St.

Dominic College of Asia

School of Arts, Sciences and Education
General Education Department

Module 1, Section 5
Science and Technology and
Nation Building

Prof. Luzviminda P. Corpuz

Professor, STS (Science, Technology, and Society)
 Section 5: S&T and Nation Building
This section discusses:
• the history of Philippine S&T;
• how it affected the society and the physical environment through the
years; and
• S&T roles in nation building.
Intended Learning Outcomes
At the end of this section, the students should be able to:
1. recall the history of Philippine S&T;
2. discuss how developments in Philippine S&T affect
society and the physical environment;
3. relate how Filipino philosophical point of views affect the
development of S&T; and
4. explain the role of S&T in nation building.
 S&T During the Pre-colonial Times
• Used herbal medicines
• For trading, used writing, numerical,
measurement, and calendar systems
• Developed livelihood skills such as
Usage of herbs – Pre-Spanish era farming, fishing, ship-building ,
www.spot.ph
mining minerals and weaving for
clothing
• Made majestic architectural designs
like the Banaue rice terraces of
Banaue rice terraces
Ifugao
www.worldatlas.com
 S&T During the Spanish Colonial Period (1521-1898)
• Established formal education and
launched scientific organizations
• Schools were mandated to teach
religion, mathematics, reading and
writing, and music and arts
• Health and sanitation as well as University of Santo Tomas
medicine and biology were also taught www.rappler.com

