Learning Outcomes and Performance Indicators:

1. Explain how science and technology contributed to the Philippine Nation Building.
2. Appraise the importance of the Philippine science and technology policies in the
development of the Filipino nation.
3. Describe the role of science education and indigenous science in the development of
science and technology in the country.

Content Outline
Science, Technology, and Nation-Building
· Historical Foundations of Science and Technology in the Philippines
· Government Policies on Science and Technology
· Notable Filipino Scientists
Science Education in the Philippines
· Science Education: Defined
· Science Education: Basic and Tertiary Education
· Science Schools in the Philippines
Philippines Indigenous Science and Technology
· Indigenous Knowledge System
· Indigenous Science

Science and Technology flourished all throughout the history worldwide and it made a significant
contribution towards nation building. The advancement of science greatly influences a nation's socioeconomic
growth and it is a well-known truth that it is closely related to modernity and it is a crucial instrument for a nation's
quick growth and advancement. The impact of science and technology on the formation of Philippine society
will be covered in this lesson. It highlights government programs, projects, and policies aimed at showcasing the
nation's scientific and technology prowess.

Pre-Colonial Period
The earliest inhabitants of the country had their
own culture and traditions. For many years, their
communities and lifestyles were supported by their
unique belief systems and indigenous knowledge
systems. Scientific and technological knowledge on
the other hand is rooted in their way of living which
includes the following practices:

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 SCIENTIFIC APPLICATION TECHNOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS
Planting Crops Building houses
Raising Animals (labor and food) Irrigations
Predicting seasons and climates and Development of tools used in the following
establishing days into months and years practices:
thru observing the movement of celestial Planting
bodies Hunting
Cooking
Fishing
Tribal conflicts or war
Soil preparation for agricultural purposes Transportation (in land & in water)
Medicinal uses of plants Musical Instrument

The various archeological artifacts found around the country demonstrate that early Filipino life
was significantly influenced by the Metal Age as well. Their contributions to the creation of various
tools may be seen in the intricate patterns of gold and silver jewelry, pottery, and metal tools.
Additionally, trade with adjacent nations like China, Indonesia, Japan, and others has impacted
their way of life by offering numerous chances for cultural and technical interchange.

Colonial Period
The arrival of the foreign colonizers made a significant change to the way of living of the
Filipinos. They were able to introduce different belief systems as well as scientific and technological
systems.

The first to colonize the country was the SPANIARDS which

lasted for 333 years (1565 – 1898). In their years of settling in the
country, life became more modernized and western technologies
began to change the way of living in the country. The establishment
of schools, particularly the school of science and technology, led to
the start of formal science and technology in the country. The
scientific studies focused on human body, plants, animals, and
heavenly bodies while technology focused on utilizing and in
creating house tools. Filipinos was also able to replicate certain western technologies brought by
the Galleon trade using indigenous materials. Certain Filipinos who studied in Europe was also able
to contribute to the advancement of medicine, engineering, arts, music, and literature in the
country. The Philippines have been the center of global trade in Southeast Asia and the most
developed place in the region. However, scientific development has been halted because of the
superstitious belief and the Catholic doctrines and practices during this time.

After the defeat of the Spaniards during the Spanish-American

war in the country, the Americans formally colonized the Philippines for
48 years (1899 – 1946). The Americans established public education
system, modern research university (University of the Philippines),
improved engineering works, created more public hospitals, improved
transportation and communication systems, and reformed the
science education. Science education in basic education focuses

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more on natural studies, science, and sanitation which was then developed to be known as
“Science”. In higher education, science education became more modernized and improved.
Research were also conducted to combat malaria, cholera, and tuberculosis. The American
scholars was also able to introduce innovative knowledge and technology and the construction of
hospitals and schools in far flung areas which laid foundation for science and technology to flourish
in the country.
However, the world war II greatly halted the development of science
and technology in the country. The war brought destruction to the built
facilities and institutions as well as the death of many Filipinos which greatly
submerged the scientific and technological developments in the country.
After the war, the country greatly perished and had a hard time rebuilding
itself. The resources were very limited so they focused in building institutions
and public facilities like schools, hospitals, and transportation systems. The
reparation fund from Japan is allocated in building highways as well as
technological and human resource development.

