Week 5: Science, Technology and Nation Building

Science, Technology and Nation Building

For us to understand how science and technology began to thrive in our country, let’s
know first about the brief history of science and technology in the Philippines.
Brief Historical Background of Science and Technology in the Philippines
The history of science and technology in the Philippines started way back before the
country gained its independence from the American colonizers. Before the coming of
the Spanish colonizers, the early inhabitants of the archipelago had their own culture
and traditions. They had their own belief system and indigenous knowledge system that
keeps them organized and sustained their lives and communities for many years.
Let’s time travel!

PHILIPPINES SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY DURING PRE-COLONIAL PERIOD

 People used herbal medicine to treat illnesses
 To facilitate trading, Filipinos made use of writing, numerical, measurement,
and calendar systems
 Farming, fishing, mining, and weaving were the first livelihood skills developed
by Filipinos
 Banaue Rice Terraces of Ifugao was developed for livelihood purposes
  Technology is used by people in building houses, irrigations, and in developing
tools that they can use in everyday life
 Developed tools for planting, hunting, cooking, and fishing; for fighting their
enemies during war or tribal conflicts; and for transportation, both on land and
waterways 
 48,000 BC: Modern man from Asian mainland came overland to live
in Batangas and Palawan (Formed settlement in Sulu, Davao, Zamboanga,
Samar, Negros, Batangas, Laguna, Rizal, Bulacan and Cagayan.)
 40, 000 BC: simple tools and weapons for stone flakes were developed as a
method of sawing and polishing stones

The image shows example of stone flakes in the Philippines during the Pre-Colonial period
 
 3,000 BC: Adzes, ornament of seashells and pottery were
developed (Pottery flourished for the next 2000 years until completion with
Chinese porcelain)
 Production of copper, bronze, iron and gold metal tools and ornaments
 Extraction, smelting and refining of iron from ores until the importation of cast iron
from Sarawak and later from China
  Cultivation of lowland rice, diking 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 inter-island trades)
 Spaniards later utilized Filipino expertise in boat-building and seamanship to fight
the raiding Dutch, Portuguese, Muslims and the Chinese pirate Limahong
 During the 10th-15th century AD Filipinos from the Butuan were trading with
champa

PHILIPPINES SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY DURING SPANISH REGIME

 When Spaniards colonized the country, they brought with them their own culture
and practices
 They established schools for boys and girls and introduced the concepts of
subjects and disciplines which was the beginning of formal science and
technology in the country, known now as school of science and technology
 Learning of science in school focuses on understanding different concepts
related to the human body, plants, animals, and heavenly bodies
 Technology focuses on using and developing house tools used in everyday life
 During this time, Philippines became modernized, adapting some Western
technology and their ways of life
 Medicine and advanced science were introduced in formal colleges and
universities established by Catholic orders
 Sanitation and more advanced methods of agriculture were taught to the natives
 Colleges and universities in the archipelago were established (University of
Santo Tomas was built and prioritized the study of medicine)
 This is UST during the Spanish Regime
 The Galleon trade have accounted in the Philippine colonial economy (Trade
was given more focus by the Spaniard colonial authorities due to prospects of big
profits and on the other hand, agriculture and industrial development were
neglected)
 The opening of Suez Canal saw the influx of European visitors to the Spanish
colony (Filipinos were able to study in Europe influenced by the rapid
development of scientific ideals brought about by the Age of Enlightenment)
 The Galleon Trade
 
Later part of the 16th century, schools were developed:
Colegio de San Ildefonso, Cebu (1595)
 
Colegio de San Ignacio, Manila (1595)
 
Colegio de Nuestra Senora del Rosario, Manila (1597)
 
 Colegio de San Jose, Manila (1601)
 During 17th-18th century, successive shipwrecks and attacks of pirates on the
galleons led to the declining profits from the trade 
 In 1780, Real Sociedad Economica de los Amigos del Pais de Filipinas (Royal
Economic Society of the Friends of the Country of Philippines) was founded by
Governador Jose Y Basco)

o
 Encouraged research in agriculture and industry

o
 Promoted cultivation of indigo, cotton, cinnamon, and silk industry
 In 1789, Manila was opened to Asian shipping which is the era of increase in
export of rice, hemp, tobacco, sugar, indigo and imported manufacturing goods
 In 19th century, world trade was expanded and commerce led to the rapid
development of Manila as cosmopolitan center
 Modern amenities such as stream tramways, waterworks, newspaper, electric
lights and banking system were introduced
 In 1865, Jesuits promoted meteorological studies founding Manila Observatory
at the Ateneo Municipal de Manila
PHILIPPINES SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY DURING AMERICAN REGIME
 The Americans have more influence in the development of science and
technology in the Philippines compared to the Spaniards

o
 Simultaneous government encouragement and support for an
extensive public education system
  Granting of scholarships for higher education in science and
engineering
 The organization of science research agencies and establishment
of science-based public services
  In 1901, Bureau of Public Works was created
 The Americans found out that there were no competent Filipino engineers and
American engineers had to be imported
 Special efforts were made to attract Filipinos to pursue advanced
studies leading to careers as engineers
 Upon achieving their professional qualifications, they were employed as junior
engineers in the Bureau of Public Works
 The establishment of the University of the Philippines satisfied the short-run
needs for professionally trained Filipinos which increased social demand for
professional education.

