CHRISTINE Rose Bulayo could not forget what her programming instructor told her when she was desperately trying to solve her first programming problem as a student.'If you find programming this hard, you might as well drop out and start planting root crops,' Bulayo quoted her instructor as saying as she shared her experiences at the 'SheSTEMs: Championing Women's Participation in STEM Education and Careers,' a United Nation's 67th Session on the Commission on the Status of Women (UN CSW67), Philippine-led virtual side event.Bulayo was among the guest speakers who talked about their experiences and contributions as women in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) in the activity hosted by the Department of Science and Technology-Science Education Institute (DoST-SEI).'A long time ago, there was a young woman sitting in front of a computer, sweat dripping down her forehead as she frantically typed away, desperately trying to solve her first programming problem. She was nervous, unsure if she was cut out for this field,' Bulayo narrated.Bulayo admitted that she was tempted to give up after hearing her instructor's words. Six years later, that same woman, now a computer engineer, was speaking at the SheSTEMs.But that is not all that Bulayo has been up to. Following her instructor's advice, she also now cultivates a hectare of land with a variety of crops from vegetables to fruits and herbs — a true woman of science by heart.'So who says you must choose? With perseverance and determination, I did both. I am Christine. I am now a computer engineer. I am a DoST scholar and I am an aspiring farmer and, of course, I am a woman,' Bulayo said.Pursuing noble advocacies, Bulayo is currently involved with the Permaculture Literacy Program, a climate adaptation initiative that addresses issues from the ground up, such as food security, climate change and people's lack of interest in farming.Permaculture, she said, is more than just an agricultural practice. It is a lifestyle. It is living each day thinking, knowing nature, being one with nature, and working with nature, and not against it.'This is our own way of recreating the 21st century Garden of Eden, with the integration of student, earth citizenry, climate resiliency, and regenerative healing of the planet. Of course, with the help of digital technology,' Bulayo added.There are various technological tools that help perform tasks with speed and efficiency. There is software that helps create a base map and conduct a sector analysis for a permaculture site. It can determine the path of the sun and identify the areas with sufficient sunlight or plant growth, as well as discern a topography of the land and the flow of water. These features are crucial in designing and planning for larger areas of land.Being a DoST scholar, Bulayo is among those who contributed to its increase.DoST-SEI director Dr. Josette Biyo said the number and share of female undergraduate scholars shows an increasing trend in the past three years — from 44.8 percent in 2020, it reached 50.3 percent in 2021, and 52.3 percent in 2022.The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported that there is a 148-percent increase in the number of females in S&T careers between 1990 to 2015. From 179,000 females in 1990, this increased to 445,000 in 2015.Subhashini Chandran, vice president for Social Impact of Mastercard Asia Pacific, also among the SheSTEMs speakers, expressed her gratitude to the DoST and Secretary Renato Solidum Jr. and the organizers for holding the event and pledged Mastercard support for the CSW67 recommendations.Chandran encouraged actions that will meet the gap, the demand, and underline the importance of really encouraging young girls and women to pursue careers in STEM.Bulayo shared that technology is not scary.The real problem is not whether machines think, but if people do. So, collectively the people's task is to help design digital environments that can connect. This is why there is a need to have collaboration among national and local governments, the private sector, civil societies, academia, and of course, multilateral organizations, according to DoST.
