1

UNIT I-Historical Antecedents of Science and Technology

Module 1

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY IN THE WORLD

By: Prof. Josephine B. Jamero

OBJECTIVES
1. Analyze how scientific revolution is done in various parts of the world like Latin
America, East Asia, Middle East and Africa
2. Describe the development of Science and Society during ancient times.
3. Describe the Development of Science and Technology that occurred in
Greece, Persia and Rome.
4. Describe the development of Science and Technology that occurred in Arabia,
China and India

INTRODUCTION

This module will give light to the development of science and scientific ideas in
the heart of society.

CONTENT Double click the PowerPoint presentation.

INTRODUCTION TO SCIENCE
AND TECHNOLOGY AND
SOCIETY
 2

A cradle of civilization is a location where civilization is understood to have

emerged. Current thinking is that there was no single "cradle", but several civilizations
that developed independently, with the Fertile Crescent (Ancient
Egypt, Mesopotamia), Ancient India, and Ancient China understood to be the earliest. The
extent to which there was significant influence between the early civilizations of the Near
East and those of East Asia (Far East) is disputed. Scholars accept that the civilizations
of Mesoamerica, mainly in modern Mexico, and from Pacific Ocean coast in South
America, emerged independently from those in Eurasia.
Scholars have defined civilization using various criteria such as the use of writing, cities,
a class-based society, agriculture, animal husbandry, public buildings, metallurgy, and
monumental architecture. The term cradle of civilization has frequently been applied to a
variety of cultures and areas, in particular the Ancient Near Eastern Chalcolithic (Ubaid
period) and Fertile Crescent, Ancient India and Ancient China. It has also been applied
to ancient Anatolia, the Levant and Iranian plateau, and used to refer to culture
predecessors—such as Ancient Greece as the predecessor of Western civilization

Mesopotamia

Major Sumerian cities during the Ubaid

period

Around 10,200 BC the first fully

developed Neolithic cultures belonging to
the phases Pre-Pottery Neolithic
A (PPNA) and Pre-Pottery Neolithic
B (7600 to 6000 BC) appeared in
the Fertile Crescent and from there
spread eastwards and westwards. One
of the most notable PPNA settlements
is Jericho in the Levant region, thought to
be the world's first town (settled around
9600 BC and fortified around 6800
BC).

In Mesopotamia, the convergence of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers produced rich
fertile soil and a supply of water for irrigation. The civilizations that emerged around these
rivers are among the earliest known non-nomadic agrarian societies. It is because of this
that the Fertile Crescent region, and Mesopotamia in particular, are often referred to as
the cradle of civilization. The period known as the Ubaid period (c. 6500 to 3800 BC) is
the earliest known period on the alluvial plain, although it is likely earlier periods exist
obscured under the alluvium. It was during the Ubaid period that the movement towards
urbanization began. Agriculture and animal husbandry were widely practiced in sedentary
communities, particularly in Northern Mesopotamia, and intensive irrigated hydraulic
agriculture began to be practiced in the south. Around 6000 BC, Neolithic settlements
 3

appear all over Egypt. Studies based on morphological, genetic, and

archaeological data. Have attributed these settlements to migrants from the Fertile
Crescent in the Near East returning during the Egyptian and North African Neolithic
Revolution and bringing agriculture to the region.

Ancient Egypt

Map of ancient Egypt, showing major

cities and sites of the Dynastic period (c.
3150 BC to 30 BC)
The developed Neolithic cultures
belonging to the phases Pre-Pottery Neolithic
A (10,200 BC) and Pre-Pottery Neolithic
B (7600 to 6000 BC) appeared in the fertile
crescent and from there spread eastwards and
westwards. Contemporaneously, a grain-
grinding culture using the earliest type of sickle
blades had replaced the culture of hunters,
fishers, and gathering people using stone tools
along the Nile. Geological evidence and
computer climate modeling studies also suggest
that natural climate changes around 8000 BC
began to desiccate the extensive pastoral lands
of northern Africa, eventually forming
the Sahara. Continued desiccation forced the
early ancestors of the Egyptians to settle around
the Nile more permanently and to adopt a more
sedentary lifestyle. The oldest fully developed
Neolithic culture in Egypt is Fayum A
culture which began around 5500 B.C. By about
5500 BC, small tribes living in the Nile valley had
developed into a series of inter-related cultures
as far south as Sudan, demonstrating firm
control of agriculture and animal husbandry, and
identifiable by their pottery and personal items,
such as combs, bracelets, and beads.
The largest of these early cultures in upper Southern Egypt was the Badari, which
probably originated in the Western Desert; it was known for its high quality ceramics, stone
tools, and use of copper. The oldest known domesticated bovine in Africa are
from Fayum dating to around 4400 BC. The Badari cultures was followed by the Naqada
culture, which brought a number of technological improvements. As early as the first
Naqada Period, Amratia, Egyptians imported obsidian from Ethiopia, used to shape blades
and other objects from flakes. By 3300 BC, just before the first Egyptian dynasty, Egypt
 4

