20

Aim High!

At the end of this lesson, you can:

 determine how the scientific and technological
development affect the society and environment (locally);
and
 create a timeline of scientific and technological
development in the Philippines.

THE WH’s

What is the development of Science and Technology in the Philippines during

pre-colonization?

In the pre-Spanish Philippines, is embedded in the way of life of the

people. Scientific knowledge is observed in the way they plant the crops
that provide them food, in taking care of animals to help them in their
daily tasks, and for food productions.

Science is seen in the manner in which the motions of celestial

bodies are interpreted to forecast seasons and temperatures, and to
organize days into months and years. They use science for agricultural
purposes to prepare the soil, and like any other ancient culture, they
discovered the medicinal uses.

In constructing buildings, irrigation, and designing instruments that

they can use in daily life, technology is used by individuals. They
developed tools for planting, hunting, cooking and fishing, for fighting
their enemies both on land and on rivers during war or territorial disputes,
and for transportation. In making musical instruments, they have also
developed technologies.
 21

Around 40,000 B.C, early Filipinos made simple tools and weapons
of stone flakes and later developed a method of sawing and polishing
stones. By about 3000 B.C. They created adzes with seashell ornaments
and pottery. Pottery flourished until they imported Chinese porcelain for
the next 2,000 years. They soon learned to make metal tools and
ornaments made of copper, bronze, iron, and gold.

During the Iron age period (3rd century B.C. -11th century A.D),
Filipinos were engaged in the extraction, smelting, and refining of iron
from ores until the importation of cast iron from Sarawak and later from
China. They learn to weave cotton, make glass ornaments, and cultivate
lowland rice and dike fields of terraced fields utilizing spring water in
mountain regions. They also learned to build boats for trading purposes.
Spanish chronicles noted refined plank built warships called caracoa
suited for interisland trade raids.

Around 10th century A.D, Filipinos from the Butuan were trading
with Champa (Vietnam) and those from Ma-I (Mindoro) with China, as
noted in Chinese records containing several references to the Philippines.
These archaeological findings indicated that regular trade relations
between the Philippines, China, and Vietnam had been well established
from the 10th century to the 15th century A.D. The People of Ma-I and
San-Hsu (Palawan) traded bee wax, cotton, pearls, coconut heart mats,
tortoiseshell, and medicinal betel nuts, panie cloth for porcelain, leads
fishnets sinker, colored glass beads, iron pots, iron needles, and tin.

Filipinos were already engaged in activities and practices related

to science, forming primitive or first wave technology. They were curative
values of some plants on how to extract medicine from herbs. They had
an alphabet, a system of writing, a method of counting and weights, and
measure. They had no calendar but counted the years by the period of
the moon and from one harvest to another (Caoli, 1986).

What happened to S&T during the colonization period?

According to Caoli, the development of science and technology in

the Philippines has been greatly influenced by its historical experience as
a colony of Spain and the United States. Colonial policies, particularly
those on economic development and external trade, have, over the
centuries, fostered a primarily agricultural, export-oriented economy
dependent on the outside world as a market for its products and a source
of manufactured goods. This has led to neglect and a lack of support for
industrialization (Caoli, 1986).

This problem of colonial development has affected the historical

development of Philippine science and technology. Agricultural science
generally tended to receive more funding and support compared to the
physical sciences. This pattern of support persisted despite the
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introduction of the other sciences into the country's educational system

during the American regime.

Please read the full article of Olivia Caoli using this link:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1qXYP-
wwLDpsb2b3F0hMTZPfRHoWcbdAF/view?usp=sharing

What are the inventions and discoveries made by Filipinos after the colonization period?

The Philippine Inventions

McNamara et al., (2018) stated that, regardless of being viewed as

a developing nation, the Philippines additionally add to the worldwide
progression of science and innovation. It is very striking to take note of the
resourcefulness of the Filipinos in spite of the scarcity of resources.

Here are some of the discoveries and inventions made by Filipinos:

a. Salamander Amphibious Tricycle. This is a land and/or water
capable tricycle designed by Victor Llave and his group at H2O
Technologies, which can go across overflowed roads as well as
waterways and lakes. It might likewise be used to make a trip from
island to island.

http://henyopinoy.com/wpcontent/uploads/2015/11/salamander.jp
g

b. SALT Lamp. This is a lighting system that uses a material

bountiful in the Philippines-( salt) and was designed a young
Filipina named Aisa Mijeno. This Sustainable Alternative Lighting
(SALt) light is an environment- friendly light source that runs on
saltwater.
 23

https://www.goodnewspilipinas.co
m

 Medical Incubator. An invention of a Filipino pediatrician named Dr.

Fe del Mundo made from indigenous and cheap materials that did
not run on electricity.

https://www.tumblr.com/tagged/fe-del-mundo.

 Mosquito Ovicidal/ Larvicidal Trap System. A mosquito trap system

developed by the Department of Science and Technology (DOST)
through its Industrial Technology Development Institute (ITDI), which
was introduced in 2011 with its aim to control the population of
dengue-carrying Aedes mosquito.
(http://filipinoinventionsanddiscoveries.blogspot.com/2013/07/dost-
mosquito-ovicidallarvicidal-ol_4.html)

http://www.dost.gov.ph/knowledge-resources/news
 24

SmART AND Techie Student’s WAY

Filipino Inventions
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OGUNm31T2yI
 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Filipino_inventions_an
d_discoveries
 https://www.flipscience.ph/technology/5-filipino-
inventions
 https://www.esquiremag.ph/long-
reads/features/amazing-inventions-by-filipinos-a00204-
20200529
 https://web.facebook.com/illustradomagazine/posts/top-
10-filipino-inventions-some-of-these-inventions-was-ground-
breaking-worldwid/10152543876220051/?_rdc=1&_rdr

Do these!

Activity 1. Interview
Directions: Set an appointment with the Head of the Municipal Planning
Development Coordinator Office in your municipality and ask for a
schedule of an interview to be conducted by you about the scientific
and technological development that is recently put up or to be put up in
your locality particularly in addressing the present health crisis, the COVID-
19 pandemic. The interview questions focus on the impact of the said
project to the constituents as well as to the environment and are given
below for your guidance. Write a written report of your interview in a
separate sheet of paper. Please refer to Appendix B.3 for the rubrics.

Follow the suggested format:

Font Size: 12”, Font style” Century Gothic, 1.5 spacing, Justified
Guide Questions:
1. Does our local government have any project or project proposal on
the combat against the COVID-19 pandemic today, which involves
scientific and technological concepts?
2. What is the name of the project? What is the project all about?
3. What benefits will the people of this municipality gain from the said
project?
4. What are the possible problems that the project may inflict on the
people and the environment?
5. What is your message to the people regarding the proposed project?
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Activity 1. Trace me
Directions: Read the whole paper of Olivia Caoli on “A History of
Science and Technology in the Philippines. After reading, create a
timeline of the scientific and technological developments in the
Philippines. Identify the developments that occurred in every period.
Use a separate sheet for your output. A sample is given below as your
guide. See Appendix B.4 for the rubric.