From nickel-absorbing plants to anti-cancer drug research: How 2026 NAST PHL awardees steer nat’l development amid research challenges

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Despite challenging encounters along the pursuit of research in the country, the 2026 National Academy of Science and Technology Philippines (NAST PHL) awardees laid out how their expertise and grit in their respective fields continue to shape national development during the #PilipiNAST Kapehan, Quezon City, July 1.

Thirteen Filipino scientists conferred with NAST PHL awards—including this year’s newly elected Academicians, Outstanding Young Scientists (OYS), and the winners of the NAST Talent Search for Young Scientists (NTSYS)—shared how their initiatives persist to help address issues that the Philippines faces amid funding, bureaucratic, and resource constraints.

Biodiversity

Dr. Edwino S. Fernando, one of the newly elected Academicians of NAST PHL, is known for his species discoveries, particularly on plants that grow in metal-rich soils (ultramafic flora), and also for his effort to leverage its properties.

Among his discoveries is Rinorea niccolifera from Zambales, a plant that absorbs nickel in its leaves and sap. Nickel is best used on stainless steel, batteries, and coins, among others, according to the International Nickel Study Group. Hence, Dr. Fernando calls to protect this species, generally referred to as “nickel-eating plant”, which can be a potential resource for metal farming technology in the country.

“We need to secure itong mga unique plants with certain properties so that they can help this country move forward, sustainably harvesting nickel rather than destroying our forests,” the academician said. 

Newly elected Academician Edwino S. Fernando talks how he shared the same challenges with the other 2026 NAST PHL Awardees during the conduct of their research and projects in their respective expertise.

However, he shared that appropriate funding for research remains to be a challenge among today’s scientists, which includes testing, salary for project staff, basic equipment to carry out the study, and its maintenance.

On the other hand, OYS awardee Dr. Wilfred John E. Santiañez pushes the conservation and development of culture technologies for underdeveloped seaweed resources in the country.

He said that among 900 species of seaweeds across the Philippine’s biodiversity, many of these could be tapped for various applications, including cattle fodder for minimized carbon footprints, medical and pharmaceutical applications, as well as food for trade.

However, transporting seaweed samples for research and conservation costs around one million per expedition, prompting researchers to maximize each field activity.

“‘Yung dream ko talaga is sana magkaroon ng advanced mariculture facility, especially for developing seaweed resources. [Upang] mag-progress, mag-diversify ng resource base, derivatives at ng mga products,” Dr. Santiañez added.

Environment

Dr. Mayzonee V. Ligaray, one of the OYS awardees, forefronts water resource management through predictive modeling and simulation in vulnerable communities that face water insecurity.

However, she revealed that the Philippines presently lacks monitoring stations that collect data on weather and rivers, limiting scientists' ability to develop effective water security plans.

“Kasi hindi [ito] one solution fits all (on addressing water insecurity). It really depends on the type of watershed that you are dealing with,” Dr. Ligaray said. 

Fellow awardee Dr. Joseph Q. Basconcillo is a meteorologist from the Department of Science and Technology-Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (DOST-PAGASA), whose work on “Christmas typhoons” and monsoon attempts to enhance disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation in the country.

Similarly, Dr. Rafaela Jane P. Delfino studies how human activities are changing the climate, using high-resolution computer models to predict their effects on the Philippines.

2026 Outstanding Young Scientist Dr. Rafaela Jane P. Delfino says they collaborate with various institutions to help strengthen the early warning system for the climate of the Philippines.

“We conduct this [to] improve our understanding of how these extreme events behave. And essentially, that would hopefully be able to inform ‘yung early warning systems natin,” she added.

Aside from a lack of enough access to high-performance computing, which requires researchers to collaborate with other countries, the awardee also said her current field only has approximately 500 meteorology and climate scientists in the Philippines.

“The Philippines is a living laboratory of all the climate challenges, climate variability, and extreme weather. But we only have very few heads working on the problem, [...] trying to understand different climate challenges,” she added.

Energy

Dr. Karl Ezra S. Pilario, a fellow OYS awardee, focuses on empowering the country through renewable energy resources through big systems-level modeling, monitoring, and optimization.

“We need to start a conversation with each other, with the academe, the government and our consumers, on how we can move forward from here so that we can check the scenario that will be good for all,” he said regarding renewable energy resources for the public.

One of his major research areas focuses on climate change mitigation, hence his modelling of pollutants through computational tools.

However, like that of others, long-haul bureaucratic processes, including sets of permits, funding, patents, and other documentations, stall the conduct of the study.

Societal

In sociology, OYS Dr. Joseph C. Velasco traced back the foreign policies of the country in relation to the disputed West Philippine Sea, ranging from the former administration of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to the present, President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr.

OYS Dr. Joseph C. Velasco identifies the mechanisms of how China perceives the Philippines throughout the West Philippine Sea dispute through his study.

“I do briefings with other agencies, such as the National Security Council and the Philippine Coast Guard and explain to them how China perceives the Philippines and how they imagine us in the broader aspect of geopolitics,” Dr. Velasco shared.

