Two years after the pandemic, the Department of Science and Technology – Philippine Council for Health Research and Development (DOST-PCHRD) conducted the 7th Hataw Agham on a face-to face setting, as part of the yearly National Science and Technology Week (NSTW),  at the World Trade Center, Pasay City on November 26, 2022.

Bannered by the theme, “Dance your Stress Away,” this year’s Hataw Agham featured Zumba and dance-instructed routines and viral dance steps from Tiktok. The activity aims to remind the people of the importance of engaging in interactive physical activities to benefit our health. Attended by more than 190 participants, DOST Secretary Dr. Renato U. Solidum Jr., and DOST-PCHRD Executive Director Dr. Jaime C. Montoya led the activity.  

DOST Sec. Solidum, in his message, stressed the importance of the activity to adopt a more healthful lifestyle, especially after the Covid-19 pandemic affected our overall well-being. He said, “As we face the new normal, we continue to recover from the impact brought by the COVID-19 pandemic which affected the mental and physical health of many people. Through a dancing activity, we hope to help our participants to “loosen up” and somehow shake away their stresses from the challenges brought by different factors in our society.”

Another highlight of the event was the short lecture of Dr. Karell Jo Angelique Calpito, an S&T Fellow of DOST-PCHRD, which tackled simple ways of managing stress. In a fun, light, and informative presentation, Dr. Calpito talked about how to manage stress by understanding how it is part of the body’s normal response. 

In closing, Ms. Melissa Bulao, DOST-PCHRD Supervising Science Research Specialist, expressed her gratitude to all the participants for their active participation. She encourages everyone to join the Council in the next year’s Hataw Agham.