STS

Module 2
SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY NATION-BUILDING
The Philippines, being one of the centers of global trade in
Southeast Asia during that time, was considered to be one of
Brief Historical Background of Science and Technology in the most developed places in the region. Although the country
the Philippines is blessed with these developments, the superstitious beliefs of
the people and the Catholic doctrines and practices during the
The history of science and technology in the Philippines started Spanish era halted the growth of science in the country.
way back before the country gained its independence from the
American colonizers. AMERICAN PHILIPPINES

Before the coming of the Spanish colonizers, the early AMERICAN INFLUENCE ON SCIENCE AND
inhabitants of the archipelago had their own culture and TECHNOLOGY IN THE PHILIPPINES:
traditions.
1. Americans played a significant role in shaping science
They had their own belief system and indigenous knowledge
system that keeps them organized and sustained their lives and technology in the Philippines.
and communities for many years. 2. Establishment of the public education system.
SPANISH PHILIPPINES 3. Improvement in engineering works and healthcare.
4. Creation of a modern research university, the University
PRE-SPANISH PHILIPPINES:
of the Philippines.
1. Science was integral to the way of life. 5. Establishment of more public hospitals than during the
2. Scientific knowledge observed in agriculture, animal Spanish colonial period.
care, and food production. 6. Exploration and exploitation of the country's mineral
3. Interpretation of celestial movements for predicting resources.
seasons and organizing time. 7. Improvements in transportation and communication
4. Soil preparation and medicinal plant use. systems.
5. Technology in building, irrigation, tools, transportation, 8. Efforts to "Americanize" the Philippines, including the
and musical instruments. reorganization of science education.
6. Influence of the Metal Age on Filipino lives. 9. Focus on nature studies, science, and sanitation in basic
7. Cultural and technological exchange through trade with education.
neighboring countries. 10. Modernization and improvement of science education in
8. Indigenous science or folk science. higher education.
11. Research efforts to control tropical diseases such as
SPANISH-ERA PHILIPPINES: malaria, cholera, and tuberculosis.
12. Introduction of new knowledge and technology through
1. Introduction of formal education, subjects, and
American scholars and Protestant church missions.
disciplines.
13. Building a stronger foundation for science and
2. Establishment of schools for boys and girls.
technology in the country.
3. Focus on formal science and technology education.
4. Modernization and Westernization of Filipino life. IMPACT OF WORLD WAR II AND POST-WAR
RECONSTRUCTION:
5. Replication of Western technology using indigenous
materials. 1. World War II caused significant destabilization in the
6. Introduction of advanced science and medicine in country.
colleges and universities by Catholic orders. 2. Destruction of institutions, public facilities, and homes.
7. Influence of the galleon trade on technology, culture, and 3. The challenging process of rebuilding the nation after
practices. the war.
8. Contribution of Filipino students who studied in Europe 4. Limited capacity to restore what was destroyed.
to various fields.

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 5. Reparation funds used to rebuild institutions, public  However, improving the quality of science education
still remains as a big challenge in the country.
facilities, schools, hospitals, and transportation
systems.  School science from basic education to graduate
education is improving slowly, and there are only few
6. Reparation money from Japan directed towards
students enrolling in science and technology courses.
highways and technological training.
 The Philippine government introduced and
7. The resilient spirit of the Filipino people to survive and
implemented several programs, projects, and policies
rebuild. 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
POST-WAR FOCUS ON SCIENCE AND capacitate the people to live in a world driven by science.
TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT:
Padilla-Concepcion (2015) reported that in 2015,
1. Establishment of the new republic with a focus on
in response to the ASEAN 2015 Agenda,
improving science and technological capabilities.
the government, particularly the Department of Science and
2. Exploration of Overseas Development Allocations
Technology (DOST),
(ODA) from various countries to enhance scientific
has sought the expertise of the National Research Council of
productivity and technological capabilities.
the Philippines (NCRP) to consult various sectors in the
3. Emphasis on human resource development, including society to study how the Philippines can prepare itself in
meeting the ASEAN 2015 Goals.
engineers, scientists, technology experts, doctors, and
professionals.
As a result of the consultation, the NCRP is expected to
The development of science and technology in the Philippines, recommend policies and programs that will improve the
based on its brief history, is shaped by several factors and competitiveness of the Philippines in the ASEAN Region.
influences. Like in the history of science in other countries, it is
always shaped by human and social activities, both internal The NCRP clustered these policies into four, namely:
and external.
1. Social Sciences, Humanities, Education, International
Policies and Governance

