Course Code and Title: GE106 – Science, Technology and Society

Module 7 Week 11

Topic: When Humanity and Technology Cross (Part 2 – Philippine Setting)

INTRODUCTION:

Understanding the relation between humans and technology is the key to

responsible development and acceptance of future technologies in almost every
application field. Technology these days enjoy fame and glory because of the many
different benefits it brings to mankind. The act of pinpointing a single activity that does
not in any way require the use of technology has become very hard because almost all
activities that humans perform require the assistance of some kind of technological
advancement.

In the lesson, several technological devices will be introduced, the roles they play
in society, and their effects to the lives of people not only worldwide but also in the
Philippines.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:

At the end of the lesson, the students should be able to:

1. know and identify the different technological advancement in society;

 2. discuss the different technological advancements in the Philippines; and
3. explain the effects of the interplay between technology and humanity through the
dilemma they face.

CONTENT:

Science and Technology in the Philippines

A few technological devices can be easily found inside the Filipino household, and
the most accessible place to anyone is our home. These technological devices are some
of the most popular and most commonly used types of devices in the Philippines across
all age groups. Almost all households, if not all, own these types of devices. To be more
specific, these celebrities in the field of technology are television sets, mobile phones,
laptops and computers. People all over the world use these technologies everyday to
accomplish different purposes.

TELEVISION
One of the most trusted television audience measurement providers in the
Philippines. According to Kantar Media, in the Philippines, 92% of the urban homes and
that 70% of rural homes own at least one television set. Households with tv sets reached
15.135M (Noda, 2012). This number signifies something, that is, television plays a great
role in the lives of the people, or in this case, Filipinos.

It is for this reason why television remains to be the ultimate medium for
advertisement placements (Manila Times, 2014). This survey simply shows that almost
all Filipinos use this particular type of device at home.

In fact, Filipinos are believed to have this big fascination of television. Most of the
time, they watch television during their free time or any time of the day when they have
nothing to do. They watch news here instead of reading newspapers and from other
sources.

Aside from watching news and current events here and abroad, television
nowadays is also used for commercial advertisements, election campaigning, watching
movies and dramas, new merchandise endorsements, variety shows, following celebrity
news, online shopping, church masses, and many more.

MOBILE PHONES

Filipinos love to use their mobile phones anytime of the day, and anywhere. The
mobile phones are used for different purposes other than for communication such as an
alarm and knowing the time of the day, text messaging, taking pictures and recording
(works as tape/video recorder), a mini calculator, a diary, keeping personal records, a
planner, a roaming map, a small and walking calendar, reading online books, and for
playing games while waiting for somebody or waiting for the time to pass. It serves also
as our intelligent companion whenever we are alone or we are at a lost place.

More than half of the Filipino population own at least one mobile phone regardless
of type. A global research agency called SYNOVATE conducted a survey and declared
67% product ownership in the country. In fact, according to a television channel (ABS-
CBN News, 2010), it was also claimed that mobile phones are considered a must-have
especially among young Filipinos.

To prove that Filipinos really love to use their mobile phones, the IPos media
Atlas Philippines Nationwide Urban 2011-012 survey results, showed that one in every
three Filipinos cannot live without a mobile phone. In other words, 30% of the Philippine
urban population nationwide said that mobile phones are necessities in life (Roa, 2012).
Philippine streets are full of people using mobile phones. Not only this, there are some
Filipinos who even own more than one mobile phone.

Here are some facts about Filipinos and their use of gadgets and the Internet
(Rappler, n. d.):
 Mobile phone subscription is at 119 million.
 Filipinos spend approximately 3.2 hours on mobile and 5.2 hours on
desktop daily.
 Currently, the Philippines has one of the highest digital populations in
the world.
  There are now 47 million active Facebook accounts in the Philippines.
 The Philippines is the fastest-growing application market in Southeast
Asia.

COMPUTERS AND LAPTOPS

Computers and laptops have also become part of the Filipino households. Some
Filipino families own more than one computer or laptop. However, the number of
computers sold per year may not be as high as the number of mobile phones and
television sets. Maybe because of the relatively higher cost of computers and laptops.

While it is also true that almost all Filipino families own at least one television set
and a mobile phone, it is not possible for all Filipino families to own at least one computer
or laptop. In fact, most of the profits gained by computer and laptop manufacturers come
from offices, businesses, or schools in the Philippines where such devices have become
part of their necessities.

While these laptops and computers are used to inform, for communicating with
people, whether strangers or friends, they use it for online shopping too, google meet,
zoom, video-conferencing, and other applications available in the internet.

A typical household own at least four of the following devices: a mobile phone
(89%), smartphone (53%), tablet (14%), desktop (39%), laptop or netbooks (37%), and a
smart TV (4%) (Philstar, 2013). These data prove the deep-seated fascination of
Filipinos to different technological devices.

In line with the growing number of computer and laptop sales, there has also been
a growing number of internet users in the Philippines especially in this time of pandemic.
Although there have been problems regarding the Internet providers, this never hindered
Filipinos from continuously using the internet.

Roles Played by These Technological Advancements

 In the news, Manila, October 5, 2020, Rapid adoption of digital technologies can
help the Philippines overcome the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, recover from the
crisis, and achieve its vision of becoming a middle-class society free of poverty,
according to the report released today by the World Bank and the National Economic and
Development Authority (NEDA).

Titled “A Better Normal Under Covid-19: Digitalizing the Philippine Economy

Now,” the report says that the use of digital technologies such as digital payments, e-
commerce, telemedicine, and online education, is rising in the Philippines and has helped
individuals, businesses, and the government cope with social distancing measures,
ensure business continuity, and deliver public services during the pandemic.

