A THOMASIAN priest-scientist has been recognized by the National Research Council of the Philippines (NRCP) for his research that shaped the country’s vaccine distribution strategy during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Fr. Nicanor Austriaco, O.P., a biological sciences and sacred theology professor at UST, received the 2024 NRCP Gabay Award, which honors council members whose “research works have resulted or translated to adopted technologies and policies; or have informed local and national policy-making.”
His vaccine distribution study used mathematical modeling to incorporate vaccination rates and predict outcomes of various strategies, influencing the Philippines’ vaccine allocation approach during the pandemic.
“Here in the Philippines, my research team and I were able to do mathematical modeling to try to help our government figure out the best strategy to implement with regards to vaccine distribution,” he told the Varsitarian.
It found that more than 80% of vaccine supply should be allocated to Metro Manila and neighboring provinces to maximize limited vaccine resources. These areas were identified as the most populous and highest-density zones, making them high-risk for virus transmission.
The Department of Health (DOH) adopted the model in 2021 as its framework for vaccine distribution and called the cluster of regions “NCR Plus 8.” The strategy prioritized Metro Manila, Bulacan, Rizal, Cavite, Laguna, Pampanga, Metro Cebu, and Metro Davao.
According to Austriaco, the research exemplified “science for the poor, science for the people, (and) science for the Philippine nation.”
“Science is hard, especially during the pandemic, but with God’s grace, people were willing to work with each other to try to find innovative and creative solutions to help our kababayan, especially our poorest kababayan,” Austriaco said.
Other scientists from the University of the Philippines Diliman and Providence College in Rhode Island, USA co-wrote the study.
Austriaco was a fellow of the OCTA Research Team, an independent advisory group that began studying the pandemic in April 2020 using data from the DOH. The group provided projections on Covid-19 cases, offered recommendations regarding the government’s community quarantine measures, and conducted opinion poll surveys.
Austriaco also gained attention during the pandemic for his “Project Pag-asa,” which focused on exploring the potential of yeast as a more cost-effective and efficient vaccine delivery system.
The award was given to Austriaco during the NRCP’s 91st general assembly and annual scientific conference on Dec. 6 at the Philippine International Convention Center in Pasay. Marigela Isabel R. Cirio with reports from Marielle F. Pesa
