Chapter 2: The Role of Science and Technology in Nation-Building

Lesson 1: The Philippine Government Science and Technology

Agenda

Brief Historical Background of Science and Technology

in the Philippines
FPPT.com
Pre-Spanish
• • Science is embedded in the way of life.
• • Scientific knowledge is observed in:
• - The way they plant their crops
• - Taking care of animals to help them in their daily tasks, and for
food production.
• - Studied medicinal properties of plants.
• - Observed the way the way they interpret the movements of
heavenly bodies to predict seasons and climates, organizing the
days into months and years.
• - Use science in preparing the soil for agricultural purposes.
• Technology: (Indigenous and Ingenious)
- Building houses
- Irrigations systems
- Developed tools they can use for everyday life
- Developed tools for planting crops, hunting and
fishing for food
- Tools for warfare to protect their communities
and tribes from their enemies
- Built transportation tools for land and water.
School for Girls and Boys

Colegio de San Ignacio

Colegio de Santa Potenciana

 Metal Age
• Had a significant influence on the lives of the Filipinos
• Stylish and sophisticated designs of gold and silver
jewelry, ceramics, and metal tools
Trading activities with:
China
Indonesia and other nearby countries
Japan
- Allowed cultural and technological exchange
All the ancient practices in science and technology are
considered as indigenous science or folk science.
 Spanish Colonization
Spaniards brought their own culture and practices.
• Built school for boys and girls (curriculum patterned from Spain)
• Introduced school science and learning technology in the country
• School science focuses on teaching concepts such as:
• Technology focuses on making tools t use in everyday life
• Life became modernized, adapted western technology, in their
everyday life.
• Engineering works (building bridges, highways, waterways, boats, and
railway systems.
• Constructed buildings, introduced gas lamps, brought house tools,
musical instruments, and farming tools.
• They built colleges and schools for medicine and advance science
established by Catholic Church.
 Schools in Spanish Colonization

University of San Carlos University of Santo Tomas

University de San Ignacio

 Galleon trade – brought additional technology and
development in the Philippines.

- Allowed other ideas, crops, tools, cultural practices, technology and

western practices
- Allowed more economic and cultural exchange between
Philippines, Spain and other Spanish colonies like Mexico.
- Introduced technology that will help in producing sugar, plant
tobacco, and mining in the country.
The Philippines is one of the centers of global trade in Asia.
- Considered as one of to be developed countries in the region.
- Halted the growth of science by their superstitious beliefs, catholic
doctrines and practices in this era.
 American colonization

• More influential in the expansion of Science and technology in the

Philippines
• Founded a public education system (to help educate more Filipinos)
• Upgraded engineering works in the country (creating hospitals and
health centers)
• Established a modern research university
• Created more public hospitals
• Established trade and agricultural schools
• Developed the country’s communications and transportation systems
• Americans “tried” to Americanize the Filipino people
• Education
- School science was reorganized in public and private schools.
- Basic education science- focuses on nature studies and sanitation.
- Science was introduced a comprehensive way similar how they
teach it in US.
- Improved and modernized teaching science in higher education,
through improved laboratories and US made instructional materials.
- US- utilized schools and hospitals to conduct researches in helping
control malaria, cholera, tuberculosis & other tropical diseases.
• Protestant Churches (Methodist, Episcollian, Disciples,
Adventists, Presbyterians)
- Contributed in establishing mission schools, colleges,
universities, mission hospitals, and mission activities (for
farmers, fisherman, and poor people in different provinces.)
• English- has introduced as a medium of instruction.
• Liberal education was implemented in schools.
• “Pensionados”- Filipinos who had the opportunity to study
in US and expected to return and apply what they learned to
improve the country.
 World War II
• Weakened the economic growth of the country
• The country had a difficult time to rebuild itself from the ruins of the
war
• The capacity of the country has limited reparation funds
(focuses on building some institution and public facilities
• Reparation money from Japan was used in building highways, providing
technological training and human resource development
• Explore the use of ODA (Overseas Development Allocations) from other
countries to help the country improve its scientific productivity and
technological capability
• Human Resource Development- is at the heart of the efforts focusing on
producing more engineers, scientists, technology experts, doctors, and other
professionals in the country.

 New Republic
• Philippines intensified its effort to strengthen its science and
technology program.