This is the University of the Philippines during the American Regime

 The University of the Philippines remained the only publicly-
supported institutions for higher education
 In 1901, the Bureau of Government Laboratories was established which was
placed under the Department of Interior
 Replaced the Laboratorio Municipal, which was established under the Spanish
colonial era
 Dealt with the study of tropical diseases and laboratory projects (production
of vaccine for virus, serums and prophylactics)
  In 1993, the National Research Council of the Philippines was established
 The Bureau of Science became the primary research center of the Philippines
in the World War II
 Science 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
  Researches were done to control malaria, cholera and tuberculosis and other
tropical diseases
 Protestant church missions in different places in country brought hospitals and
schools to far-flung areas
However, with these advances that Philippines had during pre-colonial, Spanish, and
American regimes it became a turn down destabilizing the developments of the country
in many ways. Institutions and public facilities were turned into ashes, houses were
burned, and many lives were destroyed. The country had a difficult time to rebuild itself
from the ruins of the war. Through the help of Japan, reparation funds focused on
building some institutions and public facilities like schools, hospitals, and transportation
systems. Since the establishment of the new republic, the whole nation has been
focusing on using its limited resources in improving its science and technological
capability. It has explored the use of ODA or Overseas Development Allocations from
different countries to help the country improve its scientific productivity and
technological capability.

This is Philippines during the World War II

The development of science and technology in the Philippines, based on its brief
history, is shaped by several factors and influences. Like in the history of science in
other countries, it is always shaped by human and social activities, both internal and
external. Science and technology may have significant impact on lives of the people and
in the development of the Philippine society. However, improving the quality of science
education still remains as a big challenge in the country. School science from basic
education to graduate education is improving slowly, and there are only few students
enrolling in science and technology courses.

The Philippine Government Science & Technology Agenda

“Advancing science and technology is the best option for Philippines growth”
-DOST
 
We are so lucky nowadays that our government is extending their support in developing
science and technology to create an avenue for researches and inventions that will help
our country grow. Before, science and technology has limited its resources of what is
existing but now, science and technology had improved and it is expanding its means
for new studies and relevance. For us to have a better picture on how our government
can help us with our researches, this topic will make us be informed on government’s
policies in science and technology.
 
What is the role of our government in science and technology?
 The Philippine government introduced and implemented several programs,
projects, and policies to boost the area of science and technology. The goal is to
prepare the whole country and its people to meet the demands of a
technologically driven world and capacitate the people to live in a world driven by
science.
  Padilla-Concepcion reported that in 2015, in response to ASEAN 2015 Agenda,
the government, particularly the Department of Science and Technology (DOST),
has sought the expertise of the National Research Council of the Philippines
(NCRP) to consult various sectors in the society to study how the Philippines can
prepare itself in meeting the ASEAN 2015 Goals. As a result of the consultation,
the NCRP is expected to recommend policies and programs that will improve the
competitiveness of the Philippines in the ASEAN Region.
The NCRP clustered policies into four, namely:

1.       Social Sciences, Humanities, Education, International Policies and

Governance
      Integrating ASEAN awareness in basic education without adding
to the curriculum
      Emphasizing teaching in the mother tongue
      Developing school infrastructure and providing for ICT
broadband
      Local food security

2.       Physics, Engineering and Industrial Research, Earth and Space Sciences,

and Mathematics
      Emphasizing degrees, licenses, and employment opportunities
      Outright grants for per mentoring
      Review of RA 9184 (Government Procurement Reform Act)
      Harnessing science and technology as an independent mover of
development

3.       Medical, Chemical, and Pharmaceutical Sciences

      Ensuring compliance of drug-manufacturing firms with ASEAN-
harmonized standards by full implementation of the Food and Drug
Administration
      Creating an education council dedicated to standardization of
pharmaceutical services and care
      Empowering food and drug agencies to conduct evidence-based
research as pool of information
      Allocating two percent of the GDP to research
      Legislating a law supporting human genome projects

