Unit 2: Science, Technology and Nation Building

At the end of the lesson, you will be able to:

1. discuss the influence of science and technology in the development of the
Philippine society. It identifies government programs, projects and policies geared
toward boasting the science and technological capacity of the country; and
2. discuss also Philippine indigenous science and technology.

This lesson will discuss the influence of science and technology in the development of the
Philippine Society. It identifies government programs, projects and policies geared toward
boasting the science and technological capacity of the country.

BRIEF HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF SCIENCE AND

EXPLAIN TECHNOLOGY IN THE PHILIPPINES

Science, in pre-Spanish Philippines, is embedded in the way of life of the people. Scientific
knowledge is observed in the way they plant their crops that provide them food, in taking care of
animals to help them in their daily tasks and for food production. Further, Science is observed in
the way they interpret the movements of heavenly bodies to predict seasons and climates and in
organizing days into months and year.

Technology is used by people in building houses, irrigations and in developing tools that
they can use in everyday life. They developed tools for planting, hunting, cooking and fishing;
for fighting their enemies during war or tribal conflicts; and for transportation both on land and
on waterways. The different archaeological artifacts discovered in different parts of the country
also prove that the Metal Age had a significant influence on the lives of early Filipinos. The
sophisticated designs of gold and silver jewelry, ceramics, and metal tools proved that their
technological ideas helped in the development of different tools.

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Trading with China, Indonesia, Japan and other nearby countries have influenced their
lives by providing different opportunities for cultural and technological exchange. All these
ancient practices in science and technology are considered now as indigenous science or folk
science.

When the Spaniards colonized the country, they brought with them their own culture and
practices. They established schools for boys and girls and introduced the concept of subjects and
disciplines. It 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. Life during the Spanish era slowly became modernized adapting
some Western technology and their ways of life. Filipinos developed ways to replicate the
technology brought by the Spaniards using indigenous materials.

The galleon trade has brought additional technology and development in the Philippines.
Although it is only beneficial for the Spaniards, these trades allowed other ideas, crops, tools,
cultural practices, technology and Western practices to reach the country.

The Americans have more influence in the development of science and technology in the
Philippines compared to the Spaniards. They established the public education system, improved
the engineering works and the health conditions of the people. They established a modern
research university, the University of the Philippines, and created more public hospitals than the
former colonial master. The mineral resources of the country were also explored and exploited.
Transportation and communication systems were improved, though not accessible throughout
the country.

The Americans did everything to “Americanize” the Philippines. They recognized the
learning of science and introduced it in public and private schools. In basic education, science
education focuses on nature studies and science in sanitation, until it became a subject formally
known as “Science”. The teaching of Science in higher education has also greatly improved and
modernized. Researches were done to control malaria, cholera and tuberculosis and other tropical
diseases. The Protestant church missions in different places in the country also brought hospitals
and schools to far-flung areas.

Science and technology may have significant impact on the 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

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education is improving slowly and there are only few students enrolling in science and technology
courses.

GOVERNMENT POLICIES ON 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 the 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 sections
in the society to study how the Philippines can prepare itself in meeting the ASEAN 2015 Goals.

Padilla-Concepcion reported that in 2015, in response to the 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 sections
in the society to study how the Philippines can prepare itself in meeting the ASEAN 2015 Goals.

The NCRP clustered these policies into four:

• Social Sciences, Humanities, Education, International Policies and Governance
• Physics, Engineering and Industrial Research, Earth and Space Sciences, and Mathematics
• Medical, Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences
• Biological Sciences, Agriculture and Forestry

Other existing programs supported by DOST:

• Providing funds for basic research and patents related to science and technology;
• Providing scholarships for undergraduate and graduate studies of students in the field of
S&T;
• Establishing more branches of the Philippine Science High System for training young
Filipinos in the field of S&T
• Creating S&T parks to encourage academe and industry partnerships
• Balik Scientist Program to encourage Filipino scientists abroad to come home and work in
the Philippines
• Developing S&T parks in academic campuses to encourage academe and industry
partnerships
• Establishment of the National Science Complex and National Engineering Complex within
the University of the Philippines campus in Diliman

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In the field of education:
• Special science classes were organized and special science elementary schools were
established in different regions;
• Science and mathematics in basic education were continuously improved;
• The Commission on Higher Education launched its Philippine-California Advanced
Research Institutes (PICARI) Project to allow several higher education institutions in
the Philippines and some US-based laboratories, research institutes and universities to
work on research and projects related to science, agriculture, engineering, health, and
technology;
• The current K to 12 education program included Science, Technology, Engineering
and Mathematics (STEM) as one of its major tracks in the senior high school program
to encourage more students to enroll in science-related fields in college.

Famous Filipinos in the Field of Science:

• Ramon Cabanos Barba – for his outstanding research on tissue culture in Philippine
mangoes
• Josefino Cacas Comiso – for his works on observing the characteristics of Antarctica by
using satellite images
• 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
• Lourdes Jansuy Cruz – notable for her research on sea snail venom
• Fabian Millar Dayrit – for his research on herbal medicine
• Rafael Dineros Guerrero III – for his research on tilapia culture
• Enrique Mapua Ostrea Jr. - for inventing the meconium drugs testing
• Lilian Formalejo Patena – for doing research on plant biotechnology
• Mari-Jon Panganiban Ruiz – for being an outstanding educator and graph theorist
• Gregory Ligot Tangonan – for his research in the field of communication technology
• 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

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