NATIONAL SCIENTIST. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Thursday (Aug. 31, 2023) awards the Order of National Scientist to Dr. Carmencita Padilla. The conferment ceremony was held at Malacañan Palace in Manila. (Photo courtesy of Presidential Photojournalists Association)

MANILA – President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. conferred Thursday the Order of National Scientist on Dr. Carmencita Padilla and the Presidential Medal of Merit on Trade Assistant Secretary Allan Gepty in a ceremony at Malacañan Palace in Manila.

During the conferment rites, Marcos thanked Padilla and Gepty for their outstanding service to the country and to the Filipino people.

“Both Dr. Padilla and Asec. Gepty exemplify what it means to be a public servant and these awards are our form of recognition and a testament to that service. Their service goes above and beyond typical duties and responsibilities and their achievements have created and will continue to create a positive and lasting impact,” Marcos said.

“May this accomplishment reinvigorate your drive to selflessly serve the country and may you continue to be a shining example to our fellow workers in government and continue to provide inspiration for service for our fellow citizens,” he added.

Awarded by virtue of Presidential Decree 1003-A, the Order of National Scientist is the highest title conferred by the Philippine president on a Filipino with outstanding achievements in science and technology.

A clinical geneticist, Padilla has been cited for her pioneering work on newborn screening and the establishment of the Philippine Genome Center (PGC).

Padilla’s notable studies on national programs for newborn screening provided the basis for the enactment of Republic Act (RA) 9288 or the Newborn Screening Act of 2004.

To date, newborn screening is being implemented in over 7,400 health facilities in the country and has saved babies from mental retardation and death.

Padilla’s most recent contribution is the setting up of the PGC, a multidisciplinary institution that will combine basic and applied research for the development of health diagnostics, therapeutics, DNA forensics, preventive products, and the improvement of crop varieties in the country.

The National Academy of Science and Technology (NAST) recommended the conferment of award on Padilla because her achievements “have brought honor and recognition not only to the Philippine scientific community but also to the whole nation as well.”

Marcos lauded Padilla and vowed to push for initiatives aimed at improving the research and development in the country.

“We are confident we can do it so long as it is well-supported now, not only by the government. We spoke also about, again, in consonance with our approach, our policy, our concept of whole-of-government approach and whole-of-society approach that we include the private sector. Because as we all know, some of these research programs can become quite expensive and they can go on for a long time,” he said.

“And the government will of course do its part. But I think we will multiply our efforts, there will be a multiplier effect if we include all the sectors of government and also our private sector partners. And so this is what we are planning to do today – this is what we are planning to do for the future,” Marcos added.

Meanwhile, the Presidential Medal of Merit is one of the highest awards given by the Philippine president to individuals for their meritorious achievements and services.

Gepty currently serves under the Department of Trade and Investment’s Industry Development and Trade Policy Group, which is responsible for investment promotion in activities critical to the agency’s trade and industry development program.

He played a crucial role in the ratification of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), considered as the largest free trade deal in the world.

Marcos commended Gepty who served as the country’s lead trade negotiator in the RCEP for his contribution to the eventual ratification of the free trade pact which is projected to open opportunities to Filipinos and Philippine companies.

“Under the RCEP, the Philippines will be able to source raw materials and intermediate goods from fellow RCEP countries, process products locally, and then export those products back out to other RCEP countries at a preferential rate,” he said.

“Our participation in RCEP will strengthen our linkages in regional supply chains and serve as a catalyst for attracting more foreign direct investments into the country.”

Gepty also serves as the country’s Senior Economic Official at the ASEAN.

He is a lawyer by profession with diverse experience in the fields of international trade, intellectual property, public international law, commercial law and litigation. (PNA)