Can you feel the brain drain in our country? Are the best minds already living abroad?

[hobie]

---

In my profession, Nursing, feel kaayo nako ang brain drain.
Also sa related na medical field, mga doctors, naa sab brain drain.

[hexo]

If you think about it. That's why we're in this vicious cycle of mediocrity. If our best minds are probably living abroad, then who will teach our next generation of workers the relevant skills necessary for the future? I think we've been hollowed out. What's left is the merchant class, and the rest of us drones.

[rhame]

Maybe. But some of them are coming back. Most of them are also contributing to the country.

[hexo]

#TalkThursday: Filipino in Silicon Valley - YouTube

What we need is more of this ^^.

Diosdado Banatao.

Please if you have children. Please expose them early to science and technology. For not only you as a parent will benefit from it, but the rest of society as well.

This may offend a lot of people but allow me to be blunt, we don't need more lawyers, we don't need more accountants, we don't need more people in the service industry.

We need more people in STEM (science and technology, engineering and math.) also artists, but with a technical background.

looking back, I guess I wasn't really exposed to this kind of stuff as a kid, I do remember being very interested in science. It's only in this age where information is ubiquitous, and now that we are immersed in the wonderful benefits of science technology that I'm starting to kick myself for not paying attention in math and science classes. Im reeducating myself though, thanks to khan academy and i'm hoping it's not too late.

[JezzyCalm]

oo.. gipang-pirate sila.. hehehe... ana jud, offeran dako, grab daun ang uban...

[silentnuker]

yeah...TS has a good point. In order for the country to move at a faster pace, we need science and technology to innovate things. The bad thing is that not all people (businessmen and those with financial capabilities) have the guts to spend on what we call R&D (Research and Development). Basically, you don't only need the brightest people (those with high IQs and have an attitude to be a forward thinker) but you also need money (as in lots of them).

To cite an example, before and during the two World Wars that occurred, the US literally poured billions of dollars to military R&D and guess where did they invested their money? They invested it on universities. They tapped the talents and minds of the students that lived in that generation. The innovation basically started there, in the universities such as MIT, Harvard, Standford, etc. Quite a lot of of the technologies that we are utilizing and enjoying today are just basically "projects and thesis" works of students in those times (how I wish, the Philippines could find a way to create such a model for creating new technology). Also, in those times when students graduate in college they were encouraged to start their own companies with their teachers/instructors as their consultants (of course if the government sees that your business has a potential especially in the military applications, they pour lots of dollars in your company) and this idea of startups basically is what ushered the birth of the Silicon Valley in the US.

In the case of China right now, they are taking advantage of those technologies that are already developed, acquire the technical details ( by all means ) and of course reverse engineer the applications. They can then sell it at a lower price of course but make up with sheer numbers and their mass production capabilities. They have an advantage since they have a lots of manpower plus the fact that they have quite a large territory in terms of land area. Although I believe that they of course spend money for R&D also.

Countries like Japan, Germany, South Korea, UK, France and the like are also technological leaders since they spend a lot in terms of R&D. Its not that they have the brightest people in the world (that's debatable of course since Filipinos are bright people too), its just that they know where to put their money as well as the real discipline and motivation to push for all possible innovations.

So, if you ask me about how we can push for innovation in the country?

Basically, you need lots of money and to do that you need to do something about the economy. It is good that the Philippines is showing a nice development in this area right now. I do hope and pray that we could capitalize, sustain the momentum and accelerate the growth even further on this so that it won't just fizzle out in the next few years.

Next, you have to put the right people in the position of course but I believe this is quite difficult to achieve. We need a real reform when it comes to our political system.

After that, the government has to place the public money in the right needs of course: healthcare, education (including Science and R&D), defense, etc.

Then the Philippines could probably be a better place to live.

[Kristiano]

since highschool pko (late 90's) nakadungog aning brain drain...

[digitalsuperman]

nope.can't feel it.

[hexo]

nope.can't feel it.

This people surely feels it.
BRAIN DRAIN WORSENS - Manila Standard Today

BRAIN DRAIN WORSENS

By Eric B. Apolonio | Posted on Aug. 04, 2013 at 12:02am | 1,277 views





8 Aerobridge workers fly to Qatar; Forecasters leave PH ‘area of responsibility’
The Philippines lost nine more highly-skilled workers to overseas companies that offer higher salaries, separate reports said on Saturday.
The loss of highly-skilled workers or ‘brain drain’ has posed a problem for officials and policy markers in light of the reverse migration of expatriates.

