HISTORY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY IN THE PHILIPPINES

BY JENINA V. TOLENTINO,PH.D
Science and Technology in the Philippines describes scientific progress made by the
Philippines and analyses related policy issues. The main responsible for managing
science and technology is the Department of Science and Technology (DOST).

Archaeological findings show that modern man from Asian mainland first came
over land across narrow channels to live in Batangas and Palawan about 48,000 B.C.
Subsequently they formed settlement in Sulu, Davao, Zamboanga, Samar, Negros,
Batangas, Laguna, Rizal, Bulacan and Cagayan.
STONE AGE

STONE AGE (40,000 – 30,000 B.C)

Filipinos made simple tools and
weapons of stone flakes and later
developed method of sawing and
polishing stones. They were
producing adzes ornaments of
seashells and pottery. Pottery
flourish for the next 2,000 years
until they imported Chinese
porcelain. Soon they learned to
produce copper, bronze, iron and
gold metal tools and ornaments.
 IRON AGE (3rd Century – 11th Century A.D) Filipinos were
engaged in extraction, smelting and refining iron from ores,
until the importation of cast iron from Sarawak and later from
China. They learn to weave cotton, make glass ornaments and
cultivate lowland rice and dike fields of terraced fields utilizing
spring water in mountain regions. They learned to build boats
for trading purposes. Spanish chronicles noted refined plank
built warships called caracao suited for interisland trade raids.
 10th Century A.D., Filipinos from Butuan were
trading with Champa (Vietnam and those from Ma- I
(Mindoro)) with China as noted in Chinese records
contacting several references to the Philippines.
These archaeological findings indicated that the
regular trade relations between the Philippines,
China, and Vietnam had been well established from
10th century to 15th century A.D.
PRE-SPANISH ERA, Filipinos were already engage in
science
activities and practices related to forming
primitive or first wave technology. There were curative
values of some plant on how to extract medicines from
herbs. They had an alphabet, a system of writing, a
method of counting and weights and measure. They had
no calendar but counted years by the period of the moon
and from one harvest to another.
SPANISH REGIME, schools were developed
such as follows: Colegio de San Ildefonso (Cebu,
1595), Colegio de San Ignacio (Manila, 1595),
Colegio, De Nuestra Senora del Rosario (Manila,
1597), and Colegio De San Jose (Manila, 1601).
The development of Hospital, San Juan Lazaro
Hospital (The oldest in the Far East).
17th CENTURY TO 18TH CENTURY,
successive shipwrecks of and attacks of
pirates on the galleons led to declining
profits from the trade that led to
economics depression in Manila during
the latter part of the 17th century.
During 1871, the school of Medicine and Pharmacy
were opened to UST, after 15 years it had granted
the degree of Licenciado en Medicina to 62
graduates. The licentiate degree equivalent to a
Master degree was granted Bachelor’s degree in
Pharmacy to its 1st graduates who included Leon
Ma. Guerrero considered was the Father of the
Philippine Pharmacy due to his works on Medicinal
Plants of the Philippines.
During the American
Period, the following
were developed such as:
The Philippine
Commission established
the Bureau of
Government
Laboratories which was
placed under the
Department of Interior,
1901. The Bureau of
Government
Laboratories was
replaced by the Bureau
of Science, 1905. The
National Research
Council of the
Philippines was
established, 1933. The
Bureau of Science was
replaced by the
Institute of Science,
PRESIDENT CORAZON AQUINO, 1986, the National Science
and Technology Authority was replaced by the Department of
Science and Technology, giving science and technology a
representation in the cabinet, 1988, the President also created
the Presidential Task Force for science and Technology
PRESIDENT FIDEL
V. RAMOS, 1992-
1998, the
Philippines was
estimated to have
around 3000
competent scientists
and engineers.
Adding to the
increase of scientists
would be the result
of two newly built
Philippine Science
High Schools in
Visayas and
Mindanao
PRESIDENT JOSEPH ESTRADA’s term, 1999, 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,
PRESIDENT GLORIA MACAPAGAL-ARROYO
administration, 2001, the science and technology sector of
the Philippines was dubbed as the “golden age” of science
and technology by then secretary Estrella Albastro