From our previous modules, we can observe  smelting iron, and making metal

that in the past, science and technology tools and implements -- copper,
developed separately, with the latter being gold, bronze and iron
largely a product of trial and error in response
 mining gold
to a particular human need.
 making glass ornaments
However, in the modern time, the progress of
science and technology have become intimately  weaving cotton
linked together. Many scientific discoveries
have been facilitated by the development of  engaged in agriculture (lowland
new technology. And new scientific knowledge rice was cultivated in diked
in turn has often led to further refinement of fields, and those in the
existing technology or the invention of entirely mountain regions are thru
new ones. terraced fields which utilized
spring water)

Science and technology in nation building

The Banaue Rice Terraces are among the
sophisticated products of engineering by pre-
Spanish era Filipinos.
Pre-spanish period
It is commonly thought that the terraces were
built with minimal equipment, largely by hand.
There is a very little reliable written
Early Filipinos:
information about Philippine society, culture
and technology before the arrival of the  were already aware of the
Spaniards in 1521. medicinal and therapeutic
properties of plants and the
Archaeological findings indicate that modern
methods of extracting medicine
men (homo sapiens) from the Asian mainland
from herbs
first came over-land and across narrow
channels to live in Palawan and Batangas  had their own system of
around 50,000 years ago. writing. Their alphabet called
baybayin, an indigenous Indic
 For about 40,000 years, these Stone
script that has been widely used
Age inhabitants made simple tools or
in traditional Tagalog domains.
weapons of stone flakes but eventually
developed techniques for sawing,  had their number system, and
drilling and polishing hard stones. the weighing and measuring
system. They had no calendar
 Gradually, the early Filipinos were:
but counted the years by
 producing adzes ornaments of moons and from one harvest to
seashells another.

 making pottery  Filipinos had also learned to build boats

for the coastal trade (e.g. balangay
 boats). This had become a highly
developed technology.
 In fact, the early Spanish chroniclers
took note also of the refined plank-built
warship called caracoa (or karakoa).
These boats were well suited for inter-
island raids and trades.
 Some karakoa before were equipped
with Lantaka . It was a type of bronze
portable cannon or swivel gun.
 The Ancient walled city of Cainta
located in the opposite banks of Pasig
river, is recorded as a fortified city with
bamboo thickets and Lantaka guns on
its walls witnessed by the Spanish
conquistadors on the Siege of Cainta in
1571.
 In the walls of old Manila, a gunsmith
named Panday Pira established a
foundry on the northern bank of the
Pasig River.
Spanish colonial period
The Spanish colonization contributed to
growth of science and technology in the
Philippines.
The Spaniards established schools, hospitals
and started scientific research and these had
important consequences for the rise of the
country's professions.
But the direction and pace of development of
science and technology were greatly shaped by
the role of the (1) religious orders in the
conquest and colonization of the archipelago
and by (2) economic and trade adopted by the
colonial government.
One of the religious strategy known is the
reduccion - it required the consolidation of the
far-flung, scattered barangay communities into
fewer, larger and more compact settlements
within the hearing distance of the church bells.
This was a necessary response to the initial
shortage of Spanish missionaries in the
Philippines. This policy was carried out by a
combination of religious conversion and military
force.
Over the centuries, this population movement
greatly contribute to the congestion of Manila
and its suburbs.
 The religious orders provided most of
the teaching force and institutions of
learning in the colony.
 Inevitably, members of the religious
orders also took the lead in
technological innovation and scientific
research. This involvement invariably
arose from their need to provide for
basic necessities as they went around
the archipelago to perform their
missionary work of propagating the
Catholic faith and to finance the
colleges, hospitals and orphanages that
they had established.
 Parish schools were established where
religion, reading, writing, arithmetic and
music was taught.
 The study of medicine in the Philippines
was given priority in the Spanish era.
 The Spanish also contributed to the
field of engineering in the islands by
constructing government buildings,
churches, roads, bridges and forts.
 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.
 The opening of the Suez Canal provides
an opportunity for the Filipino to study
 in Europe. But health and education research to bring about sustainability, diversity,
systems were only enjoyed by and continuity for humans within their
principalia class. immediate ecosystems.

