LESSON 3 History of Science and Technology in the Philippines

Introduction

Science and technology in the Philippines dramatically changed from the ancient time until the martial law
era with most of developments can be attributed to the Spanish colonizers who introduced modern method
in agriculture, meteorology, medicine, and education reform. Despite the progress in S&T during the Marcos
Era, the level of scientific advancements in the country remains low compared to its neighboring ASEAN
countries as revealed by the latest Global Innovation Index (GII) results. In this lesson you will learn how
science and technology progressed through time.

Learning outcomes

By the end of this lesson, you should be able to

1. Account for the significant developments in science and technology in the Philippines
2. Identify areas in Science and Technology that should be given attention.
3. Identify and appraise government policies pertaining to science and technology in terms of their
contributions to nation building.

I. Take off/Motivation

Can you name 5 greatest Filipino inventions the put the country in the limelight? Likewise, can you guess
when was the invention invented and who invented them? Go ahead and write them down below:
1. ________________________________________________________________________
2. ________________________________________________________________________
3. ________________________________________________________________________
4. ________________________________________________________________________
5. ________________________________________________________________________

II. Content Focus

S&T in the Philippines

The S&T in the Philippines is represented by wide scientific and technological advances the Philippines
has made. When it comes to Science and Technology, the main managing agency responsible is the
Department of Science and Technology (DOST). The science department has consulting agencies for
Forestry, Agriculture and Aquaculture, Metal Industry, Nuclear Research, Food and Nutrition, Health,
Meteorological and the Volcanology and Seismology.

Among the Filipino scientists who have made contributions to science and gave pride to the country are:
• Fe del Mundo in the field of pediatrics,
• Eduardo Quisumbing in plant taxonomy,
• Gavino Trono in tropical marine phycology and
• Maria Orosa in the field of food technology.

History of Science and Technology in the Philippines

Let’s discover the development and progress of science and technology in the Philippines from as early
as the Stone Age.

Stone Age

Archeological findings show that modern man from Asian mainland first came over land on across narrow
channels to live in Palawan and Cagayan about 67,000 B.C. As shown in Figure 3.1, the unearthed
species is called the Callao Man (Homo luzonensis) which was discovered in Cagayan province by a
group of archeologists from University of the Philippines and their foreign counterparts.

Subsequently, these first inhabitants formed settlement in Sulu, Davao, Zamboanga, Samar, Negros,
Batangas, Laguna, Rizal, Bulacan and Cagayan.
 Figure 3.1. Rendering of Homo luzonensis (Callao Man) (allthatsinteresting.com)

During the stone age, they made simple tools and weapons of stone flakes and later developed method
of sawing and polishing stones around 40,000 B.C. By around 3,000 B.C. they were producing adzes
ornaments of seashells and pottery. Pottery flourished for the next 2,000 years until they imported
Chinese porcelain. What has survived of this ancient technology is the present manufacture of the
ordinary cooking pot among several local communities. Soon they learned to produce copper, bronze,
iron, and gold metal tools and ornaments.

Iron Age

The Iron Age lasted from the third century B.C. to 11th century A.D.
During this period Filipinos were engaged in the extraction smelting
and refining of iron from ores until the importation of cast iron from
Sarawak and later from China.

Filipinos during the iron age also learned to weave cotton, make glass
ornaments, and cultivate lowland rice and diked fields of terraced
fields utilizing spring water in mountain regions. They also learned to
build boats for trading purposes. Spanish chronicles noted refined
plank built warships called caracoa suited for inter-island trade raids.
The Spaniards later utilized Filipino expertise in boat-building and
seamanship to fight the raiding Dutch, Portuguese, Muslims and the
Chinese pirate Limahong as well as to build and man the galleons that
sailed to Mexico.

10th century A.D.

Filipinos from the Butuan were trading with Champa (Vietnam) and
those from Ma-I (Mindoro) with China as noted in Chinese records
containing several references to the Philippines. These archaeological
findings indicated that regular trade relations between the Philippines,
China and Vietnam had been well established from the 10th century to
the 15th century A.D.

The people of Ma-I and San-Hsu (Palawan) traded bee wax, cotton,
pearls, coconut heart mats, tortoise shell and medicinal betelnuts, yu-ta
cloth (probably jute or ramie) for Chinese porcelain, leads fishnets
sinker, colored glass beads, iron pots, iron needles and tin.

Before the Spaniards

Filipinos were already engaged in activities and practices related to science forming primitive or first
wave technology. They were curative values of some plant on how to extract medicine from herbs.

