DOST taps 'TRON' to promote science education

Seeing the effectiveness of komiks as a medium of instruction, the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) has tapped the use of the popular printed material to engage students into studying science. The agency signed a memorandum of agreement with Mango Comics to produce a comic book that will feature TRON, DOST’s cartoon character, in line with the celebration of the department's 50th anniversary. Dr. Ester Ogena, DOST-Science Education Institute director, expressed confidence that TRON comics would play a big part in promoting science education in the country as well as educate the students about the wonders of science. "We are optimistic that as we venture into this learning experience we would be able to tap more gifted and talented students into appreciating science and technology. Our vision of promoting a culture of science and technology is not far behind through this project and through TRON comics, science concepts are not so far-fetched to our students," she said. Ogena said comic books are effective media of instruction being motivating, visual, permanent, intermediary, and popular. "A lot of readers appreciate Jules Verne and Ray Bradbury of The Martian Chronicles when their works were translated into comics. Comics help slow learning students to cope up with other students without having the fear of being ostracized for their learning disability," she said. The agreement was signed by DOST Undersecretary and chairman of the 2008 National Science and Technology Week Celebration, Prof. Fortunato de la Peña and Guia Yonzon III, Yonzon Entertainment Syndicate (YES) board director, mother company of Mango Comics. "The Department is now going into its 50th year which many call the golden age. To the Greeks, it is the utopia where there is a period of peace, harmony, stability and prosperity. But for us in the DOST, it is a period of competence, competitiveness, and innovation," De la Peña said. He said achieving DOST’s vision of a competent and competitive science community is not achievable without the help of the people whose knowledge and skills should be tapped for its immense potential. "Inculcating the importance of science in the culture of the Filipino people is a task that does not only entail government intervention but most importantly a change in the mindset of the citizenry," he said. Mango Jam, Mwahaha, Darna, Tales from the Enchanted Kingdom, Moomoo Hunters, Lastikman, Maalaala Mo Kaya Komiks Edition, and Love Notes Komiks Edition comprise the comics being produced by Mango Comics. Under the agreement, YES Inc. shall undertake the development of TRON as a comics character, complete with the creation of its image and characters it would be encountering. YES Inc. would also be tasked to print and distribute, upon approval of the DOST, copies of TRON comics. However, TRON remains as an intellectual property of DOST. The agreement also said that DOST will have the right to use the stories and images of TRON, which YES Inc. would be developing, in promoting science and technology in various schools in the country. - GMANews.TV