4.       Biological Sciences, Agriculture, and Forestry

      Protecting and conserving biodiversity by full implementation of
existing laws
      Use of biosafety and standard model by ASEAN countries
       Promoting indigenous knowledge systems and indigenous
people conservation
      Formulation of common food and safety standards
There are also other existing programs supported by the Philippine government through
the DOST. Some of these projects are the following:
     Providing funds for basic research and patents related to science
and technology. The government funds basic and applied
researches. Funding of these research and projects are also from
the Overseas Development Aid (ODA) from different countries.
     Providing scholarships for undergraduate and graduate studies
of students in the field of science and technology. Saloma (2015)
pointed out that the country needs to produce more doctoral
graduates in the field of science and technology, and produce more
research in these fields, including engineering.
     Establishing more branches of the Philippine Science High
School system for training young Filipinos in the field of science
and technology
     Creating science and technology parks to encourage academe
and industry partnerships
    Balik Scientist Program to encourage Filipino scientists abroad to
come home and work in the Philippines or conduct research and
projects in collaboration with Philippine-based scientists.
     Developing science and technology parks in academic
campuses to encourage academe and industry partnerships
     Establishment of National Science Complex and National
Engineering Complex within the University of the Philippines,
Diliman.
The Philippine-American Academy of Science and Engineering (PAASE, 2008) identified
several capacity-building programs such as:
     Establishment of national centers of excellence
    Manpower and institutional development programs, such as the
Engineering and Science Education Program (ESEP) to produce more
PhD graduates in science and engineering
     Establishment of regional centers to support specific industries that will
lead the country in different research and development areas
     Establishment of science and technology business centers to assist,
advise, and incubate technopreneurship ventures
     Strengthen science education at an early stage through the Philippine
Science High School system
In the field of education, several science-related programs and projects were created to
develop the scientific literacy of the country. Special science classes were organized
and special elementary schools were established in different regions. Aside from this,
science and mathematics in basic education were continuously improved.
There are many other areas and fields that the country is looking forward to embark
various research and projects. The following are some of them:

1.       Use of alternative and safe energy

2.       Harnessing mineral resources
3.       Finding cure for various diseases and illness
4.       Climate change and global warming
5.       Increasing food production
6.       Preservation of natural resources
7.       Coping with natural disasters and calamities
8.       Infrastructure development

Major Development Programs and Personalities in Science &Technology in the

Philippines
Now, we already have an idea of the policies and agenda of the Philippine government
in science and technology. For us to appreciate more of their contributions, let us know
some Filipino presidents and scientists and the developments in science and
technology under their administration and inventions.
 
FERDINAND MARCOS 
      Mandated the Department of Education and Culture (now
DepEd) to promote science courses in public high schools
      Additional budget for research projects in applied sciences and science
education
      War damage fund donated to private universities to encourage them to
create courses in science and technology and to research
Establishment of:
Philippine Coconut Research Institute
 
Philippine Textile Research Institute
 
Philippine Atomic Energy Commission
 
Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration
 
 Philippine National Oil Company
 

Plant Breeding Institute

 

International Rice Research Institute

 
Bureau of Plant Industry
 
National Grains Authority (Now National Food Authority)
 
 Philippine Council for Agricultural Research
 
CORAZON AQUINO
      NSTA was renamed to DOST to be represented in the cabinet and play
an integral role in the country’s sustainable economic recovery and growth
     Science and Technology Master Plan- to update the production
sector, improve research activities, and develop infrastructures for science
and technology sector
FIDEL RAMOS
     In 1987, Philippines had approximately 3,000 competent scientists and
engineers
     Doctors to the Barrio Program- made healthcare accessible in far-
flung areas in the country
     National Program for Gifted Filipino Children in Science &
Technology- created for high school students who want to major in
science and engineering college
     RA 8439: Magna Carta for Scientist Engineers, Researchers, and
other Science and Technology in the government
      RA 7459: Inventors and Inventions Incentive Act
     RA 8293: The Intellectual Property Code of the Philippines
JOSEPH ESTRADA
     RA 8749: The Philippine Clean Air Act of 1999
     RA 8792: Electronic Commerce Act of 2000
     Implementation of cost-effective irrigation technologies and providing
basic health care services
GLORIA MACAPAGAL-ARROYO
     Science and technology sector were developed to strengthen the
education system and to address poverty
     Filipinnovation- coined to refer Philippines as an innovation hub in
Asia
     RA 9367: Biofuels Act – to utilize indigenous materials as sources of
energy
     Farmers were encouraged to use rice that can withstand environmental
hazards
     RA 10601: Agriculture and Fisheries Mechanization (AFMech)
Law- to modernize agricultural and fisheries machinery and equipment
BENIGNO AQUINO III
     Under his administration, new national scientists were named:
     Gavino C. Trono- made extensive studies on seaweed species
which helped families in the coastal populations
     Angel C. Alcala- served as the pioneer scientist and advocate of
coral reefs
     Ramon C. Barba- studied the induction of flowering of mango
and micropropagation of important crop species
     Edgardo D. Gomez- national-scale assessment of damaged
coral reefs which led to a national conservation program
RODRIGO DUTERTE
     Philippine Space Technology Program- launched Diwata-2 in 2018
after the launch of Diwata-1 in 2016 that displayed the Philippine flag in
space
    RA 11305” An Act Institutionalizing the Balik Scientist
Program” was signed into law by the president on June 15, 2018. This
law would give more incentives to returning Filipino experts, scientists,
inventors, and engineers who would share their expertise in the country.
     271 new weather stations were installed by the Department of Science
and Technology throughout the country.
 