They had an alphabet, a system of writing, a method of counting and weights and measure. They had
no calendar but counted the years by the period of the moon and from one harvest to another. They
are among the sophisticated products of engineering by pre-Spanish era Filipinos.
 (a) (b)
Figure 3.2. (a) Baybayin, an ancient Filipino system of writing (Mandirigma.org);
(b) Banaue rice terraces (Britannica.com)

Spanish Colonial Period

Spanish colonization contributed to growth of

science and technology in the country. The
Spanish introduced formal education and
founded scientific institutions. Early years of
Spanish rule, Parish schools were established
where religion, reading, writing, arithmetic and
music were taught. Sanitation and more
advanced methods of agriculture were taught
to the natives. Colleges and universities in the
archipelago including the University of Sto.
Tomas were established.

Study of medicine was given priority in the

Spanish era, especially in the later years. The Old UST Main Buidling (Arquitectura Manila)
Spanish also contributed to the field of
engineering by constructing government
buildings, churches, roads, bridges and forts.
Biology is given focus.

Contributors to science in the archipelago during the 19th century were

botanists, Fr. Ignacio Mercado., Dr. Trinidad Pardo de Tavera and Dr. Leon
Ma Guerrero, chemist Anaclento del Rosario, and medicine scholars Dr.
Manuel Guerrero, Dr, Jose Montes and Dr. Elrodario Mercado.

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. Agriculture and industrial development on the other
hand were relatively neglected.

Suez Canal The opening of the Suez Canal saw the influx of European visitors to the Spanish
(globalriskinsights.com) colony and some Filipinos were able to study in Europe influenced by the rapid
development of scientific ideals brought about by the Age of Enlightenment.

Spanish Regime

In the later part of the 16th Century, there

was a massive development of schools
a) Colegio de San Ildefonso-Cebu-1595
b) Colegio de San Ignacio-Manila-1595
c) Colegio De Nuestra Senora del
Rosario- Manila-1597
d) Colegio De San Jose-Manila-1601
Development of Hospitals

San Juan Lazaro Hospital - the oldest in the

Far East was founded in 1578.

17th and 18th Century

Successive shipwrecks of and attacks of pirates on the

galleons led to declining profits from the trade that led to
economic depression in Manila during the latter part of the
17th century.

The Real Sociedad Economica de los Amigos Del Pais de

Filipinas founded by Governador Jose Basco y Vargas in
1780 encouraged research in agriculture and industry. The
society promoted cultivation of indigo, cotton, cinnamon, and
silk industry.
Old Manila (esquiremag.ph)
In 1789, Manila was opened to Asian shipping, inaugurating
an era of increase in export of rice, hemp, tobacco, sugar,
and indigo, and imports of manufacturing goods.

The 19th Century

In 1863 the colonial authorities issued a royal degree to reform the existing educational system. In 1871
the school of medicine and pharmacy were opened in UST. After 15 years it granted the degree of
Licenciado en Medicina to 62 graduates.

Figure 3.3. Filipinos students, professionals and doctors

pose for a group portrait in Madrid c. 1890 (Santiago, 1994)

The licentiate degree equivalent to a Master degree was granted Bachelor’s degree in pharmacy to its
1st six graduates who included Leon Ma. Guerrero considered was the father of Philippine Pharmacy
due to his works on Medicinal Plants of the Philippines.

There were no school for engineering but they offered nautical four-
year course for pilot of merchant marine that includes the subjects:
Arithmetic, Algebra, Geometry, Trigonometry, Physics, Hydrography,
Meteorology, Navigation and Pilotage. Higher education was
generally viewed with suspicion as encouraging rebellion among native
Filipinos and thus only few daring students were able to undertake
higher studies.

The expanded world trade and commerce in the later part of the 19th
century led to the rapid development of Manila as cosmopolitan center.
Modern amenities such as steam tramways, waterworks, newspaper,
electric lights, banking system were introduced in 19th century. Jesuits
also promoted meteorological studies founding Manila observatory at
the Ateneo Municipal de Manila in 1865.
Leon Ma. Guerrero (Fernandez, 2009)
American Period and Post-Commonwealth Era

The progress of S&T in the Philippines continued under the American rule.

On July 1, 1901 The Philippine Commission established the Bureau of Government Laboratories which
was placed under the Department of Interior. The Bureau replaced the Laboratorio Municipal, which was
established under the Spanish colonial era. The Bureau dealt with the study of tropical diseases and
laboratory projects.

On October 26, 1905, the Bureau of Government Laboratories was replaced by the Bureau of
Science.

On December 8, 1933, the National Research Council of the Philippines was established. The Bureau
of Science became the primary research center of the Philippines until World War II. Science, during the
American period, was inclined towards agriculture, food processing, forestry, medicine and pharmacy.

Not much focus was given on the development of industrial technology due to free trade policy with the
United States which nurtured an economy geared towards agriculture and trade. In 1946, the Bureau
of Science was replaced by the Institute of Science.