• Trained the natives to use innovative

approaches in farming
• Engineering was introduced and
developed to construct buildings,
churches, bridges, roads and forts
• Trade was prioritized due to possible Religion was taught
bigger profits thefirst.website
S&T During the American Regime (1898-1946)
• The former Laboratorio Municipal was
replaced by the Bureau of Government
Laboratories under the Department of Interior.
• The Bureau was established for the purpose of
studying tropical diseases and other related
research projects.
• In 1905, the Bureau was changed to Bureau of Science
the Bureau of Science, which became the main www.pinterest.com
research center of the Philippines
• In 1933, the National Research Council of the
Philippines was established.
• Developments focused on agriculture, Medicine
medicine and pharmacy, food processing and histclo.com
forestry
• In 1946 the Bureau of Science was replaced by
the Institute of Science
 President Ferdinand Marcos Administration (1965-1986)
• President Marcos mandated the Department of
Education to promote science courses in public
high schools
• Granted additional budget for research projects in
applied sciences and science education
• Allocated funds for private universities and
colleges for the creation of courses related to S&T
and to promote research Department of Science and Tec
• The 35-hectare lot in Bicutan, Taguig was DO
commons.wikimedia.org
proclaimed in 1968 as the Philippine Science
Community (now DOST site)
• Seminars, workshops, training programs and
scholarships on fisheries and oceanography were
sponsored by the government
President Ferdinand Marcos’ Administration
• Established the following agencies:
Philippine Coconut Research Institute
Philippine Textile Research Institute
Philippine Atomic Energy Commission
National Grains Authority
Philippine Council for Agricultural Research
Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical & Astronomical Services Admin
Philippine National Oil Company Research on coconut
Plant Breeding Institute agriculture.com.ph
International Rice Research Institute
Bureau of Plant Industry
Bureau of Forest Products
National Committee on Geological Sciences
National Science Development Board
National Science and Technology Authority
• Established the National Academy of Science and Technology (NAST)
in 1976 NAST
nast.ph
• Mindanao and Visayas campuses of the Philippine Science High
School were built and operated.
President Corazon Aquino’s Administration (1986-1992)
• In 1986, President Corazon Aquino renamed the
National Science and Technology Authority to
the Department of Science and Technology
(DOST) for S&T to be represented in the cabinet
• Strengthened S&T to be part of the nation’s
sustainable economic recovery and growth
• Created S&T Master Plan aimed to update the
production sector, improve research activities,
and develop infrastructures for the S&T sector
• Upgraded the R&D Plan to determine research
Former Pres. Corazon C. Aquino
philnews.ph
areas of priority based on local materials,
likelihood of success, potential of product to be
exported, and its tactical nature.
 President Fidel Ramos’ Administration (1992-1998)
• In 1998, during the presidency of Fidel V. Ramos,
the Philippines had approximately 3,000 competent
scientists and engineers.
• The "Doctors to the Barrio” Program brought an
improvement of life expectancy from 67.5 years to
69.1 years between 1992 to 1995.
• Incentives were given to people who played
significant roles in S&T.
• The National Program for Gifted Filipino Children in
S&T was created. en.wikipedia.org
• Mandated Republic Act (RA) No. 8439: Magna Carta
for S&T Personnel; RA No. 7687: S&T Scholarship
Act of 1994; RA No. 7459: Inventors and Inventions
Incentives Act; and RA No. 8293: The Intellectual
Property Code of the Philippines.
President Joseph Estrada’s Administration (1998-2001)
• President Joseph Estrada signed and
mandated RA No. 8749: The Philippine
Clean Air Act of 1999 and RA No. 8792:
Electronic Commerce Act of 2000.
pesoreserve.com
• He was also responsible in implementing
cost-effective irrigation technologies and
providing basic health care, nutrition, and
education for those could not afford.
• He also laid down a 15-year modernization
Modernization of the Philippine program of the Armed Forces of the
Armed Forces by Pres. Joseph E.
Estrada Philippines.
pt.wikipedia.org
 President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo (2001-2010
• During the administration of President Gloria Macapagal-
Arroyo, Science, Technology and Innovations (STI) was
developed to strengthen the educational system and to help
the poor.
• "Filipinnovation" was coined that aimed to make the
Philippines an innovation hub in Asia.
• She promulgated RA No. 9367: Biofuels Act to utilize
indigenous materials as sources of energy while having
cleaner emissions. "Filipinnovation" koronadalcitynews.blogspot.com
• The farmers were encouraged to use rice that can withstand
environmental hazards.
• RA No. 10601: Agriculture and Fisheries Mechanization
(AFMech) Law was also passed to modernize agricultural and
fisheries machinery and equipment.
 President Benigno Aquino’s Administration (2010-2016)
In 2014, President Benigno Aquino III conferred
new National Scientists:
• Gavino C. Trono for Marine Biology,
Gavino C. Trono
studied seaweed species
Angel C. Alcala
archimedesheatray.blogspot.com
• en.wikipedia.org • Angel C. Alcala for Biological Science,
pioneered on coral reefs
• Ramon C. Barba for Horticulture, changed
the seasonal supply of mangoes
• Edgardo D. Gomez for Marine Biology,
spearheaded the assessment of damaged
Ramon C. Barba Edgardo D. Gomez coral reefs and their conservation
en.wikipedia.org ovpaa.up.edu.ph
 President Rodrigo Duterte (2016-present)
• President Rodrigo R. Duterte prioritized S&T by
increasing the budget for R&D to nearly six times over
the same period.
• He backed up the formulation of programs and policies
that will aid in shaping the country.
• “Science for the People” programs were strengthened.
• DOST helped transfer technology and put R&D results
