flights, and of the 8-hour experience, the plane would constantly change altitudes from 1000 ft to 10,000 ft, then back again, to gather more data at different levels of elevation throughout the region.

“In almost any airplane ride, we encounter some brief bumpy to very bumpy, turbulent moments, right? Imagine that happening for 8 hours—the flight was brutal. I guess mainly due to the low-altitude nature of the flight,” Dr. Bagtasa commented. “And to make it more exciting, I experienced the hardest of hard turns and rolls in an airplane during the flight.”

With humor, he also went on to say, “Most of the researchers on the plane wear some transdermal patch behind the ear for motion sickness. I didn't, and I was in the backmost seat. After around 5 - 6 hours into the flight, considering that I've been on probably >100 flights in my lifetime, it was my first time to throw up in a plane ride.”



Despite the bumpy ride, the flights are crucial to the campaign, ASIA-AQ. NASA’s project presents an avenue for international cooperation, partnering with local scientists, researchers, and experts to implement a unified strategy across various Asian nations in addressing not only regional air quality concerns but also gaining a broader understanding of the interpretation of satellite data and air quality modeling.

Dr. Bagtasa and the Manila Observatory partnered with the DENR to join the flights to provide their local knowledge on the air pollution of the country. While the data gathered on these trips are still being processed and have yet to be published, NASA817 will now move on to South Korea, taking measurements in Taiwan on the way. After Seoul, it will then fly to Malaysia and Thailand. After the ASIA-AQ campaign, the NASA DC8 will be retired.


By: Maria Alexandra Marmol