The recipient of the 2025 Dr. Germiniano T. De Ocampo Visionary Award for Medical Research, Dr. Melecia Antonio-Velmonte, offered her paper titled “National Infection Prevention Control Program: Then and Now.”
She is acknowledged for her pioneering work in an infection management, which proved essential throughout the SARS disaster in 2003 and the COVID-19 pandemic in 2019.
In recognition of her achievement, Dr. Antonio-Velmonte accepted the Dr. Germiniano T. De Ocampo Visionary Award for Medical Research medal and plaque from NAST PHL and a money prize of P100,000 from the household of NS Ocampo.
In an interview, NAST PHL president Jaime Montoya mentioned that the NAST was created in 1976 by then President Ferdinand Marcos Sr. to acknowledge the nationwide scientists and academicians who contributed necessary findings, science, know-how, and innovation in our nation.
Montoya added that there isn’t any want to use for the NAST Awards however they’re nominated by the establishments and deliberated upon by the NAST Board of Judges.
He confused that the NAST will get its price range from the DOST for Research and Development, which additionally they make the most of for the NESA Award and the NTSYS.
Montoya boasted that the NAST is celebrating its fiftieth 12 months on 16 December 2026. “We are celebrating 50 years.”
The finalists for the 2026 NAST Talent Search for Young Scientists and their entry papers are:
Timothy Scott C. Chu from Dela Salle University — “A UV-Based Concrete Crack Detection and Segmentation Using 2-Stage Convolutional Network with Transfer Learning.”
Joe Anthony H. Manzano from University of Santo Tomas — “Globospiramine from Voacanga globosa exerts robust cytotoxic and antiproliferative activities on cancer cells by inducing caspase-dependent apoptosis in A549 cells and inhibiting MAP K14 (p38a): In vitro and computational investigations.”
Ronnel C. Nolos from Marinduque State University –” Distribution of potentially toxic elements (PTEs) and health risk assessment of soil in an island province in the Philippines.”
John Vincent R. Pleto from the UPLB –” Evaluating ecosystem health of the Seven Maar Lakes of San Pablo City, Philippines using phytoplankton index of biotic integrity (Phyto-IBI).”
Rance Derrick Pavon from the UP Diliman — “Loop-mediated isothermal amplification assay for visual detection of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium in food animal meat products.”
The 2026 NAST Talent Search for Young Scientists winners will probably be awarded with plaques of recognition on the forty eighth Annual Scientific Meeting of NAST PHL on 9 July 2026.
The first prize winner will obtain P100,000 and is entitled to a analysis grant of P50,000 from the DOST for an authorised analysis proposal.
Montoya emphasised the significance of giving recognition to the achievements of Filipino scientists, citing them as considered one of right this moment’s trendy heroes.
“It’s very important, especially in this time when our issues are purely political. And I don’t know about you, but if you ask me, it’s not good news. You always hear things like this and that, that there’s no money, corruption,” Montoya mentioned.
“This is something positive, right? Despite all of these controversies, we have heroes, the scientists, who have done something very important to improve the lives of every Filipino,” Montoya added.
The 87-year-old scientist, Dr. Antonio-Velmonte, inspired the aspiring younger scientists to do analysis in the event that they need to obtain one thing.
“You should be encouraged to search for some of your questions, right? And the best way to do that is to search and research,” she mentioned. “If you want to achieve something in the future, try to do research.” NEIL ALCOBER