SyenSaya 2021 includes virtual exhibits featuring programs, services and technologies of LBSC’s member-agencies.
The Los Baños Science Community Foundation, Inc. (LBSC) formally opened the 13th SyenSaya or the Los Baños Science Festival celebration and the Wonderama virtual exhibit on 24 November 2021 at 9:00 AM and streamed live via the LBSCFI Facebook page. This year’s theme is “Agham at Teknolohiya: Tugon sa Hamon ng Panahon.”
Chancellor Bandalaria, LBSC’s President, open SyenSaya 2021.
Dr. Melinda dela Peña Bandalaria, University of the Philippines Open University (UPOU) Chancellor and LBSC President, welcomed the participants. In her opening remarks, Dr. Bandalaria highlighted the resiliency of the Filipinos who have been agile and flexible in facing the challenges brought by the pandemic. The Chancellor also stressed the importance of science and technology in controlling and avoiding the more drastic impacts of the pandemic. She acknowledged the significance of developing effective vaccines, which continued to benefit more people globally, in controlling the spread of the virus and in helping the economy to recover. She declared that science–specifically science for the people that will produce products, technologies, and services for the people–gives us the confidence that we can surpass all our challenges in the future.
Dr. Renato U. Solidum, Jr., Undersecretary for Science & Technology Services, Department of Science and Technology (DOST), was the ceremony’s keynote speaker. Dr. Romulo T. Aggangan, Director of the Forest Products Research and Development Institute (FPRDI) introduced him as the country’s foremost geologist, the pride of DOST, and a well known figure throughout the country that he deserves to be given the title “Pambansang Geologist.”
Dr. Solidum was SyenSaya 2021’s guest speaker.
Dr. Solidum shared that with the current situation, “it is worth to take a step back and see how we can together build on what we have learned to build a better science community.” He added that no amount of these challenges caused by the pandemic will ever stop them from holding the science and technology tradition and acknowledged the technologies that made possible the virtual or digital celebration of the National Science and Technology Week (NSTW) and SyenSaya. He recognized SyenSaya‘s unique venue, which he described as the special science and nature city of Los Baños where science meets arts. He credited LBSCFI’s flagship program, which started in 2008, for keeping its traditional features: the Wonderama exhibits, the Talakayan or the Technology Forum, and the recognition of the R&D outputs by our local researchers.
For the intermission, students from the Philippine High School for the Arts (PHSA) performed a dance dubbed as Bangang Manunggul and choreographed by Ivan Boloron (PHSA Batch Joya-Montono 2019).
The last part of the ceremony was the opening of the Wonderama virtual exhibit, which was marked by a video presentation. The annual exhibit and the centerpiece of SyenSaya used to be a three-day exhibition of science discoveries and latest research breakthroughs. It has been held virtually since last year due to the pandemic. This year, the exhibit features more interactive virtual exhibits showcasing the collection of technologies, programs, projects, and services of the 24 LBSCFI-member agencies and organizations.
SyenSaya is the banner program of LBSCFI in observance of the National Science and Technology Week of DOST. It is a celebration highlighting science and technology achievements of the member agencies of LBSCFI and features Wonderama, Technology Forum or Talakayan, and the R&D Awarding Ceremony.
For more information on 13th SyenSaya’s upcoming activities, you may visit the LBSCFI Facebook page. To register and access the Wonderama virtual exhibit, please use this link: https://lbscfi.org/app/register/.
Written by Jaime Guimbao
Edited by Joane V. Serrano and Anna Cañas-Llamas