 Integrating ASEAN awareness in basic education

without adding to the curriculum Emphasizing
teaching in the mother tongue

 Developing school infrastructure and providing for ICT

broadband

 Local food security

2.Physics, Engineering and Industrial Research, Earth and

Space Sciences, and Mathematics

 Emphasizing and employment go opportunities

degrees, licenses,
Science and technology may have significant impact
on the lives of the people and in the development of the  Outright grants for peer monitoring
Philippine society.
 Review of R.A. 9184
 However, improving the quality of science education
still remains as a big challenge in the country.  Harnessing science and technology as an
independent mover of development
 School science from basic education to graduate
education is improving slowly, and there are only few
students enrolling in science and technology courses.

3. Medical, Chemical, and Pharmaceutical Sciences

 Ensuring compliance of drug-manufacturing firms with

Science and technology may have significant impact on the ASEAN-harmonized standards by full implementation
lives of the people and in the development of the Philippine of the Food and Drug Administration.
society.
 Creating an education council dedicated to
standardization of pharmaceutical services and care

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 The Philippine-American Academy of Science and Engineering
 Empowering food and drug agencies to conduct (PAASE, 2008) identified several capacity-building programs
evidence-based research as pool of information such as:

 Allocating two percent of the GDP to research  Establishment of national centers of excellence

 Legislating a law supporting human genome projects  Manpower and institutional development programs,
such as the Engineering and Science Education
4. Biological Sciences, Agriculture, and Forestry Program (ESEP) to produce more PhD graduates in
science and engineering
 Protecting and conserving biodiversity by full
implementation of existing laws  Establishment of regional centers to support specific
industries that will lead the country in different research
 Use of biosafety and standard model by ASEAN and development areas
countries
 Establishment of science and technology business
 Promoting indigenous knowledge systems and centers to assist, advise, and incubate
indigenous people's conservation technopreneurship ventures

 Formulation of common food and safety standards  Strengthen science education at an early stage
through the Philippine Science High School system

There are also other existing programs supported by the

Philippine government through the DOST. Some of these In the field of education, several science-related programs and
projects are the following: projects were created to develop the scientific literacy of the
country.
 Providing funds for basic research and patents related to
science and technology. SPECIAL CLASS

 The government funds basic and applied Special science classes were organized and special science
researches. Funding of these research and elementary schools were established in different regions.
projects are also from the Overseas
Development Aid (ODA) from different countries.  Aside from these, science and mathematics in basic
education were continuously improved.
 Providing scholarships for undergraduate and graduate
studies of students in the field of science and technology. The current K to 12 education program included Science,
Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) as one of
 Saloma (2015) pointed out that the country needs its major tracks in the senior high school program to encourage
to produce more doctoral graduates in the field of more students to enroll in science-related fields in college.
science and technology, and produce more
research in these fields, including engineering.  The Commission on Higher Education launched the
Philippine-California Advanced Research Institutes
 Establishing more branches of the Philippine Science High (PICARI) Project.
School System for training young Filipinos in the field of
science and technology.  This project involves collaboration between higher
education institutions in the Philippines and US-based
 Creating science and technology parks to encourage laboratories, research institutes, and universities.
academe and industry partnerships.
 Research and projects cover various areas, including
 Balik Scientist Program to encourage Filipino scientists science, agriculture, engineering, health, and
abroad to come home and work in the Philippines or technology.
conduct research and projects in collaboration with
Philippine-based scientists.
 The project aims to strengthen the competitiveness of
the Philippines in STEM fields.
 Developing science and technology parks in academic
campuses to encourage academe and industry
There are many other areas and fields that the country is
partnerships.
looking forward to embark various research and projects.
The following are some of them:
 The establishment of the National Science Complex and
National Engineering Complex within the University of the 1. Use of alternative and safe energy
Philippines campus in Diliman.
2. Harnessing mineral resources
 These aimed to develop more science and
technology and engineering manpower resources 3. Finding cure for various diseases and illness
needed by the country.
4. Climate change and global warming
 They also aimed to produce more researches in
these fields. 5. Increasing food production