Post-Colonial Period
The progress of the country in nation building after the independence from colonizers is rather
slow due to the limited resource but thru the efforts of the government, the development in science
and technology as well as human resource paved way for the country to flourish again. However,
the improvement of quality science education remains a big challenge in the country.

Figure 1. Influences in the Development of Science and Technology in the Philippines

In order for the country to advance in

science and technology, the Philippine
government developed and implemented
several programs, projects, and policies. The
goal is to prepare the whole country and its
people to meet the demands of a
technologically driven world and capacitate
the people to live in a world driven by
science.

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 The DOST with the expertise of the NCRP consulted various
National Research sectors to study how the Philippines can prepare itself with the
Council of the ASEAN 2015 goals. As a result, the NCRP recommended policies and
programs to improve the competitiveness of the country in the
Philippines ASEAN region. The NCRP clustered these policies into four, namely;

1. Social Sciences, Humanities, Education, International Policies

and Governance
· Integrating ASEAN awareness in basic education without
adding to the curriculum
· Emphasizing teaching in the mother tongue
· Developing school infrastructure and providing for ICT
broadband
· Local food security
2. Physics, Engineering and Industrial Research, Earth and Space Sciences, and Mathematics
· Emphasizing degrees, licenses, and employment opportunities
· Outright grants for peer monitoring
· Review of R.A. 9184
· Harnessing science and technology as an independent mover of development
3. Medical, Chemical, and Pharmaceutical Sciences
· Ensuring compliance of drug-manufacturing firm with ASEAN-harmonized standards by
fall implementation of the Food and Drug Administration
· Creating an education council dedicated standardization of pharmaceutical services
and care to
· Empowering food and drug agencies to conduct evidence based research as pool of
information
· Allocating two percent of the GDP to research
· Legislating a law supporting human genome projects
4. Biological Sciences, Agriculture, and Forestry
· Protecting and conserving biodiversity by full implementation of existing laws
· Use of biosafety and standard model by ASEAN countries
· Promoting indigenous knowledge systems and indigenous people's conservation
· Formulation of common food and safety standards

DOST Programs Supported by The Philippine Government

· Providing funds for basic research and patents related to S&T.
· Providing scholarships for undergraduate and graduate studies of students in the field of
S&T.
· More branches of the Philippine Science High School System for training young Filipinos.
· Creating parks to encourage academe and industry partnerships.
· Balik Scientist Program.
· Developing parks in academic campuses.
· The establishment of the National Science Complex and National Engineering Complex
within the University of the Philippines campus in Diliman.

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 · National centers of excellence.
Capacity-building programs by · Manpower and institutional development
programs such as Engineering and Science
the Philippine-American Education Program (ESEP)
· Regional centers to support specific industries.
Academy of Science and · Business centers.
Engineering (PAASE, 2008) · Science education at an early stage through
PSHS system.
· Science, Technology, Engineering,
Mathematics (STEM) as one of the major tracks in

·
Senior High School program.
Special science classes.
Department of Education
· Special science elementary schools. (DEPED)
· Science and math in basic education were
continuously improved.

Launched its Philippine- California Advance Research

Institutes (PICARI) which allowed several higher education
institutions in the Philippines and some US-based
Commission on Higher
laboratories, research institutes, and universities to work on
Education (CHED) research and projects related to science, agriculture,
engineering, health and technology. This project hoped to
strengthen the STEM competitiveness of the country.

The country also envisions to work on the following research and projects:
· Use of alternative and safe energy
· Harnessing mineral resources
· Finding cure for various diseases and illness
· Climate change and global warming
· Increasing food production
· Preservation of Natural resources
· Coping with natural disasters and calamities
· Infrastructure development

The Philippine Congress

· These laws serve as legal framework for
S&T in the country.
· They vary according to different themes
such as conservation, health related,
technology-building and supporting
basic research.
· Some laws and policies are in line with
international treaties such as the United
Nations (UN), United Nations
Educational, Scientific and Cultural
Organization (UNESCO), & Association
of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)

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 Scientific and technological developments did not just flourish abroad. There are many
inventions and discoveries that originates from our country, the Philippines. Many notable Filipino
scientists were also able to contribute to the scientific development in the field of agriculture,
mathematics, physics, medicine, marine science, chemistry, engineering, and biology.

