REFLECTION

Activity 1. Prepare a personal written report on your own

reaction/impression of our life today with the advancement in science
and technology.

Being born into a world where science and technology abound, I am really
grateful that virtually everything has become convenient and simple.
Cellphones, televisions, lights, autos, and even easy access to energy and water
have all dominated my daily existence. All of them are the results of
technological advancements. Others may claim that we can all survive without
technology, but for those who were born in this era, it is quite difficult to break
free and live the traditional life that they consider to be much safer.

Technology has improved in many aspects of our life today, such as making
information more accessible, improving communication, changing
transportation, and so on. While it is simple to sit back and enjoy the benefits
of technical breakthroughs, we must not lose sight of their societal
implications. Today’s culture is completely dependent on technology, and there
are no indicators that this will change very soon. Small components of society’s
everyday life are changing, or have already altered so dramatically that they
have become the standard.

Technology can make our lives easier, but there are costs associated with each
advantage. By recognizing and minimizing these costs, we can continue to grow
technologically without having a significant influence on society. It’s important
to strike a balance between properly using technology and understanding when
to turn it off. Finding this equilibrium, on the other hand, is in the hands of the
people, and it will have a long-term impact on our society.
ENGAGE
Activity 2: What is the history of Science and Technology in the
Philippines?

Pre-colonial
• For about 40,000 years, Filipinos made simple tools or weapons of stone
flakes but eventually developed techniques for sawing, drilling and
polishing hard stones.
• By about 3,000 B.C., they were producing adzes ornaments of seashells
and pottery of various designs.
• The manufacture of pottery subsequently became well developed and
flourished for about 2,000 years until it came into competition with
imported Chinese Porcelain. Gradually, the early Filipinos learned to
make metal tools and implements copper, gold, bronze and, later, iron.
• By the first century A.D., Filipinos were weaving cotton, smelting iron,
making pottery and glass ornaments and were also engaged in
agriculture. Filipinos had also learned to build boats for the coastal
trade.
 By the tenth century A.D., these boats had become a highly developed
technology. The inhabitants of Butuan were trading with Champa
(Vietnam); those of Ma-I (Mindoro) with China.
• The Filipinos in Mindanao and Sulu traded with Borneo, Malacca and
parts of the Malay Peninsula. This trade seems to have antedated those
with the Chinese. By the time the Spaniards reached the archipelago,
these trade relations had been firmly established such that the alliance
between the rulers of Manila and Brunei had become strengthened by
marriage. It was through these contacts that Hindu Buddhist, Malay-
Sanskrit and Arab-Muslim Cultural and technological influences spread
to the Philippines.
 By the time the Spaniards came to colonies the Philippines in 1565; they
found many scattered, autonomous village communities (called
barangays) all over the archipelago
Spanish Regime

• The Spaniards established schools, hospitals and started scientific

research and these had important consequences for the rise of the
country’s professions.
• Spanish conquest and the colonization of the archipelago were greatly
facilitated by the adoption of an essentially religious strategy which had
earlier been successfully used in Latin America. Known as reduccion
• •The net result of reduccion was the creation of towns and the
foundation of the present system of local government. The precolonial
ruling class, the datus and their hereditary successors, were adopted by
the Spanish colonial government into this new system to serve as the
heads of the lowest level of local government as cabezas de barangay
• Primary instruction during the Spanish regime was generally taken care
of by the missionaries and parish priests in the villages and towns.
Owing to the dearth of qualified teachers, textbooks and other
instructional materials, primary instruction was mainly religious
education.
• Throughout the Spanish regime, the royal and pontifical University of
Santo Tomas remained as the highest institution of learning.
• The study of pharmacy consisted of a preparatory course with subjects in
natural history and general chemistry and five years of studies in
subjects such as pharmaceutical operations at the school of pharmacy.
• There were no schools offering engineering at that time. The few who
studied engineering had to go to Europe. There was a Nautical School
created on 1 January 1820 which offered a four-year course of study (for
the profession of pilot of merchant marine) that included subjects as
arithmetic, algebra, geometry, trigonometry, physics, hydrography,
meteorology, navigation and pilotage. A School of Commercial Accounting
and a School of French and English Languages were established in 1839.
• In 1863, the colonial authorities issued a royal decree designed to reform
the existing educational system in the country. It provided for the
establishment of a system of elementary, secondary and collegiate
schools, teacher-training schools, and called for government supervision
of these schools.
 • The Spaniards introduced the technology of town planning and building
with stones, brick and tiles. In many places, religious (such as Bishop
Salazar in Manila) personally led in these undertakings.
• In this manner, the construction of the walls of Manila, its churches,
convents, hospitals, schools and public buildings were completed by the
seventeenth century.