6.Preservation of natural resources

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 These Filipino scientists are:
7. Coping with natural disasters and calamities
1. Ramon Cabanos Barba - for his outstanding research on
8. Infrastructure development tissue culture in Philippine mangoes

The Philippine Congress has also created various laws 2. Josefino Cacas Comiso - for his works on observing the
related to science and technology. characteristics of Antarctica by using satellite images.

 These laws serve as a legal framework for science 3. Jose Bejar Cruz Jr. - known internationally in the field of
and technology in the country. electrical engineering; was elected as officer of the famous
Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineering
These laws vary according to different themes such as:
conservation, health-related, technology-building, and 4. Lourdes Jansuy Cruz - notable for her research on sea
supporting basic research, among others. snail venom

Some laws and policies are in line with international treaties 5. Fabian Millar Dayrit - for his research on herbal medicine
such as the United Nations (UN), United Nations Educational,
Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), Association 6. Rafael Dineros Guerrero III - for his research on tilapia
of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and other international culture
agencies.
7. Enrique Mapua Ostrea Jr. - for inventing the meconium
drugs testing

8. Lilian Formalejo Patena - for doing research on plant

biotechnology

9. Mari-Jo Panganiban Ruiz - for being an outstanding

educator and graph theorist

10. Gregory Ligot Tangonan - for his research in the field of

communications technology

There are other outstanding Filipino scientists who are

recognized here and abroad for their outstanding
contributions in science:
As shown in the diagram, the development of policies in
science and technology is shaped or influenced by several 1. Caesar A. Saloma - an internationally renowned physicist
variables:
2. Edgardo Gomez - famous scientist in marine science
 policies need to be aligned to national goals,
3. William Padolina - chemistry and president of National
 consider international commitments based on legal Academy of Science and Technology (NAST)-Philippines
frameworks,
4. Angel Alcala - marine science
 and respond to various social needs, issues, and
problems.

Science and technology policies ensure that the whole country Many of these Filipino scientists are products of good school
and all people will experience the progress that science can science.
bring. Policies are guides to direct all efforts to a goal of
developing a scientifically advanced country.  It means they were taught and inspired by great
Famous Filipinos in the Field of Science teachers.

School science is filled with names of foreign scientists:  Their interests in science started to manifest during
their childhood years.
 Einstein,
 Their natural environment ignited their curiosity to learn
 Galileo Galilei, more about the natural and physical environment.

 Newton, Faraday,  Schools and the laboratories where they studied and
worked nurtured this.
 Darwin, and many other Western scientists.

We rarely hear of Filipino scientists being discussed in

science classes. Lee-Chua (2000) identified 10 outstanding
Filipino scientists who have made significant contributions in
Philippine science. These scientists are also famous abroad
especially in different science disciplines: agriculture,
mathematics, physics, medicine, marine science, chemistry,
engineering, and biology.

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 support scientific research in the country. The University
of the Philippines-Los Baños is a science paradise for
agriculture, forestry, plant and animal science, and PARAMETERS DESCRIPTION
veterinary science. It has produced numerous scientists
and various research in the fields mentioned. The
University of the Philippines-Visayas is also a national
center for marine science, fisheries, and other related
sciences. The University of the Philippines-Manila is a
center of excellence and has produced many
researchers, doctors, health professionals, and
scientists in the area of medical and public health. The
University of the Philippines-Diliman also has
established a national science and engineering complex
to develop more research and produce more scientists
and engineers in the country. The government must find
ways to establish more research laboratories and
research institutes. There is also a need to find ways on
how their researches are disseminated to the public.

Many Filipino scientists, whether they are in the country or

abroad, always excel in their job. The Filipino spirit in their
souls has never faded. They continue to bring honor to the
country. They make ordinary things in an extraordinary way.
They are always at par with other scientists in spite of the
limited facilities we have here in the country.

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