“Rabies has a fatality rate of almost 100 percent…It is responsible for the death of about 200 to 300 Filipinos every year,” emphasizes Dr. Ronaldo Quintana, program manager of the National Rabies Prevention and Control Program (NRPCP) of the Department of Health (DOH) Infectious Disease Office. The disease in question causes the inflammation of the…
Category: Vanguard
Prior to the eruption of Taal Volcano or the standstill brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, most Filipinos had probably never heard of N95 respirators. Even now, six months and counting under one form of community quarantine or another, there persists the idea that N95 respirators act like a net or a colander—that they easily…
Typically seen as concerning only an individual’s physical wellness, the effects of eating disorders can often go beyond surface-level attributes. According to the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) published by the American Psychiatric Association, feeding and eating disorders (EDs) are “characterized by a persistent disturbance of eating or…
The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has left a large impact on the Philippines. Months of quarantine have resulted in job losses, limited human mobility, and a huge dip in the country’s economy. With news honing in on the struggles of the country, scientists and researchers have been observing another aspect that the pandemic has affected: the…
A haven of biodiversity, the Philippines is home to 645 endangered and threatened species—like the Philippine eagle or the Mindoro dwarf buffalo, whose population numbers are dwindling rapidly—due to various factors such as habitat loss and human exploitation. Wildlife sanctuaries are vital in carrying out animal conservation and preservation efforts. These serve as a refuge…
Infectious disease is a constant companion to societies, propelling research and innovation to understand its transmission and prevention, and assess distribution of health resources. The COVID-19 pandemic has characterized the scientific foundations behind vaccines and its underlying issues to empower the public during a health crisis. These conversations were enriched by COVID-19 Vaccine: The Race…
Known to be versatile, flexible, and a “jack-of-all-trades”, Industrial Engineering (IE) graduates take up a variety of different positions in fields ranging from business to trade. Optimizing complex systems—“making things better”—is one of the main goals of IE; its necessity in the corporate world and in society remains ever-important, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. “Adaptability…
Environmental Science is one of the most versatile fields in academia. It examines, among many other things, the effects of natural and man-made processes and the interactions within ecosystems. Further, it is the field uniquely situated to tackle the many problems that plague the environment, anthropogenic or otherwise. In this respect, the many Environmental Science…
Stereotypes water down the complex narratives hidden in every person in favor of prevailing societal perceptions, and scientists are no exception. In media, experts in fields of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) are usually portrayed as glorious inventors and spotless, laboratory coat-wearing white men. This gives an impression that, despite their presence in such…
“Are we alone in the Universe?” This is a question that has, for centuries, stumped mankind. Through the efforts of scientists and engineers, the search for extraterrestrial life has seen multiple developments, mainly through the advent of cutting-edge devices. These developments have also introduced new methods of detecting technologically-advanced activity, known as technosignatures, which are…