Coming from the perspective of a researcher and professor, Dr. Velasco shared that the structure of academia—especially with a high number of teaching loads and administrative roles in the university—hinders quality and better research outcomes for Filipino scientists.

“We must restructure the way we see universities and knowledge-producing institutions. [...] The number of teaching loads actually gets time from your research,” he added.

Agriculture

Dr. Eldrin D. Arguelles, one of the OYS awardees, focused on innovating a feed that improves the health of the aquaculture systems and addresses the high accumulation of Microcystis aureginosa, a toxic blue-green algae species, which causes harmful algal blooms.

Aside from this, he also conducted a DNA metabarcoding and classification of microalgal organisms to assess the freshwater quality especially, on Cagayan River.

In a similar field of aquaculture, Dr. Mark Nell C. Corpuz, another OYS awardee, developed soft-boned fish technology and crab fattening through an improved aquaculture system—leveraging science and technology to become a livelihood in his community.

Moreover, he is also developing a tool to monitor the river’s health conditions focused on the fish index, to contribute to addressing the local extinction of the species present in the environment.

Yet, given logistical and budgetary constraints on its conduct, similar to others, they shared that collaboration with other countries is key to effectively accomplish the study and its further development.

“‘Yung mga opportunities na ‘di magawa sa Philippines, why not collaborate with other countries? And then do the research na ang prime, magbe-benefit pa rin, Filipino pa rin,” Dr. Arguelles added.

Dr. Cherry P. Fernandez-Colorado shares the progress of their evaluation on the possible vaccine candidates against the African Swine Fever (ASF).

OYS Dr. Cherry P. Fernandez-Colorado locked her expertise on detection and assessment of potential treatments for the African Swine Fever (ASF) virus, which targets both commercial and wild pigs.

“We are active in disseminating our research data so that we can help our farmers. And then for ASF kasi, we have to understand din ‘yung virus,” she said.

Currently, they are doing an evaluation of some possible vaccine candidates and identification of the specific strain of virus affecting the pigs through genomic technology.

However, public awareness of ASF remains limited, while certain local regulations often make it challenging for researchers to conduct disease surveillance and recommend appropriate measures to contain the virus.

“Sana i-recognize din ng government ‘yung animal disease surveillance na ginagawa ng academe. [...] We have to work together. We need the government [and our] stakeholders para mas lalo nating ma-prevent and ma-control ang animal disease outbreaks,” Dr. Colorado said.

Health

OYS Dr. Rohani B. Cena-Navarro, on the other hand, pursues discovery on novel treatments for substance abuse disorder that are yet to be recommended to the Department of Health for patient rehabilitation.

“We, as neuroscientists, provide evidence to show the people that addiction or substance abuse disorder is a brain disorder. It is not a moral failure or [must not be] treated as a crime,” she said.

Although fronting it to address such and other relevant disorders, Dr. Cena-Navarro said the country has not offered any degree on neuroscience, leaving the Philippines “way, way behind” in this field.

“It's about time to move forward, to offer, to start somewhere. How can we offer this [program] na hindi na kailangan pumunta sa ibang bansa isang estudyante na gustong mag-aral ng brain,” Dr. Cena-Navarro added.

Joe Anthony H. Manzano reports the status of therapeutic treatments against various conditions, which he has seen as a gap to address on his winning anti-cancer evaluation of a Philippine native plant.

Joe Anthony H. Manzano, the first placer of the NTSYS 2026, also shared that Philippine ethnomedicinal plants, such as Voacanga globosa commonly known as Bayag-usa, can address the rising cases of therapeutic resistance in chronic diseases, including cancer.

“It is time that we tap our bioresources and ask why and how, and many questions into their mechanism so that it would put forward our bioresources in the context of anti-cancer drug discovery,” the winner said.

Meanwhile, Rance Derrick N. Pavon researches faster Salmonella detection methods and improves laboratory tests to help increase the testing capacity of regulatory agencies and strengthen food safety across the farm-to-fork chain.

“Without barriers, it's easier for us scientists to deliver our results to action, or not just policies, but to actually reach these people who are affected primarily with these issues,” Pavon said.   

Meanwhile, these emerging and established scientists, alongside other newly elected Academicians Dr. Michael Y. Roleda and Dr. Imelda Angeles-Agdeppa; OYS awardees Dr. Ryan Michael F. Oducado and Dr. Joshua Eric Romulo B. Uyheng; and NTSYS third placer, John Vincent R. Pleto, are set to be formally awarded at the Annual Scientific Meeting of NAST PHL on July 8-9.

The National Academy of Science and Technology Philippines is one of the attached agencies of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) aims at providing science-based, innovative, and inclusive solutions across four strategic pillars: human well-being, wealth creation, wealth protection, and sustainability. These pillars embody the mantra OneDOST4U: Solutions and Opportunities for All. For more information, visit www.nast.dost.gov.ph. (By Karl Jerome M. del Mundo, DOST-STII and photos by Patrick James Lee C. Alfonso, DOST-STII)