The Philippine Congress has also created various laws related to science and
technology. These laws serve as a legal framework for science and technology in the
country. These laws vary according to different themes such as conservation, health-
related, technology building and supporting basic research among others. Some laws
and policies are in line with international treaties such as United Nations (UN), United
Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), Association of
Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and other international agencies.
 
The development of policies in science and technology is shaped or influenced by
several variables: policies need to be aligned to national goals, consider international
commitments based on legal frameworks, and respond to various social needs, issues,
and problems. Science and technology policies ensure that the whole country and all
people will experience the progress that science can bring.
 
Famous Filipinos in the Field of Science
 
School science is filled with names of foreign scientists: Einstein, Galileo Galilei,
Newton, Faraday, Darwin, and many other Western scientists. We rarely hear of Filipino
scientists being discussed in science classes. Lee-Chua (2000) identified 10
outstanding Filipino scientists who have made significant contributions in Philippine
science. These scientists are also famous abroad especially in different science
disciplines: agriculture, mathematics, physics, medicine, marine science, chemistry,
engineering, and biology.
 
These Filipino scientists are:

1.       Ramon Cabanos Barba- for his outstanding research on tissue

culture in Philippine mangoes
2.       Josefino Cacas Comiso- for his works on observing the
characteristics of Antarctica by using satellite images
3.       Jose Bejar Cruz Jr.- known internationally in the field of electrical
engineering; was elected as officer of the famous Institute of Electrical and
Electronic Engineering
4.       Lourdes Jansuy Cruz- notable for her research on sea snail venom
5.       Fabian Millar Dayrit- for his research on herbal medicine
6.       Rafael Dineros Guerrero III- for his research on tilapia culture
7.       Enrique Mapua Ostrea Jr.- for inventing the meconium drugs testing
8.       Lilian Formalejo Patena- for doing research on plant biotechnology
9.       Mari-Jo Panganiban Ruiz- for being an outstanding educator and
graph theorist 
 10.       Gregory Ligot Tangonan- for his research in the field of
communications technology
11.       Fe del Mundo- invented the incubator. An incubator is an apparatus
used to maintain environmental conditions suitable for newborn baby.  

12.       Gregorio Y. Zara- inventor of videophone. Videophone is a two-way

television patented as a photo signal separator network.  

13.       Agapito Flores - invented the fluorescent lamp which is the most
widely used source of lighting in the world today.  

14.      Daniel Dingel- inventor of the water - powered car in 1969. His
hydrogen reactor uses electricity to transform ordinary tap water with salt
into deuterium oxide or heavy water.  

15.      Diosdado Banatao- most known for introducing the first single-chip
graphical use interface (GUI) accelerator that made computers work faster
and for helping develop Ethernet controller chip that made internet
possible
16.       Abelardo Aguilar- invented the antibiotic erythromycin from a strain of
bacterium called Streptomyces erythreus.
17.       Rolando dela Cruz- invented mole remover that had the ability to easily
remove moles and warts on the skin without surgical procedures.
18.       Maria Orosa- invented banana ketchup from the commonly known
tomato ketchup
There are other outstanding Filipino scientists who are recognized here and abroad for
their outstanding contributions in science:
      Caesar A. Saloma- an internationally renowned physicist
      Edgardo Gomez- famous scientist in marine science
      William Padolina- chemistry and president of National Academy of
Science and Technology (NAST)- Philippines
      Angel Alcala- marine science
There are other scientists in the Philippines who were not identified in the list. Yet, the
Philippines still need more scientists and engineers, and there is a need to support
scientific research in the country.
 
Many Filipino scientists, whether they are in the country or abroad, always excel in their
job. The Filipino spirit in their souls has never faded. They continue to bring honor to the
country. They make ordinary things in an extraordinary way. They are always at par with
other scientists in spite of the limited facilities we have here in the country.