The development of science and technology in the Philippines has really come a log way.

Many
significant inventions and discoveries have been accomplished by or attributed to Filipinos. This
chapter tackles how the development of science and technology affect the development of the
Philippines as a nation.

Pre-Colonial Period
• Scientific and technological develooment in the Philippines began in the pre-colonial period. Even
before the Spaniards came to the Philippine islands, early Filipino settlers were already using certain
plants and herbs as medicines. Systems of farming and animal-raising were also implemented.
Moreover, early Filipinos had developed different modes of transportation whether terrestrial or
maritime.
• A complicated engineering feat was achieved by the natives of the Cordilleras when they built the
rice terraces by hand. Through these terraces, the people were able to cultivate crops on the
mountain sides in cold temperatures. They incorporated an irrigation system that uses water from
the forests and mountain tops to achieve an elaborate farming system. The rice terraces of the
Cordilleras, which are still functional, show the innovative and ingenious way of the natives to
survive in an otherwise unfriendly environment.

Colonial Period
• Colonization by the Spaniards provided the Philippines with modern means of construction. Walls,
roads, bridges, and other large infrastructures were built using some of the engineering skills and
tools brought by the Spaniards. In addition, the Spanish government developed health and
education systems that were enjoyed by the principalia class.
• The American occupation modernized almost all aspects of life in the Philippines. They established
a government agency, the Bureau of Science, for the sole purpose of nurturing development in the
field of science and technology.

Post-Colonial Period
• After achieving independence from the colonizers, the Philippines, under different administrations,
continued to pursue programs in science and technology agenda. However, it is important to note
that some Philippine presidents posted more developments in the field than others. One of the
presidents who ushered in advancements in science and technology was former president and
dictator, Ferdinand Marcos. Under his term, many agencies in science and technology were
established and strengthened, including the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical
Services Administration (PAGASA) in place of the abolished Weather Bureau; the National Academy
of Science and Technology (NAST); and the reconstituted National Science and Technology Authority
(originally established in 1958 as the National Science and Development Board and now the
Department of Science and Technology), among others. Marcos saw that the key to nation-building
is the continued development of science and technology. The progress in science and technology
continued even after his dictatorial rule and the presidents after him left their own legacies in the
field.