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Science and Technology, and

Nation Building
Outline
• The Philippine Development Plan (2017-2022)
• Vigorously Advancing Science, Technology, and Innovation (STI)
• DOST - Harmonized National Research and Development (R&D) Agenda (2017-2022)
• The National Scientists
• Indigenous Science and Technology in the Philippines • Activity #4

The Philippine Development Plan (2017-2022) – The Long View

• Filipinos wish to enjoy a “matatag, maginhawa, at panatag na buhay”

• This collective long-term vision was revealed in a series of focus group discussions and an
extensive nationwide survey that asked about the aspirations of Filipinos by 2040.

•Filipinos want to:

✓spend time with family, friends, and the community
✓enjoy a comfortable lifestyle, including having a decent house with secure long-
term tenure, convenient transport, and being able to travel for vacation ✓feel secure
about the future
✓to live long and healthy and are looking forward to enjoying retirement

•Such is the AmBisyon Natin 2040

Ambisyon Natin 2040

•On October 11, 2016, President Rodrigo R. Duterte signed EO No. 5, s. 2016 approving and
adopting the 25-year long-term vision entitled AmBisyon Natin 2040 as a guide for
development planning.
•It also laid down four areas for strategic policies, programs, and projects over the next 25
years that will help realize the AmBisyon Natin 2040. These areas are:

a) Building a prosperous, predominantly middle-class society where no one is poor;

b) Promoting a long and healthy life;
c) Becoming smarter and more innovative; and
d) Building a high-trust society.
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Economic and Demographic Trends

•Total population in the Philippines has increased to around 101 million as of 2015, and
around 109 million as of May 2020. This amounts to an average annual population growth
rate of 1.6 percent.

•CALABARZON followed by NCR and Central Luzon have the largest populations and are
predicted to remain so by 2022 and even beyond. The Philippines has 33 highly-urbanized
cities, with NCR, Metro Cebu, Metro Davao, and Metro Cagayan de Oro having the largest
populations.

•Regions with higher gross regional domestic product also have higher populations.
CALABARZON, NCR, and Central Luzon account for 62.3 percent of GDP, while ARMM
(0.7%), Caraga (1.3%), and MIMAROPA (1.6%) are the lowest contributors.

Overall Framework

• A matatag, maginhawa, at panatag na buhay by 2040

will be achieved if we are able to lay down the foundation
for inclusive growth, a high-trust and resilient society,
and a globally-competitive knowledge economy by 2022.

Three Pillars of the PDP

1. Enhancing the social fabric (Malasakit)

– aims to regain people’s trust in public institutions and cultivate trust among fellow
Filipinos

2. Inequality reducing transformation (Pagbabago)

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– inequality-reducing transformation through increasing opportunities for growth of

output and income

3.Increasing growth potential (Patuloy na Pag-unlad)

– increasing potential growth through sustaining and accelerating economic growth

Technology, and Innovation (STI)

ASSESSMENTS
• Based on the World Economic Forum (WEF) Readiness for the Future of Production Report
2018, the Philippines is not yet prepared to manage the Fourth Industrial Revolution (FIRe)
as manifested in its weak performance across the drivers of production
•The number of the country’s researchers for every one million population declined to 200
in 2015 from 270 in 2013, lower than the UNESCO norm of 380 per million population and
the East Asia and the Pacific average of 1,020 researchers per million population

Technology, and Innovation (STI)

CHALLENGES
•The adverse spillovers of the prolonged pandemic to the economic sector could bring
about a reduction of available resources for STI since the government will now be more
focused on addressing the most immediate concerns
•However, this is also the opportune time to further strengthen and provide more resources
to STI as science-based methods and solutions will be needed more than ever in the new
normal to curtail, mitigate, and respond to emerging challenges and potential catastrophes
whether man-made or natural
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Technology, and Innovation (STI)

CHALLENGES
•There will be increased interest in using advances in biology and medical science in the
new normal
•As companies, schools, and government agencies implement work from home
arrangements, the use of digital technology will rise significantly
•Online business transactions and digital payments will increasingly become a necessity
rather than convenience
•There will be increased demand for automation and digitalization to supplement manual
labor in the immediate term

Targets  

Strategic Framework

Legislative Agenda
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Legislative Agenda

DOST - Harmonized National

Research and Development (R&D) Agenda (2017-2022)

Framework  

Framework  
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The National Scientists

Angel C. Alcala Ph.D.

 recognized for his research on the ecology and diversity of Philippine amphibians
and reptiles, as well as marine biodiversity and conservation of marine-protected
areas

Ramon C. Barba Ph.D.

 recognized for his achievements in the field of plant physiology, especially the
induction of flowering of mango and micro propagation or the rapid multiplying of
stock plant of important crop species

Edgardo D. Gomez Ph.D.

 he is known for his research and conservation efforts in invertebrate biology and
ecology

Gavino C. Trono Jr. Ph.D.

 he was cited for his outstanding contributions in the field of tropical marine
phycology, focusing on seaweed biodiversity

Indigenous Science and Technology in the Philippines

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The Concept of Indigenous Science

Indigenous Knowledge
• 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

Indigenous Knowledge
• Using indigenous technology in daily lives
• Building local irrigation systems
• Classifying different types of soil for planting based on cultural properties
• Producing wines and juices from tropical fruits
• Keeping the custom of growing plants and vegetables in the yard