into commercialization gaining 1,000 new intellectual
Philippine 1st satellite: Diwata-1
properties in only a year. news.abs-cbn.com
• The Philippine Space Technology Program launched
Diwata-2 in 2018, after the launching of Diwata-1, in
2016, that displayed the Philippine flag in space.
• The current administration also gives importance on
agriculture and disaster preparedness.
 S&T Effects on Society and the Environment & Vice Versa
• Mechanization of farming is necessary for agriculture.
• Water pumps and sprinkler cope with the damaging heat
caused by the changing climate and weather.
• GMO crops are produced which grow faster and are more
resistant to pests and diseases.
• Fertilizers that increase nutrients in the soil enhance the Mechanized farming
growth of the crops and produce high-quality yields. lusakastar.com
• Transportation by land, air, and sea are improved.
• There is better communication thru radio, television,
internet, and social media.
• The learning process and quality education are enhanced.
• Visual learning and on line learning are also enhanced.
On-line learning
www.teachingonline.net
 S&T Effects on Society and the Environment & Vice Versa
Adverse impacts:
• Resource depletion
• Increasing wastes generated and emitted as these
Resource depletion and pollution
technologies are developed, and eventually when
news.mb.com.ph
the products are disposed
• S&T has also increased our population.
– Advanced birth control methods may help
balance population and the resources, but only
in developed countries.
– In developing countries, there is less control on
birth rate; mortality rate is high; resources like
food are scarce; and health and sanitation are
also poor. Poor sanitation
www.wpro.who.int
 Filipino Philosophical Point of Views
• Gripaldo (2007) believed that Philosophy needs:
– clarification of meaning for intrinsic good
– application so as to get its extrinsic good or the introduction of a concrete
solution to an identified problem
– coincidence with Aristotelian fashion, both epistemic (basic concepts of natural
sciences) and phronetic (aspects of philosophy)
• S&T is a means to address public good:
– benefiting both individually and socially the largest number of the local or
national population
– consideration of individual interests build unity and subsidiarity, which is working
together for the common good
– government must exercise utilitarian perspective that a development project or a
government service like education, public health, transportation, infrastructure,
military defense and other social services must promote common welfare of the
population
 Filipino Philosophical Point of Views
• The idea of the public good must be balanced between its ideal
(economic) logic and its practical (ethical) logic.
• Apply the Aristotelian concept that is an individual seeks not only his
personal needs or wants but also those of others in order to survive.
• The government should be on top of ensuring public good with
rational perspective.
• Private groups or civil societies may pursue a public good through their
own initiative even if the government cannot support them financially
so as to promote welfare of everybody, be it on community,
institutional, or national level.
 Filipino Philosophical Point of Views
• Filipinos must attain certain level of scientific literacy since science is
linked to technology and industrialization.
• Filipinos are having difficulty attaining this literacy due to:
- lack of science culture, deficiencies or congested curriculum, poor
teaching learning process, lack of instructional materials and teacher
training, lack of textbooks, and lack of laboratories.
• The introduction of K to 12 may help bridge the gap.
• Government has continuously prioritized education in their national
budget.
 Filipino Philosophical Point of Views
• Issues and concerns about S&T focus on:
– lack of funding in research and development (R&D), lack of trained
and skilled R&D manpower, institutional gaps, and lack and failure
of policies and regulations.
• Projects most of the time have no focus due to differences in interests
of the proponents and funding institutions.
• No mechanism for possible collaboration with industries
• Individuals who are member of the society, the government and the
private sectors need to continuously look for the public good.
 Activity – Research & Discussion
Identify the major contribution of the following Filipino scientists and inventors:
Anacleto Del Rosario Ricardo Sigua
Francisco Quisumbing Maria Ligaya Braganza
Gregorio Zara Baldomero Olivera
Julian Banzon Dioscoro Umali
Manuel Guerrero Diosdado Banatao
Ignacio Mercado Ame Garong
Trinidad Pardo De Tavera Raymundo Punongbayan
Agapito Flores Proceso Alcala
Juan Salcedo, Jr. Alfredo Santos
Paulo Campos Benito Lumen
Choose one of the above and prepare an A4-size paper/card showing him/her.
Indicate his/her profession, specialization, and most significant contribution. Also,
discuss the significance or importance of his/her invention to the Philippine society.
Activity - Metacognitive Reading Report
Read one of the three articles and accomplish the report.
• Caoli, Olivia. (1986). “A History of Science and Technology of the
Philippines,” in Analysis of Conditions for National Scientific and
Technological Self-Reliance: The Philippine Situation, Quezon City:
University of the Philippines Press.
• Dayrit, Fabian. (2011). “Sustainable Development: An Evolving
Paradigm for the 21st Century,” in Stellar Origins, Human Ways:
Readings in Science, Technology, and Society, ed. Ma. Assunta
Cuyegkeng, Quezon City: Ateneo de Manila University Press.
• Gripaldo, Rolando M. (2007). “The concept of the public good: a view
from a Filipino philosopher,” in Philosophia: International Journal of
Philosophy (Philippine e-journal), vol. 36, no. 2.
 Metacognitive Reading Report

Use the MRR form and answer the following:

1. (3) Things that I significantly learned from the readings
1. (3) Things that are still unclear to me
2. (3) Ideas on “I used to think that … “
3. (3) Questions that I want to ask about the readings