“This pandemic has caused substantial disruptions in the domestic economy as

community restrictions have limited movement of people and reduced business
operations nationwide. As we are now living with the new normal, the use of digital
technology and digital transformation have become important for Filipinos in coping with
the present crisis, moving towards economic recovery, and getting us back on track
towards our long-term aspirations,” NEDA Undersecretary Rosemarie G. Edillon said.

The Importance of Technology in Education

The education system has undergone a paradigm shift from where it used to stand
years ago. In the olden days, students had to go to the library and open big books to find
the information they needed. In the 20th century, one would find thousands of results for
the same things they need — in just a fraction of a second. The technology has truly
improved, and continues to evolve.

Computers, laptops, smartphones, tablets — these devices have become a

necessity in today’s age. These are not merely for fun and leisure anymore. They are
now being heavily used by our education sector. The power and importance of
technology in education is evident now more than ever, as Filipino students need access
to education even during crisis.
 Technology is so advanced, so much that it now drives business growth. Hence,
companies maximize this to improve their performance, so they hire tech-savvy
candidates who can contribute to their businesses. In line with this, school is a good
training ground for future professionals. It can help these kids by integrating technology
into their system through their materials, facilities, rooms, and even modules. On the
other hand, kids nowadays are digital natives. Using tech for their daily studies can help
them more than it can drag them down.

With the ongoing pandemic, we can see how important it is in our country. In fact,
it has been tagged as the “silver lining of our education system” in a virtual round table
called “Education During Trying Times” last October 2020. “We are in an era of
technology and digitalization. Let us maximize all of these and continue to help each
other and find
solutions to the challenges being faced by the education sector,” said Dr. Ethel Agnes P.
Valenzuela, SEAMEO secretariat director.

Technology bridges the gap between quarantine and teaching. During the second
quarter of 2020, we can recall how our education sector carried out online classes. Many
LGUs distributed mobile devices to students, teachers underwent training to maximize
digital learning, and learning programs were added to our TV channels. In fact, the
DepEd TV team aimed to produce 220 episodes weekly covering all subject areas by
January 2021.

Zoom has boomed not only here but also worldwide, being used as a primary tool
for virtual classes. Smartphones have become essential more than just being a luxury.
Digital tech during this time is a need for all.

ON PHILIPPINE ECONOMY:

The government will have to confront two major challenges. The first will be to
work out a viable plan for those who will be negatively impacted.

The rich will become richer because they can afford the education needed for the
new economy; and, second, capital will become more valuable than labor.
 The poor and the middle class will be the ones that will most impacted. The
introduction of electric cars, better mass urban transportation and railways will
dramatically lessen the job opportunities for all types of drivers – drivers of taxi, truck,
jeepney and tricycle.

Even manufacturing will not create the millions of new jobs required as 3D printing,
robotics and artificial intelligence becomes more economical. Amazon has already
utilized 45,000 robots in its warehouses and delivery centers.

THE ETHICAL DILEMMAS IT FACED:

While it is true that these technological devices are useful and beneficial, the fact
remains that there are several dilemmas faced by these "necessities”. Most parents
would argue that these devices make their children lazy and unhealthy.

This is because of the fact that people who are fixated on these technological
advancements start and end their day by using such devices.

They have a great tendency to sit and chill all day long without doing anything
productive in their homes, thus making them unhealthy because they do not just skip
meals sometimes but also lack exercise or any bodily movements. Here, it can be
inferred that these types of people are already overly dependent on these technological
devices.

For example, those who love to watch television shows stay in front of the
television for more than six hours a day (a couch potato), while those who love to surf the

Internet or play computer games stay on their laptops, computers, or mobile phones for
more than half a day. These people have the tendency to be unaware of the time
because they are so captivated with the use of technological devices.

COLLABORATIVE ROBOTS:
Doing its part to foster automation in the Philippines, Universal Robots (UR) has
launched the UR Academy, an initiative offering free online learning modules to aid
businesses in robotics training and adoption.
 To remain competitive, the manufacturing sector in the Philippines needs to shift
towards robotic automation. to automate and address its shortage of skilled workers. In
order to reap the benefits of automation, the Philippines must focus on providing the right
skills to current and future workers and equipping business owners with knowledge on
the benefits of cobots.

A cobot, or collaborative robot, is a robot intended for direct human robot

interaction within a shared space, or where humans and robots are in close proximity.
Cobot applications contrast with traditional industrial robot applications in which robots
are isolated from human contact. Cobots (Collaborative robots) offer businesses an
opportunity to automate and address its shortage of skilled workers, ultimately giving the
country an edge over its peers in becoming Asia’s next manufacturing hub.

SUMMARY

When technology and humanity cross, which side are you on? Let us critically
examine the future of technology and its relationship to individuals, communities,
governments, and the world (in the entire humanity). Are you ready for the greatest
change in human history?

It’s futurism (in technology meeting humanity). Whether we like it or not,

technology will radically alter not just our society and economy but also our values and
lifestyle as well. It is between technomania and nostalgia in a lost world.

As you notice, technology is developing at a fast pace. When you later become a
business leader, an institutional decision-maker, a professional in any industry, or simply
a curious and aware individual, you will meet many challenges along the road.

REFERENCES:
Prieto, Nelia G., Vega, Violeta A., Felipe, Elizabeth F., Menesis, Ju lius L., (2019) “
Science, Technology and Sociey, Lorimar Publishing, Cubao, Quezon City
Philippines

Figure 1. Retrieved August 20, 2018

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nvestigation

Prieto, Nelia G., Vega, Violeta A., Felipe, Elizabeth F., Menesis, Ju lius L., (2019) “
Science, Technology and Sociey, Lorimar Publishing, Cu bao, Quezon City Philippines