American Regime

• The granting of scholarships for higher education in science and

engineering
• The organization of science research agencies and establishment of
science-based public services
• On 21 January 1901, the Philippine Commission, which acted as the
executive and Legislative body for the Philippines until 1907,
promulgated Act No. 74 creating a Department of Public Instruction in
the Philippines.
• Secondary schools were opened after a further enactment of the
Philippine in Commission in 1902.
• The Philippine Medical School was established in 1905 and was followed
by other professional and technical schools.
• 1905, the latter was reorganized and renamed Bureau of Science.
• The American colonial authorities organized other offices which, by the
nature of their operations, contributed further to the growth of scientific
research.

Commonwealth Period
• The Constitution acknowledged the importance of promoting scientific
development. For the economic development of the country by
incorporating a provision.
• The government also enacted Commonwealth Act No. 180 (13 November
1936) reestablishing the Office of Private Education which had been
abolished in 1932.
• By 1936, there were 425 private schools recognized by the government,
64 of which we institutions at the College level and 7 were universities.
• It created the National Economic Council to prepare an economic
program and advise the government on economic and financial
questions.
 • The Commonwealth government likewise adopted measures to encourage
and provide assistance to private Filipino businessmen in the
establishment of industries and manufacturing enterprises Science and
Technology since Independence
• The underlying pattern of education and training of scientists, engineers
and physicians established during the America regime, as well as the
direction of government support for scientific research and development,
has basically remained unchanged since independence in 1946.

Activity 2. The Science and Technology in the Philippines: A Historical

Perspective a) Spanish Colonial Period and American Period and Post
Commonwealth.

SPANISH COLONIAL PERIOD

The colonization of the Philippines contributed to growth of science and

technology in the archipelago. The Spanish introduced formal education and
founded scientific institution. During the early years of Spanish rule in the
Philippines. Parish schools were established where religion, reading, writing,
arithmetic and music was taught. Sanitation and more advanced methods of
agriculture was taught to the natives. Later the Spanish established colleges
and universities in the archipelago including the oldest existing university in
Asia, the University of Santo Tomas.
The Galleon Trade have accounted in the Philippine colonial economy. Trade
was given more focus by the Spaniard colonial authorities due to the prospects
of big profits. Agriculture and industrial development on the other hand were
relatively neglected. The opening of the Suez Canal saw the influx of European
visitors to the Spanish colony and some Filipinos were able to study in Europe
who were probably influenced by the rapid development of scientific ideals
brought by the Age of Enlightenment.

AMERICAN PERIOD

Science during the American period was inclined towards agriculture, food
processing, forestry, medicine and pharmacy. Not much focus was given on the
development of industrial technology due to free trade policy with the United
States which nurtured and economy geared towards agriculture and trade.
1946 the Bureau of Science was replaced by the institute of Science. In a
report by the US Economic Survey to the Philippines in 1950, there is a lack of
basic information which were necessities to the country’s industries, lack of
support of experimental work and minimal budget for scientific research and
low salaries of scientists employed by the government. In 1958, during the
regime of President Carlos P. Garcia, the Philippine Congress passed the
Science Act of 1958 which established the National Science Development.

