VZCZCXRO0541
OO RUEHCHI RUEHCN RUEHDT RUEHFK RUEHHM RUEHKSO RUEHNAG RUEHPB
DE RUEHML #0214/01 0330854
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 020854Z FEB 09
FM AMEMBASSY MANILA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3038
INFO RUEHZS/ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATIONS IMMEDIATE
RUEHRC/DEPT OF AGRICULTURE WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUEHZU/APEC COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
RHHMUNA/USPACOM HONOLULU HI IMMEDIATE
RUENAAA/SECNAV WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE
RUEAUSA/DEPT OF HHS WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC IMMEDIATE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 MANILA 000214 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR OES/SCT FOR EKANE, TSCOTT, WBEND 
STATE FOR OES/OA FOR LTIRPAK AND RBARNES 
STATE FOR ISN/CTR KCROFT 
BANGKOK FOR REO HHOWARD 
STATE PASS EPA MKASMAN AND DSTEELE 
STATE PASS ONR JREID 
STATE PASS NASA BHOLDEN AND HMARING 
 
REF: 2007 MANILA 3482 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KSCA TSPL SENV ENRG TRGY TSPA EAGR RP
SUBJECT: Geek Swaps Benefit U.S. and Philippines 
 
¶1.  Summary:  U.S. agencies and private institutions have active 
science partnerships in the Philippines that build goodwill and 
capacity in both nations and add to global knowledge.  The synergy 
that results from USG active engagement in science in the 
Philippines is beneficial to the work of USG science agencies and 
private U.S. scientific institutions as well as to Philippine 
scientists.  We expect scientific collaboration to accelerate after 
the signing of an improved bilateral Science and Technology 
agreement in the near future.  This report gives examples of how we 
facilitate bilateral science cooperation.  End summary. 
 
¶2.  The geological events of the last 50 million years and 
remarkable biodiversity of the Philippines make it of tremendous 
scientific interest.  Post now actively connects scientists; obtains 
marine and aerial clearances through a cumbersome Philippine 
bureaucratic process; and finds audiences for training, meetings, 
and scientific presentations.  After a Post-facilitated marine 
exploration (reftel), National Geographic scientists dazzled school 
groups, media, and Philippine government officials with images of in 
new scientific discoveries.  Post has hosted six Science Fellows 
during the last two years.  One of our Science Fellows shepherded 
the Philippines into the Environmental Protection Agency-led 
Environmental Technology Verification International Working Group, 
and another of our Science Fellows helped draft pending Philippine 
technology transfer legislation based on the Bayh-Dole Act. 
 
New Science and Technology Agreement 
------------------------------------ 
 
¶3.  Post worked with Philippine agencies to craft an improved 
bilateral science agreement to institutionalize scientific exchange 
meetings; facilitate cooperation like the Biosecurity Engagement 
Program; speed marine scientific clearances; and exempt U.S. foreign 
assistance money from taxes.  A Philippine Department of Foreign 
Affairs Assistant Secretary is so delighted with increased 
scientific cooperation over the last few years that she has 
consulted with other agencies to establish cooperative activities in 
non-traditional areas of science. 
 
¶4.  The U.S research vessel R/V Melville returns to Philippine 
waters in February 2009 to continue investigating ocean temperature 
and circulation patterns. Post arranged for the Melville's American 
and Filipino scientific team to conduct ship tours to showcase the 
value of scientific cooperation between the Philippines and the U.S. 
 We will use the tours to spur review and acceptance of the new 
Science and Technology agreement. 
 
Atmospheric Sciences/Tracking Climate Change 
-------------------------------------------- 
 
¶5.  The U.S. National Aviation and Space Administration (NASA) 
signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Manila 
Observatory on January 21, 2009, to install instruments to track 
aerosols in Southeast Asia via satellite and ground stations.  This 
joint NASA and Office of Naval Research (ONR) program studies 
pollution impacts on global climate change.  U.S. scientists will 
distribute instruments to Philippine science students to augment 
aerosol data collection.  Post plans an International Visitors' 
group to build capacity for this research, and will request a 
science fellow from NASA and/or ONR. 
 