10 Outstanding Filipino Scientists and their Contributions

1. Ramon Cabanos Barba - tissue culture in Philippine mangoes
2. Josefino Cacas Comiso- characteristics of Antarctica by using satellite images
3. Jose Bejar Cruz Jr. – known internationally in the field of electrical engineering; officer of
the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineering.
4. Lourdes Jansuy Cruz- sea snail venom
5. Fabian Millar Dayrit- herbal medicine
6. Rafael Dineros Guerrero III- tilapia culture
7. Enrique Mapua Ostrea Jr.- invented the meconium drugs testing
8. Lilian Formalejo Patena- plant biotechnology
9. Mari-lo Panganiban Ruiz- outstanding educator and graphic theorist
10. Gregory Ligot Tangonan- communications technology

Internationally Recognized Filipino Scientists

1. Caesar A. Saloma - an internationally renowned physicist
2. Edgardo Gomez - famous scientist in marine science
3. William Padolina - chemistry and president of National Academy of Science and
Technology (NAST)-Philippines
4. Angel Alcala - marine science

Scientifically Recognized Institutes in the Philippines

1. The University of the Philippines - Los Banos is a science paradise for agriculture, forestry,
plant and animal science, and veterinary science.
2. The University of the Philippines - Visayas is also national center for marine science,
fisheries, and other related sciences.
3. The University of the Philippines - Manila is a center of excellence and has produced
many researchers, doctors, health professionals, and scientists in the area of medical
and public health,
4. The University of the Philippines- Diliman has established a national science and
engineering complex to develop more research and engineers in the country.
The impact of science and technology on the growth of the Philippines as a nation was
covered in this lesson. Numerous groups and communities in the Philippines were already
engaged in scientific activity before the Spanish arrived to colonize the land. They created
structures and tools, researched the medicinal properties of plants, employed astronomy to
forecast the seasons and weather, and applied indigenous science to agriculture. These are
regarded as indigenous science, one of the pillars of contemporary science.

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 The government views science education to be vital in the national development and
progress of the country. Thus, the education sector has been reforming science education to
provide the capacity for learners to be scientifically inclined realizing the relevance of scientific
concepts and principles to their day-to-day life.

Science education is a field concerned with teaching, learning, and understanding of

scientific knowledge. Teaching science encompasses the development of effective pedagogical
techniques to effectively teach science. On the other hand, learning science is the application of
the pedagogical techniques to be able to help students understand scientific knowledge.
Understanding science entails employing science literacy to comprehend the natural world and
daily activities as well as learning and putting to use science-process skills. Science education
prepares a person in a scientifically and technologically driven world thru providing tremendous
amount of scientific knowledge. Science education equips individuals with the knowledge and
skills they need to thrive in the scientific age and to create citizens who will advance science's
objectives in society. Schools therefore have a huge obligation to foster a science culture.

Basic Education
Science education in the basic education aims to teach students important concepts and
facts which relates to their day-to-day life. It aims to develop several important skills that are
essential to life such as:
· Process skills
· Critical thinking skills
· Life skills
Science education also aims to students to foster positive attitudes such as:
· Love for knowledge
· Passion for Innovation
· Curiosity to study and nature
· Creativity
The primary goal of science education is to cultivate science literacy among the students
equipping them with skills and competencies that they need in the field of work and in becoming
a responsible citizen and stewards of nature.

Tertiary Education
Science education in the tertiary education, on the other hand, focuses more on the
students understanding and appreciation of science ideas and scientific works. One of the main
objective of science education in the tertiary education is to be able to develop human resource
in the field of science such as science teacher, scientists, engineers, and other professionals in
agriculture, medicine, and health sciences.