In 1946, the Bureau of Science was

replaced by the Institute of Science. The lack of
AMERICAN PERIOD
support of experimental work and minimal
The progress of science and technology budget for scientific research and low salaries of
advanced rapidly in the Philippines under scientist leads to establishment of the National
American regime. Science Development Board. It was supported
by Science Act of 1958 during the regime of
This was made possible by the simultaneous
government encouragement and support for an President Carlos P. Garcia.
extensive public education system; the granting
of scholarships for higher education in science
and engineering; the organization of science President ferdinand marcos
research agencies and establishment of science-
During Ferdinand Marcos' presidency, many
based public services.
agencies in Science and Technology was
On July 1, 1901 the Philippine Commission Act established.
No.156 established the Bureau of Government
He declared that the "advancement of science
Laboratories under the Department of Interior.
and technology is the key for national
It was composed of the biological and chemical
development."
laboratories, a science library, and the Serum
Laboratory of the Board of Health. The Department of Education, with the National
Science Development Board (NSDB), organized
This Bureau dealt with the study of tropical
Philippine Science High School System to
diseases and laboratory projects.
provide scientifically and research-oriented
On October 26, 1905, the Bureau of student.
Government Laboratories was replaced by
It focuses in science, technology and
the Bureau of Science.
mathematics in their curriculum.
The Bureau of Science became the primary
He wanted to reduce “brain drain” by providing
research center of the Philippines until World
medical interns do a tour of duty in provincial
War II. Its focus is on agriculture, food
hospitals to arouse their social conscious for the
processing, medicine and pharmacy.
love of the country.
On December 8, 1933, the National Research
On April 6, 1968, he proclaimed 35 hectares in
Council of the Philippines was established. It is
Bicutan, Taguig, Rizal as the site of the
considered as the oldest scientific organization
Philippine Science Community.
that promotes country’s scientific development.
Up to present the agency support researches The government also conducted seminars for
through financial grants to research projects, public and private high school and college
the holding of seminar and conferences, science teachers, training programs and
support for human development. Currently, a scholarships for graduate and undergraduate
measly sum is shared for allocation to grants for
science scholars, and workshops on fisheries
and oceanography.
NDSB established:
• Philippine Coconut Research Institute
in 1970 to modernize the coconut
industry.
• Philippine Textile Research Institute
• Philippine Atomic Energy Commission
(PAEC) of the NSDB explored the uses
of atomic energy for economic
development. Marcos assisted 107
institutions in undertaking nuclear
energy work by sending scientists to
study nuclear science and technology
abroad, and providing basic training to
482 scientists, doctors, engineers, and
technicians. It leads to the creation of
Bataan Nuclear Power plant.
• In 1972, he created the National Grains
Authority (NGA) to provide for the
development of the rice and corn
industry to fully harness it for the
economy of the country.
• He established the Philippine Council
for Agricultural Research (PCAR) to
support the progressive development of
agriculture, forestry, and fisheries for
the nation.
• He established the Philippine
Atmospheric Geophysical and
Astronomical Services
Administration (PAGASA) under the
Department of National Defense to
provide environmental protection and
to utilize scientific knowledge to ensure
the safety of the people.
• In 1973, he created the Philippine
National Oil Company to promote
industrial and economic development
through effective and efficient use of
energy sources.
• In 1976, he enacted a law under
Presidential Decree No. 1003-A, s. 1976
to establish the National Academy of
Science and Technology, which is
composed of scientists with "innovative
achievement in the basic and applied
sciences," to serve as a reservoir of
scientific and technological expertise for
the country.
• In 1978, he created a Task Force on the
formulation of a national action
program on science and technology to
assess policies and programs of science
and technology.
• In July 23, 1979, the government
invested funds and time in
organizations for scientific research,
such as the NSDB, the Philippine Council
for Agricultural Research and
Resources, the Plant Breeding Institute,
the International Rice Research
Institute, the Bureau of Plant Industry,
and the Bureau of Forest Products.
• In 1979, he constituted the Health
Sciences Center as an autonomous
member within the University of the
Philippines System to improve the
internal organization and unity of
leadership within its units.
• In 1980, he created the National
Committee on Geological Sciences to
advise government and private entities
on matters concerning development in
geological sciences.
• In 1982, he reorganized the National
Science Development Board and its
agencies into a National Science and
Technology Authority to provide
central direction and coordination of
 scientific and technological research local materials, probability of success,
and development. potential of product in the export
market, and the its strategic nature.
• He enacted a law on the completion of
the National Agriculture and Life
Sciences Research Complex at the
University of the Philippines at Los
Baños.

President CORazon AQUINO

• National Science and Technology

Authority were replaced by
the Department of Science and
Technology.

• On August 8, 1988, she 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. It was
formulated to modernize production
sector, upgrade research activities, and
develop infrastructure for science and
technology.

• Free Public Secondary Education Act of

1988 opened doors to free education
up to the secondary level, implemented
in the education system together with
this was the “Science for the Masses
Program” which aimed at scientific and
technological literacy among Filipinos

• A Research and Development Plan was

also formulated to examine and
determine which areas of research
needed attention.

• The criteria for identifying the program

to be pursued were, development of