OCTA as an independent science advice provider for COVID-19 in the Philippines
Abstract We comment on science advice in the political context of the Philippines during the COVID 19 pandemic. We focus on the independent science advisor OCTA Research, whose publicly available epidemiological forecasts have attracted media and government attention. The Philippines government adop...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Springer Nature
2022-03-01
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| Series: | Humanities & Social Sciences Communications |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-022-01112-9 |
| _version_ | 1828256810662887424 |
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| author | Benjamin M. Vallejo Rodrigo Angelo C. Ong |
| author_facet | Benjamin M. Vallejo Rodrigo Angelo C. Ong |
| author_sort | Benjamin M. Vallejo |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract We comment on science advice in the political context of the Philippines during the COVID 19 pandemic. We focus on the independent science advisor OCTA Research, whose publicly available epidemiological forecasts have attracted media and government attention. The Philippines government adopted a COVID-19 suppression or “flattening of the curve” policy. As such, it required epidemiological forecasts from science advisors as more scientific information on SARS CoV 2 and COVID 19 became available from April to December 2020. The independent think-tank, OCTA Research has emerged the leading independent science information advisor for the public and government. The factors that made OCTA Research as the dominant science advice source are examined, the diversity of scientific evidence, processes of evidence synthesis and, of evidence brokerage for political decision makers We then describe the dynamics between the government, academic science research and science advisory actors and the problem of science advice role conflation. We then propose approaches for a largely independent government science advisory system for the Philippines given these political dynamics. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-13T02:33:39Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-1a52650e917e4527a1110a48b5354b01 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2662-9992 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-13T02:33:39Z |
| publishDate | 2022-03-01 |
| publisher | Springer Nature |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Humanities & Social Sciences Communications |
| spelling | doaj.art-1a52650e917e4527a1110a48b5354b012022-12-22T03:06:27ZengSpringer NatureHumanities & Social Sciences Communications2662-99922022-03-01911910.1057/s41599-022-01112-9OCTA as an independent science advice provider for COVID-19 in the PhilippinesBenjamin M. Vallejo0Rodrigo Angelo C. Ong1University of the Philippines DilimanUniversity of the Philippines DilimanAbstract We comment on science advice in the political context of the Philippines during the COVID 19 pandemic. We focus on the independent science advisor OCTA Research, whose publicly available epidemiological forecasts have attracted media and government attention. The Philippines government adopted a COVID-19 suppression or “flattening of the curve” policy. As such, it required epidemiological forecasts from science advisors as more scientific information on SARS CoV 2 and COVID 19 became available from April to December 2020. The independent think-tank, OCTA Research has emerged the leading independent science information advisor for the public and government. The factors that made OCTA Research as the dominant science advice source are examined, the diversity of scientific evidence, processes of evidence synthesis and, of evidence brokerage for political decision makers We then describe the dynamics between the government, academic science research and science advisory actors and the problem of science advice role conflation. We then propose approaches for a largely independent government science advisory system for the Philippines given these political dynamics.https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-022-01112-9 |
| spellingShingle | Benjamin M. Vallejo Rodrigo Angelo C. Ong OCTA as an independent science advice provider for COVID-19 in the Philippines Humanities & Social Sciences Communications |
| title | OCTA as an independent science advice provider for COVID-19 in the Philippines |
| title_full | OCTA as an independent science advice provider for COVID-19 in the Philippines |
| title_fullStr | OCTA as an independent science advice provider for COVID-19 in the Philippines |
| title_full_unstemmed | OCTA as an independent science advice provider for COVID-19 in the Philippines |
| title_short | OCTA as an independent science advice provider for COVID-19 in the Philippines |
| title_sort | octa as an independent science advice provider for covid 19 in the philippines |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-022-01112-9 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT benjaminmvallejo octaasanindependentscienceadviceproviderforcovid19inthephilippines AT rodrigoangelocong octaasanindependentscienceadviceproviderforcovid19inthephilippines |