The US Economic Survey to the Philippines in 1950 reported the following problems in S&T in the
country, to wit:
1. There is a lack of basic information which were necessities to the country's industries,
2. Lack of support of experimental work.
3. Minimal budget for scientific research and low salaries of scientists employed by the
government.

Do you think those identified problems still persist today?

In 1958, under President Carlos P. Garcia, the Philippine Congress passed the Science Act of 1958
which established the National Science Development Board.

Marcos Era and Martial Law

The importance given to science grew during the Marcos Era. In the amended 1973 Philippine
Constitution, Article XV, Section 9 (1), he declared that the "advancement of science and technology shall
have priority in the national development.” In his two terms of presidency and during Martial Law, he
enacted many laws promoting S&T.

Some of the Notable S&T Accomplishments of the Marcos Regime

1. The Department of Education was directed to revitalize science courses in public high schools.
Additional funds were channeled to support projects in applied sciences and science education.

2. A big part of the war damage fund was given to private universities to encourage them to
create courses in science and technology and research.
3. Upgrade of the science curricula and teaching equipment.
4. Establishment of research and development schools, technical institutes, science education
centers, and agricultural colleges and vocational high schools.
5. Creation of the National Grains Authority now the National Food Authority (NFA)
6. Establishment of the Philippine Council for Agricultural Research to support the progressive
development of agriculture, forestry, and fisheries.
7. Promotion of scientific research and invention.
8. Establishment of the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services
Administration (PAGASA) under the Department of National Defense.
9. Creation of the Philippine National Oil Company now PETRON
10. Establishment of the National Academy of Science and Technology composed of scientists as
a reservoir of scientific and technological expertise for the country.
11. Creation of a Task Force on the formulation of a national action program to assess S&T policies
and programs.
12. 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.
13. Instituted the Health Sciences Center.
14. Creation of the National Committee on Geological Sciences.
 15. Reorganization of the National Science Development Board and its agencies into a National
Science and Technology Authority.
16. Granting of salary increases to teachers in the Philippine Science High School.
17. Enactment of a law for the completion of the National Agriculture and Life Sciences Research
Complex at the University of the Philippines at Los Baños
18. Establishment of Mindanao and Visayas campuses of the Philippine Science High School.

The Fifth Republic

Under President Corazon Aquino the following programs in S&T were implemented:
1. The National Science and Technology Authority was replaced by the Department of Science
and Technology, giving S&T a representation in the cabinet.
2. Under the Medium-Term Philippine Development Plan for the years 1987-1992, S&T’s role
in economic recovery and sustained economic growth was highlighted.
3. In the 1990 SONA, Aquino announced that S&T development shall be one of the top three
priorities of the government towards an economic recovery.
4. In 1988, Aquino 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 status by the year 2000.
5. Aquino encouraged scientists and inventors to bring the Philippines to its former position as
second to Japan in the field of S&T.
6. Aquino encouraged the private research sector to form a stronger bond with public research to
help jump-start the progress in the area of Philippine Research and Development.
7. Free Public Secondary Education Act of 1988, Science for the Masses Program
8. Funding for the S&T sector was tripled
9. The Science and Technology Master Plan was formulated
10. A Research and Development Plan was also formulated

Under Pres. Fidel V. Ramos

Under Ramos presidency, there is a significant increase in personnel specializing in the S&T field.
1. 3,500 scholarships were given to students taking up S&T-related courses – Science and
Technology Scholarship Law of 1994.
2. Modernization and update of science classrooms.
3. Health care services were promoted through local programs - "Doctors to the Barrio Program.”
4. Magna Carta for Science and Technology Personnel.
5. National Program for Gifted Filipino Children in Science and Technology
6. Science and Technology Agenda for National Development (STAND)
7. Inventors and Inventions Incentives Act (RA 7459)
8. The Intellectual Property Code of the Philippines

Under Pres. Joseph Estrada

1. Philippine Clean Air Act of 1999 (RA 8749) - to protect and preserve the environment and
ensure the sustainable development of the country’s natural resources.
2. Electronic Commerce Act of 2000 (RA 8792) which outlaws computer hacking and provides
opportunities for new businesses emerging from the Internet-driven New Economy
3. Launch of a full-scale program based on cost-effective irrigation technologies
4. Basic health care, basic nutrition, and useful education
5. Speed up the program for establishing one science high school in every province
6. Pushed for the advancement of industries and schools into the Internet age
7. Announcement of the passage of the e-Commerce Act

Under Pres. Gloria Arroyo

1. Dubbed as the "golden age" of science and technology
2. Numerous laws and projects concerning the environment and science helped push STI
3. The term "Filipinnovation" was coined to promote the Philippines to be an innovation hub in Asia
4. Strengthening the schools and education system to focus more in science, technology and
mathematics
5. Passage of the Biofuels Act (RA 9367)