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 The creation of science schools across the country is one of the most outstanding program
for science education that is backed by the government. There are a few private institutions for
science education as well as numerous government programs run by the Department of
Education. The following are some of the projects:

· Philippine Science High Schools System (PSHSS)

· Special Science Elementary School (SSES) Project
· Quezon City Regional Science High School
· Manila Science High School
· Central Visayan Institute Foundation

Indigenous peoples have lived in the Philippines since time

immemorial and have occupied, possessed, and utilized territories
under claims of ownership. They share common bonds of language,
customs, traditions, and other distinct cultural traits that set them apart
from the majority of Filipinos. These homogenous societies have
continuously lived as organized communities with bounded and
defined territories, preserving their cultural heritage and way of life
despite various challenges and threats to their existence. There are at
least 110 ethno-linguistic groups comprising the ICCs/IPs with a popula-
tion of about 14 million.

ETHNO-LINGUISTIC GROUPS IN THE PHILIPPINES

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 Children's early life experiences are infused with indigenous knowledge as they mature.
Their parents and other older people served as their first teachers, and their techniques of
teaching are very efficient in transferring cultural information in their minds. They live and grow up
in a society where members of the community prominently exercise indigenous knowledge.

Some examples of indigenous knowledge that are taught and practiced by the indigenous
people are:
· predicting weather conditions and seasons using knowledge in observing animals
behavior and celestial bodies;
· using herbal medicine;
· preserving foods;
· classifying plants and animals into families and groups based on cultural
properties;
· preserving and selecting good seeds for planting;
· using indigenous technology in daily lives;
· building local irrigation systems;
· classifying different types of soil for planting based on properties;
· producing wines and juices from tropical fruits; and
· keeping the custom of growing plants and vegetables in the yard.

A component of the indigenous knowledge systems which is used by various ethnic groups
and early civilizations is called indigenous science. It includes complex arrays of knowledge,
expertise, practices, and representations that guide human societies in their enumerable
interactions with the natural milieu: agriculture, medicine, naming and explaining natural
phenomena, and strategies for coping with changing environments. Indigenous science is
composed of traditional knowledge that uses science process skills and guided community values
and culture.

Indigenous science uses science

process skills such as observing,
comparing, classifying, measuring,
problem solving, inferring, communicating,
and predicting.
Indigenous science is guided by
culture and community values such as the
following:
· The land is a source of life. It is a precious gift from the creator.
· The Earth is revered as "Mother Earth." It is the origin of their identity as people.
· All living and nonliving things are interconnected and interdependent with each other.
· Human beings are stewards or trustee of the land and other natural resources. They
have a responsibility to preserve it.
· Nature is a friend to human beings it needs respect and proper care.

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 Indigenous science is composed of traditional knowledge practiced and valued by people
and communities such as ethno-biology, ethno-medicine, indigenous farming methods, and folk
astronomy.
Science is an aspect of culture and the conduct of science greatly depends on the cul-
tural practices of the people. Thus, all things are included in indigenous science from metaphysics
to philosophy as well as the different practical technologies used by indigenous peoples in the
past and now.

Indigenous beliefs also develop desirable values that are relevant or consistent to scientific
attitudes which can be a good foundation for developing positive values towards learning and
doing science.

The advancement of science and technology in the Philippines depends on indigenous

science. Indigenous science gave rise to the development of science and technology as a field
and as a subject, much like the ancient civilizations. Indigenous science aided the people in
navigating daily life and understanding the natural world.

1987 Constitution, Education, Science and

1987 Constitution, Declaration of State Technology, Arts, Culture and Sports, Article XIV,
Policies and Principles, Article II, Sec. 22 Section 17

“The State recognizes and promotes the “The State shall recognize, respect and protect
rights of indigenous cultural communities the rights of indigenous cultural communities to
within the framework of national unity and preserve and develop their cultures, traditions,
development” and institutions. It shall consider these rights in the
formulation of national plans and policies.”

Republic Act No. 8371 Of 1997

An Act to Recognize, Protect and Promote the Rights of

Indigenous Cultural Communities/Indigenous Peoples, creating a
National Commission on Indigenous Peoples

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