Science, Technology, and Society

ELRINE FRANZ B. VERGARA

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY UNDER DUTERTE’S REGIME

✓ BALIK SCIENTIST LAW (RA. 11035)

The Act will increase incentives for returning Filipino specialists, scientists, inventors,
and engineers to contribute their knowledge to the nation. Since its inception, various
scientists have returned to the nation on both a temporary and permanent basis to
mentor academics and students in the fields of science and engineering and to share
their areas of expertise through research, development, and other endeavors. The
country's scientific, agricultural, industrial, and economic development was
considerably accelerated by this sharing of expertise. This law greatly aids in enticing
Filipino scientists to return home and work to better the country and the lives of its
citizens.

✓ PHILIPPINE SPACE ACT (RA. 11363)

The act sets the nation's policy for space development and utilization. National
Security and Development, Hazard Management in Climate Studies, Space and
Development, Building Industry Capacity in the Space Sector, Space Education and
Awareness, and International Cooperation are the six areas on which the space policy
will be centered. The law's proponents expect the facility will be completed before
Duterte's government expires in 2022. It is located at the Philippine Space Agency
(PHILSA) in Manila's Clark Economic Zone. In addition to aiming to inspire young
Filipinos to leave vocations or professions related to space, Marciano of DOST expects
that the foundation of the PHILSA will and can persuade Filipino space scientists
abroad to return home.

✓ KALIWA DAM PROJECT

By building a backup dam for Metro Manila's residential water supply, a new water
source is being developed to meet the growing water demand. The project was
reintroduced in 2017 as one of President Rodrigo Duterte's signature water security
initiatives through the proposed NCWSP.
✓ DIWATA 2 (PHILIPPINE-MADE MICROSATELITTE)

Transported by the H- II A F40 rocket manufactured in Japan, which was sent into orbit
from the Tanegashima Space Center. Diwata 2 may take pictures of the earth for
environmental evaluation, to track changes in vegetation and natural and cultural
heritage sites, as well as to observe cloud formations and weather disturbances. The
Philippines had a better understanding of what was going on in its area of
responsibility because to these capabilities, which also made monitoring and problem
detection easy and real-time, which sped up problem solving and led to new
inventions.

✓ JEEPNEY MODERNIZATION

The president's initiative to make the nation's public transportation system effective
and environmentally friendly by the year 2020. The concept plans for gradually
replacing jeepneys, buses, and other public utility vehicles (PUVs) that are at least 15
years old over the course of the following three years with safer, more commodious,
and ecologically friendly alternatives. To reduce emissions, replacement vehicles
must have at least a Euro 4-compliant engine or an electric engine. The Panta
Transportation Payment Terminal, speed limiters, CCTV cameras, and GPS monitors
are some of the planned specifications.

✓ COLOR-CODED AGRICULTURAL GUIDED MAP

In order to increase productivity, farmers and fisherman can now access interactive
data on topics relating to farming and fishing according to a project President Duterte
promised during the campaign. For farmers to freely access in the smart devices that
they will be given, the map digitalizes all data on soil analysis, crops management for
different locations, climatic conditions, and weather prediction in their website.

✓ DIGITAL IMAGING FOR MONITORING AND EVALUATION (DIME)

Uses currently available technologies, such as satellites, drones, and geotagging, to

track the status, plan, and rate of completion of government projects, particularly
those with significant value.

✓ BIOTEK M DIAGNOSTIC KIT

A confirming test for the diagnosis of dengue infection.

 TECHNOLOGY AS A WAY OF REVEALING

There are differences in people's views on technology. Some recall it with a more
negative attitude as a result of historical occurrences like nuclear blasts and simply
straightforward household problems. However, technology is crucial in many
intellectual and creative sectors of knowledge and education, including the arts,
literature, music, media, math, physics, architecture, etc. The majority of cultural
creations, developments, and innovations rely heavily on technology in some form.
Similar to how a tool might be used to unveil a sculpture out of a rock, technology is
utilized to reveal. As humans acquire control of reality, technology has a unique way
of revealing the world. The world can now be produced and altered as a raw material
thanks to technology. Technology nowadays is similar to "pushing into being."

