Chapter 1.

4
Science and Technology
And Nation Building

Science and Technology are considered by many to be

the forces for improvement in the welfare of developing states. On
the other hand, S&T are equally feared by many to be potential
contributors to the dehumanization of man and degradation of
environment. The state of science and technology determines part
of the socio-economic progress of a country. It is a well-known fact
that national progress is highly correlated to the capacity of a
country to produce local industrial goods for domestic needs and
that industrialization is very much dependent on the capacity of a
country to use science and technology to process locally-found raw
materials into high-tech products and tools for households and
other users.

Learning Outcomes:

 Discuss the role of Science and Technology in Philippine

nation building.
 Discuss the role of Science and Technology in Philippine
Nation Building
1  Evaluate government policies pertaining to science and
technology in terms of their contributions to nation
building.
 Identify actual science and technology policies of the
government and appraise their impact on the development
of the Filipino nation.

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 The Philippine Government and
the Science and Technology Agenda
Concept of Nation Building
In the contemporary world, S&T are key
drivers to development. Development of S&T
greatly affects the conditions of people,
specifically their way to live, connect and
survive.
Philippines is one of the developing
countries that is continuously addressing the
persistent problems of inequality and poverty.
The Philippine government, as early as 1980s,
prioritize the initiatives on promoting the role of
S&T in national development. The declarations
in the 1987 Constitution, Article XIV
acknowledges the significant role of S&T.
Section 10. Science and technology are essential
for national development and progress. The State
shall give priority to research and development,
invention, innovation, and their utilization; and to
science and technology education, training, and
services. It shall support indigenous, appropriate,
and self-reliant scientific and technological
capabilities, and their application to the country’s
productive systems and national life.
Section 11. The Congress may provide for
incentives, including tax deductions, to encourage
private participation in programs of basic and
applied scientific research. Scholarships, grants-
in-aid, or other forms of incentives shall be
provided to deserving science students,
researchers, scientists, inventors, technologists,
2and specially gifted citizens
Section 12. The State shall regulate the transfer
and promote the adaptation of technology from all
sources for the national benefit. It shall encourage
the widest participation of private groups, local
governments, and community-based
organizations in the generation and utilization of
science and technology.
Section 13. The State shall protect and secure the
exclusive rights of scientists, inventors, artists,
and other gifted citizens to their intellectual
property and creations, particularly when
beneficial to the people, for such period as may
be provided by law.
DEPARTMENT OF SCIENCE AND
TECHNOLOGY
DOST is the primary S&T body in the
country responsible for providing central
direction and leadership of all scientific and
technological activities in the country.
It can be traced to the National Science
Development Board (1958) which was later
recognized on 1982 as the National Science
and Technology Authority. NSTA eventually
elevated through EO No. 128 signed by
Pres. Corazon Aquino into DOST (1987).
Pillars of Development (PDP – AmBisyon
Natin 2040)
1. Malasakit. Regain people’s trust in
public administration and cultivate trust
among Filipinos.
2. Pagbabago. Inequality-reducing
transformation through increasing
opportunities for growth of income.
3. Patuloy na Pag-unlad. Increasing
potential growth through sustaining and
accelerating economic growth.
Philippine S&T agenda
DOST prepared the Harmonized National
R&D Agenda (HNRDA) 2017-2022 to
ensure that the results of S&T endeavors
are geared towards and utilized in areas of
maximum economic and social benefit for
people. HNRDA is divided into five sectors:
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 Science Education
In the Philippines
Importance of the School Science Education
Science is useful because of its links to
technology and industry, which, from a national
perspective, are areas of high priority for
development. Science provides ways of making
sense of the world systematically. It develops
students’ scientific inquiry skills, values and
attitudes, such as objectivity, curiosity, and
honesty and habits of mind including critical
thinking. All these are useful to the individual
student for his own personal development,
future career, and life in general. These skills,
values, attitudes, and dispositions are likewise
useful to the community that an individual
student belongs to, and are further useful to the
country that he lives in.
The learning of science is also important for the
nation’s cultural development and preservation
of its cultural identity. Science is most useful to
a nation when it is utilized to solve its own
problems and challenges, keeping a nation's
cultural uniqueness and peculiarities intact.
Thus in many countries, science teaching and
learning is linked with culture.
Challenges in Science Education: Philippines
Context
Some Filipino students have gained recognition
for their high level of accomplishments in the
International Science and Engineering Fair,
Robotics Competition, and Physics Olympiad, to
3name a few. There are also reports of students
in far-flung rural schools scoring much higher
than the international mean in the case of the
Third/Trends in International Mathematics and
Science Study (TIMSS) or have gone beyond the
75% mastery level in the case of the National
Achievement Test (NAT).
However, the accomplishments of a few
students are overshadowed by the consistently
poor performance of Filipino students in
international assessment studies and national
assessment studies.
Studies reveal that Filipino students have
low retention of concepts, have limited
reasoning and analytical skills, and poor
communication skills (they cannot express
ideas or explanations of events and
phenomena in their own words) (UP
NISMED, 2004). In addition, a large
percentage of Grade 6 and fourth year
students in selected schools cannot apply
concepts to real-life problem solving
situations nor design an investigation to
solve a problem (UP NISMED, 2005).
Many educators and graduate student
researchers have identified several factors
behind the low performance in science of
Filipino students. These are: quality of
teachers, the teaching-learning process, the
school curriculum, instructional materials,
and administrative support (DOST-SEI,
2006).
There are many efforts by various
stakeholders in science education to address
these concerns. The UP National Institute for
Science and Mathematics Education
Development with three major functions–
curriculum development, training and
research in science and mathematics (UP
Board of Regents, 1997), designated as the
National Center for Innovations and
Research (DOST SEI, 2005), deemed it wise
to focus its efforts on the science curriculum
to improve the quality of education at the
elementary and secondary school levels. The
curriculum dictates how instruction and
assessment of student learning should be
done and guides service providers in
designing professional development
programs for teachers.
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 Selected Indigenous
Science and Technologies

Aerogas Catalytic Combustor (AAC)

is an anti-pollution, eco-friendly
invention made by Engr. Marinto C.
Martinez. It is a fuel-saver and
power-booster device which can be
practically used in any internal
combustion engines such as those in
jeepneys, trucks and motorcycles.

Aerogas Catalytic Combustor (AAC)

Sustainable Alternative Lighting (SALt)

was created by Filipina scientist Aisa Mijeno.
The idea behind the SALt lamp is the
chemical conversion of energy. It utilizes the
scientific process behind the Galvanic cell,
but instead of electrolytes, the SALt lamp
uses saline solution, making it harmless and
non-toxic. This Electrochemical LED lamp
works by dissolving two tablespoons of salt in
a glass of water – a saline solution which
functions as electrolyte. SALt can provide
light up to 8 hours and is also capable of
charging smartphones and other low power
mobile devices using a USB cable.

Sustainable Alternative Lighting

(SALt)
Source: ABS-CBN news.com

4 This was invented by Atoy Llave,

who’s engaged in car customization
and desired to address the problems
of many commuters in a flood- prone
country. It can travel both on land
and in water. The Salamander has
two power plant choices: one electric
and one internal- combustion.
Boasting a six seating capacity (four
in water), the amphibious tricycle is
powered by either a 5kW electric
engine or a 250cc gasoline motor.
The Salamander, Amphibious
Tricycle)
Source: TopGear.com.ph

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