• Improving science and mathematics in schools

• Offering programs in science, engineering, medicine, and
allied health, technology, and agricultural
• Teaching basic sciences was improved in basic education,
colleges, universities
• New researches in the field of nutrition, medicine, basic
science, and agriculture – done to respond the needs of the
people and help contribute to the development of economy
Brief History of Science and Technology in the Philippines by
several influences.
(Shaped by human and social activities internal and external)
Government Policies on Science and Technology
The NCRP clustered these policies into four, namely:
• Cluster 1: Social Sciences, Humanities, Education, and
International Policies and Governance
 Local food security
 Integrating ASEAN awareness in basic education without
adding to the curriculum
 Developing school infrastructure
 Emphasizing teaching in the mother tongue
• Cluster 2: Physics, Engineering and Industrial
Research, Earth and Space Sciences, Mathematics

 Stressing degrees, licenses, and employment

opportunities
 Evaluation of Republic Act 9184
 Employing science and technology as an independent
mover of development
 Outright grants for peer monitoring
• Cluster 3: Medical, Chemical, and Pharmaceutical
Sciences
 Allowing food and drug agencies to conduct evidence-
based research as pool of information
 Guaranteeing compliance of drug manufacturing firms
with ASEAN harmonized standards by full implementation of
the Food and Drug Administration
 Enacting a law supporting human genome projects
 Establishing an education council dedicated to
standardization of pharmaceutical services and cares
 Allotting 2% of the GDP to research
• Cluster 4: Biological Sciences, Agriculture, and
Forestry
 Keeping and protecting biodiversity by full
implementation of existing laws
 Fostering indigenous knowledge systems and
supporting indigenous peoples
 Creation of common food and safety standards
 Practice of biosafety and standard model by
ASEAN countries
Lesson 2: Programs and Personalities in Science and Technology in the Philippines

• Government Programs to Support the Development of Science and Technology

• Offering funds for basic research and patents on science and

technology.
• Scholarships for undergraduate and graduate studies of students in
the field
• of science and technology.
• Expanding the Philippine Science High School system in other
regions
• Establishing science and technology parks to inspire academe and
industry partnerships
• Balik Scientist Program to encourage Filipino scientists abroad to
work in the Philippines or conduct researches and projects in
collaboration with Philippine-based scientists
• Creating science and technology parks in academic campuses to encourage
academe and industry partnerships
• The establishment of the National Science Complex and National Engineering Complex
within the University of the Philippines campus in Diliman.

The Philippine-American Academy of Science and Engineering (PAAASE 2008)

identified several capacity building programs such as:

• National centers of excellence in science, technology, and engineering.

• Human resource and institutional development programs, such as the Engineering and
Science Education Program (ESEP)
• Establishment of regional centers of research and development
• Establishment of science and technology business centers
• Intensify science education at an early stage through the Philippine Science High School
system
• Several science-related programs and projects were done to develop the scientific
literacy
of the country, in the field of education
• More special science classes and special science elementary schools
were established in different regions
• STEM (Science, Technology, engineering and Mathematics) one of the major tracks in
SHS, K-12 Education Program
• Philippine California Advanced Research Institutes (PCARI) lauched by the Commission
on Higher Education and some US-based laboratories, research institutes, and
universities

These are many areas and fields that the country is looking forward to embark
various researches and projects. Some of these projects are:
1. Use of alternative and safe energy
2. Harnessing the mineral resources
3. Finding cure for various illnesses and diseases
 Prominent Filipinos in the Field of Science

Lee Chua (2000) identified 10 Outstanding Filipino Scientists who made substantial
contributions to Philippine Science. These are scientists that are famous abroad
especially in different science disciplines.
Agriculture, Physics, Forestry, Medicine, Mathematics, Marine Science, Chemistry,
Engineering and Biology
These Filipino scientists are:
1. Ramon Cabanos Barba 2. Lourdes Jansuy Cruz
- For his outstanding research on - A famous scientist for her
tissue in Philippines mangoes; research on sea shell venom.
3. Josefino Cacas Comiso 4. Fabian Millar Dayrit
- for is works on observing - for his research on herbal
the characteristics of Antartica by medicine.
using satellite images;
5. Jose Bejar Cruz 6. Mari-Jo Panganiban Ruiz
- A scientist known -for being an outstanding educator
internationally in the field of and graph theorist;
electrical engineering
7. Rafael Dineros Guerrero III 8. Lilian Formalejo Patena
- For his research on tilapia culture - For doing research on plant
biotechnology
9. Gregory Ligot Tangonan 10. Enrique Mapua Ostera, Jr.
- For his research in the field of - For his research on drugs;
communications technology and;
There are other outstanding Filipino scientist that are well-known for their outstanding
contributions to science.
Some of them are:

1. Caesar A. Saloma – an 2. Edgardo Gomez- famous scientist in

internationally recognized Physicists. Marine Science;
3. William Padolina- 4. Angel Alcala- famous 5. Emil Q. Javier – famous
famous scientist in scientist in marine science; for his works in developing
chemistry and former and rural agriculture
president of National
Academy of Science and
Technology (NAST)
 Individual Science
School
Interests in Laboratory
Science
Science
(Teachers and
Learning
(Real-Life
Family Environment)
Context)

Natural
Environment

Filipino Scientist