Rev. fr. Nicanor Pier Giorgio Austriaco, O.P., PhD, SThD, academic researcher of the Department of Biological Sciences and the Faculty of Sacred Theology, was named the 2024 National Research Council of the Philippines (NRCP) Gabay Awardee for his 2SIR-VD Model for vaccine distribution in the Philippines during the first year of vaccine rollout.
The study, co-authored by fr. Austriaco with Mary Chelsea E. Diego and Red Lazaro of the Department of Biological Sciences, Angus White of Providence College – USA, and Allan Paola L. Almajose of the Department of Chemical Engineering, adapted a susceptible-infected-recovered model to help vaccinators administer the needed COVID-19 deterrent and arrest the spread of the disease. The model targeted the National Capital Region as the main focus area of widespread vaccine distribution to mitigate viral transmission, which was high in the capital, while the rest of the archipelago can first focus on medical frontliners, senior citizens, and adults with comorbidities.
The study, entitled “2SIR-VD model to compare idealized COVID-19 vaccine distribution strategies in the Philippines,” was published in the Philippine Journal of Science and helped the Philippine government in distributing limited vaccine supply to the sectors who needed it most.
The NRCP Gabay Award is given annually to active NRCP members whose research works have resulted or translated to adopted technologies and policies; or have informed local and national policy-making.