¶6.  Post has worked closely with Philippine scientists on the USG 
Methane to Market Partnership, assisting the Philippines to become a 
partner in March 2008.  Since Philippine agricultural activity 
produces 45% of methane, we invited a U.S. Department of Agriculture 
methane expert through the Embassy Science Fellows Program to 
consult with Philippine pig farmers.  An Environmental Protection 
Agency agricultural expert visits quarterly to work with the 
Philippine government and private sector on methane capture 
programs.  Filipinos attended agriculture and landfill Partnership 
committee meetings in Mexico January 2009. 
 
¶7.  The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) signed an Earth Sciences 
Memorandum of Understanding in March 2007 to provide technical 
advice to Philippine officials and coal mine owners.  Since the MOU 
was signed, Philippine officials have attended USGS workshops, and a 
 
MANILA 00000214  002 OF 003 
 
 
USGS coalbed methane expert has made repeated visits to the 
Philippines to introduce methane capture technologies. 
 
Scientific Collaboration in Philippine Waters 
--------------------------------------------- 
 
¶8.  Over the past two and a half years, American scientists have 
applied for Philippine government clearance to explore Philippine 
waters on 18 different research projects.  U.S.-Philippine 
collaborative research has involved students from both countries in 
oceanography and marine biology, increasing capabilities of 
developing scientists.  The University of the Philippines and 
National Institute of Health have a project to seek cures for 
diseases from marine sources.  The National Science Foundation has 
funded a multi-year study of marine evolution.  National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration-funded research resulted in the discovery 
of new marine species.  American and Filipino oceanographers and 
biologists have collected and shared data with the Philippine 
government and the international scientific community. 
 
Laboratory Collaboration 
------------------------ 
 
¶9.  Post has actively promoted the State Department's Biosecurity 
Engagement Program in the Philippines since 2006 to strengthen 
laboratory safety and security and collaborate on infectious disease 
diagnostics, research, and surveillance.  Post orchestrated U.S. 
scientists' surveys of Philippine facilities to locate dangerous 
pathogen collections.  The U.S. Department of Agriculture and the 
Philippine Bureau of Animal Industry continue joint animal disease 
research and the State Department has purchased and gifted an animal 
incinerator to the Philippines for disposing of diseased animals. 
Post organized workshops for Philippine lab directors and 
policymakers.  Consequently, Filipino stakeholders established the 
Philippine Biosafety/Biosecurity Association. 
 
¶10.  The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) 
personnel in Manila have assisted Philippine researchers to 
investigate the 2008 discovery of Ebola Reston antibodies in 
Philippine hogs that had died of an undetermined cause.  CDC 
scientists are also leading the investigation of the January 2009 
discovery of Ebola Reston antibodies in a Filipino hog farm worker, 
the first such case ever found.  Investigators will conduct 
extensive laboratory and field study to determine the transmission 
vectors and implications of the spread of this antibody.  The 
opportunity for CDC researchers to participate in this and other 
similar investigations, has significantly increased Filipino, 
American, and global understanding of emerging infectious diseases. 
 
 
Preserving Philippine Forests and Coastlines 
-------------------------------------------- 
 
¶11.  A "debt for nature" swap with the United States allows the 
Philippines to divert $8 million in interest payments on debt owed 
to the U.S. for Philippine forest conservation.  USAID and State 
Department officers represent the United States on the board that 
selects and funds forest conservation activities of local 
non-governmental organizations, which has given 87 grants to 
conserve, maintain, or restore Philippine tropical forests. Through 
our Science Fellows Program, a U.S. Department of Agriculture 
forester made site visits and evaluated these projects. 
 
¶12.  Post arranged for the Manila Observatory to host a Science 
Fellow from the Environmental Protection Agency to work on 
environmental issues of Philippine coastlines.  The Science Fellow 
introduced modeling to demonstrate how human activity, such as 
pollution and mangrove deforestation, can cause coral bleaching. 
The scientists at Manila Observatory now use the information in 
their own outreach programs. 
 
¶13.  The above paragraphs give a sample of the science fellowships, 
lectures, scientific projects, and exchanges that have taken place 
in recent years, but do not touch on the many science-related 
activities of USAID.  Post expects the quantity, quality and scope 
of bilateral cooperation in joint research projects to increase with 
 
MANILA 00000214  003 OF 003 
 
 
the signing of the improved Science and Technology agreement in the 
near future. 
 
KENNEY