POST COMMONWEALTH-ERA

During the 1970s, which was under the time of Ferdinand Marcos presidency,
the importance given to science grew. Under the 1973 Philippine Constitution,
Article XV, Section 1, the government’s role in supporting scientific research
and invention was acknowledged. In 1974, a SCIENCE development program
was included in the government’s Four-Year Development Plan which covers
the years 1974- 1978. Funding for science was also increased. The National
Science Development Board was replaced by the National Science and
Technology Authority under Executive Order No. 784. A Scientific Career in the
civil service was introduced in 1983.

In 1986, during Corazon Aquino’s presidency, the National Science and

Technology Authority was replaced by the Department of Science and
Technology, giving science and technology a representation in the cabinet.
Under the Medium Term Philippine Development Plan for the years 1987-1992,
science and technology’s role in economic recovery and sustained economic
growth was highlighted. During Corazon Aquino’s State of the Nation Address
in 1990, she said that science and technology development shall be one of the
top three priorities of the government towards an economic recovery.

In August 8, 1988, Corazon Aquino created the Presidential Task Force for
Science and Technology which came up with the first Science and Technology
Master Plan or STMP. The goal of STMP was for the Philippines to achieve
newly industrialized country Status by the year 2000 The Congress did not put
much priority in handing bills related to science and technology. The Senate
Committee on Science and Technology was one of the committees that handles
the least amount of bills for deliberation.

Fidel V. Ramos believes that science and technology was one of the means
wherein the Philippines could attain the status of new industrialized country
(NIC). During his term, he was able to establish programs that were significant
to the field of 5&T. In 1993, Science and Technology Agenda for National
Development (STAND) was established. Among its priorities were: (1) exporting.
Winners identified by the DTI; (2) domestic needs identified by the President’s
Council for Countryside Development; (3) support industries and (4) coconut
industry development. Congress, during his term, was able to enact laws that
were significant for the field. Among were: (1) Magna Carta for Science and
Technology Personnel (Republic Act No. 8439); (2) Science and Technology
Scholarship Law of 1994 (Republic Act No. 7687) and (3) Inventors and
Inventions Incentives Act (Republic Act No. 7459). The Intellectual Property
Code of the Philippines (Republic Act No.82931 was enacted during Ramos
term. The law provides industrial property rights, copyrights and related rights,
and technology transfer arrangements.

In President Joseph Estrada’s term, two major legislations that he signed were
Philippine Clean Air Act of 1999 (Republic Act No. 8749) which was designed to
protect and preserve the environment and ensure the sustainable development
of its natural resources, and Electronic Commerce Act of 2000 (Republic Act
No. 8792) which outlaws computer hacking and provides opportunities for new
businesses emerging from the Internet-driven New Economy. Aside from these,
in his first State of the Nation Address, President Estrada launched a full-scale
program based on cost-effective irrigation technologies. He also announced that
Dole-outs are out, which meant basic health care, basic nutrition, and useful
education for those who want, but cannot afford it. Lastly, he said that they
would speed up the program to establish one science high school in every
province. It was in his second State of the Nation Address that President
Estrada announced the passage of the Clean Air Act, and the decision to
pursue the 15 year modernization program of the Armed Forces of the
Philippines His last State of the Nation Address pushed for the advancement of
industries and schools into the Internet age, as well as the announcement of
the passage of the e-Commerce Act

The Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo administration, the science and technology sector

of the Philippines was dubbed as the “golden age” of science and technology by
then secretary Estrella Albastro. Numerous laws and projects that concerns
both the environment and science to push technology as a tool to increase the
country’s economic level. This is to help increase the productivity from Science,
Technology and Innovations (STI) and help benefit the poor people. Moreover,
the term “Filipinnovation was the coined term used in helping the Philippines
to be an innovation hub in Asia the STI was developed further by strengthening
the schools and education system such as the Philippine Science High School
(PSHS), which focuses in science, technology and mathematics in their
curriculum. This helps schools produce get more involve in this sector. Private
sectors were also encouraged to partiopate in developing the schools through
organizing events and Sponsorships. Future Filipino scientists and innovators
can be produced through this system. Helping the environment was one of the
focus in developing technology in the Philippines. One of the more known laws
to be passed by her administration was the R.A. 9367 or the “Biofuels” act.
This act promotes the development and usage of biofuels throughout the
country. This potentially enables a cheaper alternative o gasoline as a medium
in producing energy. Also, this benefits the environment since it boasts a
cleaner emission compared to regular fuel. Yet, setbacks such as lack of raw
materials is holding the full implementation of the laws since importing the
necessary materials imported more. On one had, drought-free rice was also
highly encouraged to by used during her term. This enables farmers to produce
rice despite the environmental hazards that slows or stops the production. In
an effort to improve the efficiency of both land and water, the government
imposes Republic Act 10601 which improves the Agriculture and Fisheries
Sector through Mechanization (AFMech). RA 10601 covers research,
development, and extension (RDE), promotion, distribution, supply,
assembling, manufacturing, regulation, use, operation, maintenance and
project implementation of agricultural and fisheries machinery and equipment
(Section 4).

In 2014, President Aquino conferred four new National Scientist for their
contribution in the Scientific field, Academicians Gavino C. Trono, Angel C.
Alcala, Ramon C. Barba, and Edgardo D. Gomez was honored in their
respective fields. Trono’s contribution helped a lot of families in the coastal
populations through the extensives studies he made on seaweed species. On
the other hand, Alcala served as the pioneer scientist and advocate of coral
reefs aside from his contribution in the fields of systematics secology and
herpetology. Barba’s contribution changes the seasonal supply of fresh fruits to
an all year round availability of mangoes through his studies on the induction
of flowering af manga and micropropagation of important crop species Lastly
Gomer steered the national. Scole.assessment of damage coral reefs which led
a national conservation.

President Rodrigo Duterte signed Proclamation No. 780 on August 2, amending

Proclamation No. 169 issued in 1993, which declared the third week of July
every year as National Science and Technology Week. The President said he
moved the date “to ensure the maximum participation of school, students,
stakeholders and the public during the week-long celebration, considering the
change in the academic calendar of most universities, schools and educational
institutions. He has signed a lawi institutionalizing the Balik Scientist Program
which aims to support the participation of Filipino science, technology or
innovation experts in the country’s research and development initiatives.
Known as the “Balik Scientist Act”, the law was signed by Duterte on June 15
as recognition that the Filipinos’ expertise in science and technology is “vital
component in the nation’s political, economic and social development
programs.
Under the Balik Scientist Program, science and technology experts or
professionals who are of Filipino descent shall be accorded with benefits and
incentives provided they are certified by the Department of Science and
Technology (DOST). “The program shall aim to strengthen the scientific and
technological human resources of the academic, public and private
institutions, including locally registered enterprises in order to promote
knowledge sharing and accelerate the flow of new technologies into the
country,” stated in the law. The new law provides that all Balk Scientists under
the short, medium or long-term engagements shall be eligible for the general
benefits, incentives and privileges. Balik Scientists can enjoy round-trip airfare
from foreign country of origin, free visa application, tax-free daily allowance
and participation Grants-in-Aid (GIA) research and development projects of the
DOST the current administration supports Philippine Space Technology
Program. This makes official the country’s entry into the frontiers of space,
adding that the country needs to boldly move and catch up with the
industrialized world in every measure of scientific and technological
proficiency”. It should be noted that the Diwata 1 satellite, which was launched
in 2016 and finally put the country’s flag in space, was made by Filipino
scientists that were sent to Japan by the DOST. The Diwata-2, which will be
launched in 2018, has improved capabilities to better monitor the country. It is
being made by another batch of Filipino scientists and engineers, creating a
pool for this industry.