THE GOOD LIFE

There are two linkages. First, science can help with the creation of technique, which
can help with the creation of lifestyle habits. Since they created the first tools and
discovered how to control fire, humans have been using them to advance their well-
being. Science is mostly a way of learning new things. The foundation of virtue
development is the habits of learning, which help us understand our role in the
universe. We are all aware that science and technology are always evolving, making
it easier for people to obtain knowledge in all areas of life. As a result, it will assist each
and every one of us in leading fulfilling lives. Because it will benefit and have an impact
on people, science and technology offer a variety of sources and reasons for a decent
existence. People can use the advancement of science and technology as a tool to
create and realize the good life they desire for themselves.

WHEN TECHNOLOGY AND HUMANITY CROSS

✓ THE GOOD SIDE

In the era of globalization, technology (which includes both computational and non-
computational systems) has assisted in bridging a gap between nations. Numerous
people have been able to interact with others and learn about the world in ways that
were before unimaginable because to this bridge. By using a smartphone to book
hotel rooms and airline tickets, it is now possible to go anywhere in the globe quickly,
easily, and efficiently. Unlike in the past, this eliminates the need for a travel agent,
streamlining the process and making it
more efficient. Both ATM machines and online and mobile banking have essentially
removed the requirement to engage with a bank teller while making financial
transactions, saving time, resources, and overhead while boosting job efficiency and
effectiveness.

The Internet has also given people access to a virtually limitless number of
information, instructional tools, and learning programs that they may use to study or
work from home alone, without having to interact with anyone. This has led to an
increase in digital nomad work/telecommuting, as well as distance learning
education systems, which translates into increased convenience for those on-the-go,
but also frequently has the unintended consequence of causing students, workers,
adults, and children to lose their social skills as a result of becoming more and more
socially isolated.

Furthermore, people frequently meet friends or dates through apps, all from the
comfort and convenience of their own homes. In contrast, in a former era, people
would socialize outside of their homes on a daily basis to make acquaintances and
find dates. The drawback to this is that it may lead to an increase in antisocial behavior
and a lack of social skills because some young people may only be able to text or use
dating apps to connect with people rather than going out and meeting new people.

✓ THE BAD SIDE

Technology has both closed and opened a gap. People who are physically present yet
emotionally distant from one another because they are engrossed in a technical
gadget, such as a laptop, smartphone, or tablet, are said to be experiencing virtual
distance (mobile device). This means that while people are occupied engaging with
others in digital space via their technical device, couples, parents, and children, as well
as all other kinds of human relationships, are pushed to the side.

People frequently prefer texting to in-person interactions or, at the absolute least,
calling and hearing a human voice. Additionally, it is not uncommon for people to be
oblivious to their surroundings as they stroll or even sit with others while oblivious to
their digital device. As a result, closeness and human-to-human contacts have
significantly dropped, while human-to-machine interactions have mainly taken their
place. Because it has distanced people from one another and decreased closeness,
technology has contributed to changing human behavior. This relationship between
humans and machines is only going to grow in a time when robots and AI are
gradually replacing humans in the workplace.
 SPECIFIC ISSUE IN STS: INFORMATION AGE

These revolutions had a profound impact on civilization by altering the nature of

information and knowledge. The latter half of the 20th and early 21st centuries saw
rapid advancements in information and communication technology, ushering in the
Information Age. The workforce has been impacted by the Information Age in a
number of ways. First, it has forced workers who perform things that can be easily
mechanized to look for work that involves tasks that cannot be easily automated.
Second, a global job market forces employees to compete.

Similar to this, in today's digital environment, the extensive and quick dissemination of
scientific information frequently deprives the scientists who produced it of the proper
credit and recognition. Online journals, databases, repositories, blogs, websites, and
email exchanges all make information available that is repeatedly uploaded on
various forums and disseminated via email and social media. It might be difficult to
determine where a piece of information came from as it spreads around the digital
world, which can lead to findings being misattributed or generalized.

The issue of data validation is also complicated by uncertainty over the data's source.
How can we be certain that the information we receive is true in a world where the
internet is the primary source of information? Making an accurate assessment of the
material's credibility is already challenging when the source of the information is
unknown. Although data validation has always been crucial, it is now much more
crucial given the ease with which computational tools can be used by beginners and
the greater likelihood of fraud in the Information Age.

Unintentional misrepresentation may result from careless data treatment and

manipulation. Even scientists may lack sufficient training and use the new tools
incorrectly due to the constant emergence of new technologies and the rapid
generation of information, which leads to false data. Even worse, when scientists
buckle under the pressure to publish, data treatment and alteration may be done with
the intention of misleading or deceiving.

Submitted to:

Dr. Manuel Bebis Jr.

GE 7 Instructor