Under Pres. Benigno Aquino

Conferment of 4 new National Scientist for their scientific contribution:
1. Gavino C. Trono - extensive studies made
on seaweed species helped families in the
coastal areas.
2. Angel C. Alcala - served as the pioneer
scientist and advocate of coral reefs aside
from his contribution in the fields of
systematics, secology and herpetology
3. Ramon C. Barba - all year-round
availability of mangoes was made possible
through his studies on the induction of
flowering of mango and micropropagation
of important crop species.
4. Edgardo D. Gomez - steered the national-
scale assessment of damage coral reefs The 2014 Order of National Scientist awardees (oar.uplb.edu.ph)
which led to a national conservation
program.

Philippine Science and Technology Plans

Science and Technology Master Plan (STMP)

• 10-year (1991-2000) plan formulated during the administration of President Aquino.
• Represented the first attempt by the government of the Philippines -- in particular, the DOST--
at comprehensive and long-term planning in S&T.
• The Plan correctly diagnosed the problems plaguing Philippine S&T
• Low investment in R&D
o Poor S&T education
o Lack of private sector participation in R&D
o Inadequate attention to market demand as a basis for R&D and innovation
o Lack of technology transfer and commercialization.
• To address these problems, the STMP proposed bold measures like:
1. Global search of technology
2. Programs to attract expatriate scientists
3. Greater private sector involvement in R&D
4. Closer collaboration among the private sector, academe and government.

The programs proposed under the STMP were basically sound. However, the resources to carry out the
proposed reforms were lacking. Target appears to have been overly optimistic.

Science and Technology Agenda for National Development (STAND)

STAND is the medium-term S&T plan (1993-1998) under President Ramos

• Employed the strategy of targeting specific industries as “export winners”
• 13 “winners” identified for government support or special treatment:

1. computer software 2. gifts, toys and 3. electronic products 4. professional services

housewares
5. fashion accessories 6. furniture 7. garments and 8. marble
textiles
9. marine products 10. metals 11. construction services 12. ornamental and
fabrication horticulture products
13. fruits (fresh and
processed)

STAND may have targeted too many industries, spreading scarce private and public-sector resources
very thinly. The identification of industries was not the result of a scientific, objective method but of rounds
of consultation with industry and sectoral representatives whose predictable result was to keep adding
to the list of targeted industries.

DOST Medium-Term Plan (DMTP)

The DMTP for 1999-2004 was basically an agency or departmental plan of DOST.
• Was more limited in scope than the previous plans.
• Tried to avoid the temptation to target specific industries or “pick winners”.
 • Focused on a few “flagship programs”, while at the same time making sure not to neglect the
regular or recurring programs of DOST.
• The DMTP was torn between the need to build the country’s long-term capability in S&T and the
need to address the short-term problem of poverty alleviation.
• The former strategy suggests a focus on building human resource capability, and in particular
the capacity to do R&D, while the latter strategy makes do with, or even puts a premium on
low-technology, labor-intensive and livelihood-type programs and projects.

National Science & Technology Plan 2002-2020 (NSTP 2020)

NSTP 2020 is a long- term indicative plan which defines the direction of science and technology (S&T)
development in the Philippines for 18 years. It is the S&T community’s response to the national
leadership’s call for S&T to be the foundation of future economic development in the country.

The Plan is supportive of the visions and goals stated in the Medium-Term Philippine Development Plan
(MTPDP).

III. References

1. Caoili, O. C. (1986). A history of science and technology in the Philippines. Analysis of Conditions
for National Scientific and Technological Self-Reliance: The Philippine Situation. Quezon City.
University of the Philippines. Retrieved from
https://www.academia.edu/download/60416271/kupdf.net_47b-history-of-science-and-
technology-in-the-philippines20190827-127758-ruipx6.pdf
2. FERNANDEZ, E. (2009). The Originary Filipino: Rizal and the Making of León Ma. Guerrero as
Biographer. Philippine Studies, 57(4), 461-504. Retrieved from
http://www.jstor.org/stable/42634026
3. Margaritoff, M. (2019. Apr). Evidence Of Real-Life Hobbits Found In Ancient Cave On Remote
Philippine Island.. Retrieved from https://allthatsinteresting.com/callao-man-homo-luzonensis
4. Santiago, L. (1994). THE FIRST FILIPINO DOCTORS OF MEDICINE AND SURGERY (1878-97).
Philippine Quarterly of Culture and Society, 22(2), 103-140. Retrieved from
http://www.jstor.org/stable/29792151

Compiled and Edited by:

LOUIE MARCO RAMILO

Subject Instructor
ramilomarco2019@gmail.com
CP #: 09481006696