An aerobridge operator at work. ERIC APOLONIO

Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph G. Recto said that another PAG-ASA forecaster left the Philippine’s “area of responsibility” to work in Congo.
Recto identified the forecaster as Ricky Fabregas, who was offered a P100,000 a month salary to bring his expertise to the African country.
Meanwhile, the Airline Operators Council reported that the Ninoy Aquino International Airport has lost eight aerobridge operators, who resigned after they were offered the same job with higher pay in airports in Doha, Qatar.
The aerobridge operators, whose main task is to operate the tubes that ferries the passengers from the plane to the terminal, and vice-versa, were reportedly offered P80,000 per month.
Dante Basanta, NAIA terminal 1 manager, said that the NAIA terminals have 24 professional aerobridge operators who receive P13, 000/month that includes their cost of living allowance (cola).
But with the resignation of the eight operators, the airport management has no other recourse but to hire more aerobridge operators for training to fill the gap left by the resigned operators.
“We are afraid what might happen to our aircraft if trainees will handle the operations”, just like what happened to China Airlines almost a month ago when trainee accidentally miscalculated and bumped the plane’s door that caused about $1 million to $3million damage” said one member, who refused to be identified. The Manila International Airport Authority must act now regarding this issue,” the AOC said.
Recto, meanwhile, expressed fears that at the rate weather forecasters are leaving the country, the Philippines may end up “with no one alarming us that a typhoon is coming.”
“If the problem is in the delay of the release of the benefits of PAGASA people, then I am confident that the DBM, being the main preacher of the gospel against red tape, will resolve it soonest.”
Recto said that based on the 2013 budget, the money for Hazard Pay and the Magna Carta for Science and Technology, or RA 8439, the two allowances PAGASA personnel claim they are entitled to receive, is there.
For Hazard Pay, the bureaucracy-wide budget this year is P51.8 million while that for RA 8439 benefits is P183.7 million. This excludes hazard pay for the military and uniformed personnel.
For next year, the total allocation for Hazard Pay will increase to P832 million, and the Magna Carta for Science and Technology benefits to P224.6 million.
Recto, however, said that the government has added into the 2014 budget four new “hazard and hardship” allowances for civilian employees.
These are the hazard duty pay (P1.3 billion), high-risky duty pay (P893,000), “hazardous duty pay” (P586 million) and the special hardship allowance” (P1.17 billion).
“I think the restructuring and right-sizing of the hazard pay allocations stem from the redefinition of what constitutes a hazard. And the creation of “different shades” of hazard pay should be welcomed by those in high-risk jobs,” Recto said.
“Thus I hope that the perennial compensation issues confronted by personnel in PAGASA and similar agencies will be solved by the new allocations in 2014,” he added.
Recto warned that if the compensation issue is not solved next year, he would summon to the Senate all the stakeholders, and ask them for a solution, if necessary, on how to prevent the departure of technical people who work on “mission critical posts” such as air traffic controllers.

[hexo]

yeah...TS has a good point. In order for the country to move at a faster pace, we need science and technology to innovate things. The bad thing is that not all people (businessmen and those with financial capabilities) have the guts to spend on what we call R&D (Research and Development). Basically, you don't only need the brightest people (those with high IQs and have an attitude to be a forward thinker) but you also need money (as in lots of them).

To cite an example, before and during the two World Wars that occurred, the US literally poured billions of dollars to military R&D and guess where did they invested their money? They invested it on universities. They tapped the talents and minds of the students that lived in that generation. The innovation basically started there, in the universities such as MIT, Harvard, Standford, etc. Quite a lot of of the technologies that we are utilizing and enjoying today are just basically "projects and thesis" works of students in those times (how I wish, the Philippines could find a way to create such a model for creating new technology). Also, in those times when students graduate in college they were encouraged to start their own companies with their teachers/instructors as their consultants (of course if the government sees that your business has a potential especially in the military applications, they pour lots of dollars in your company) and this idea of startups basically is what ushered the birth of the Silicon Valley in the US.

In the case of China right now, they are taking advantage of those technologies that are already developed, acquire the technical details ( by all means ) and of course reverse engineer the applications. They can then sell it at a lower price of course but make up with sheer numbers and their mass production capabilities. They have an advantage since they have a lots of manpower plus the fact that they have quite a large territory in terms of land area. Although I believe that they of course spend money for R&D also.

Countries like Japan, Germany, South Korea, UK, France and the like are also technological leaders since they spend a lot in terms of R&D. Its not that they have the brightest people in the world (that's debatable of course since Filipinos are bright people too), its just that they know where to put their money as well as the real discipline and motivation to push for all possible innovations.

So, if you ask me about how we can push for innovation in the country?

Basically, you need lots of money and to do that you need to do something about the economy. It is good that the Philippines is showing a nice development in this area right now. I do hope and pray that we could capitalize, sustain the momentum and accelerate the growth even further on this so that it won't just fizzle out in the next few years.

Next, you have to put the right people in the position of course but I believe this is quite difficult to achieve. We need a real reform when it comes to our political system.

After that, the government has to place the public money in the right needs of course: healthcare, education (including Science and R&D), defense, etc.

Then the Philippines could probably be a better place to live.

Great points. Also I don't think that It's just a matter of money, It's also a matter of education and incentive. If people don't see much success (financial) on areas such as STEM, then kids will have no motivation to pursue this kinds of careers. Our business people are also solely educated in business. Unlike Entrepreneurs such as Elon Musk or Steve Jobs or Bill Gates who are also good technical people.