was divided into two kingdoms, known as Upper Egypt to the south, and Lower Egypt to
the north.
Egyptian civilization begins during the second phase of the Naqda culture, known
as the Gerzeh period, around 3500 BC and coalesces with the unification of Upper and
Lower Egypt around 3150 BC. Farming produced the vast majority of food; with increased
food supplies, the populace adopted a much more sedentary lifestyle, and the larger
settlements grew to cities of about 5,000 residents. It was in this time that the city dwellers
started using mud brick to build their cities, and the use of the arch and recessed walls
for decorative effect became popular. Copper instead of stone was increasingly used to
make tools and weaponry. Symbols on Gerzean pottery also resemble nascent Egyptian
hieroglyphs. Early evidence also exists of contact with the Near East,
particularly Canaan and the Byblos coast, during this time. Concurrent with these cultural
advances, a process of unification of the societies and towns of the upper Nile River, or
Upper Egypt, occurred. At the same time the societies of the Nile Delta, or Lower Egypt,
also underwent a unification process. During his reign in Upper Egypt,
King Narmer defeated his enemies on the Delta and merged both the Kingdom of Upper
and Lower Egypt under his single rule.
The Early Dynastic Period of Egypt immediately followed the unification of Upper
and Lower Egypt. It is generally taken to include the First and Second Dynasties, lasting
from the Naqada III archaeological period until about the beginning of the Old Kingdom,
c. 2686 BC. With the First Dynasty, the capital moved from Thinis to Memphis with a
unified Egypt ruled by a god-king. The hallmarks of ancient Egyptian civilization, such
as art, architecture and many aspects of religion, took shape during the Early Dynastic
period. The strong institution of kingship developed by the pharaohs served to legitimize
state control over the land, labour, and resources that were essential to the survival and
growth of ancient Egyptian civilization.

Ancient India

The Indus Valley Civilization at

its greatest extent.

One of the earliest Neolithic sites in the Indian subcontinent is Bhirrana along the
ancient Ghaggar-Hakra (Saraswati) riverine system in the present day state of Haryana
in India, dating to around 7600 BC. Other early sites include Lahuradewa in the middle
 5

Ganges region and Jhusi near the confluence of Ganges and Yamuna rivers, both dating
to around 7000 BC. The aceramic Neolithicat Mehrgarh lasts from 7000 to 5500 BC, with
the ceramic Neolithic at Mehrgarh lasting up to 3300 BC; blending into the Early Bronze
Age. Mehrgarh is one of the earliest sites with evidence of farming and herding in the
Indian subcontinent. It is likely that the culture centered around Mehrgarh migrated into
the Indus Valley and became the Indus Valley Civilisation. The earliest fortified town in
the region is found at Rehman Dheri, dated 4000 BC in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa close
to River Zhob Valley. Other fortified towns found to date are at Amri (3600–3300 BC), Kot
Diji in Sindh, and at Kalibangan (3000 BC) at the Hakra River.

The Indus Valley Civilisation starts around 3300 BC with what is referred to as the
Early Harappan Phase (3300 to 2600 BC). The earliest examples of the Indus Script date
to this period, as well as the emergence of citadels representing centralised authority and
an increasingly urban quality of life. Trade networks linked this culture with related
regional cultures and distant sources of raw materials, including lapis lazuli and other
materials for bead-making. By this time, villagers had domesticated numerous crops,
including peas, sesame seeds, dates, and cotton, as well as animals, including the water
buffalo.

Ancient China

Traditional Xia sites (black) and Erlitou sites (red) near the Yellow River (Huang
He) Drawing on archaeology, geology and anthropology, modern scholars do not see
the origins of the Chinese civilization or history as a linear story but rather the history of
the
Interactions of different and distinct cultures
and ethnic groups that influenced each other's
development. The specific cultural regions that
developed Chinese civilization were the Yellow
River civilization, the Yangtze civilization, and
and Liao civilization. Early evidence for
Chinese millet agriculture is dated to around 7000
BC, with the earliest evidence of cultivated rice
found at Chengtoushan near the Yangtze River,
dated to 6500 BC. Chengtoushan may also be the
site of the first walled city in China. By the
beginning of the Neolithic Revolution, the Yellow
River valley began to establish itself as a center of the Peiligang culture which flourished
from 7000 to 5000 BC, with evidence of agriculture, constructed buildings, pottery, and
burial of the dead. With agriculture came increased population, the ability to store and
redistribute crops, and the potential to support specialist craftsmen and administrators. Its
most prominent site is Jiahu. Some scholars have suggested that the Jiahu
symbols (6600 BC) are the earliest form of proto-writing in China. However, it is likely that
they should not be understood as writing itself, but as features of a lengthy period of sign-
use which led eventually to a fully-fledged system of writing. Archaeologists believe that
the Peiligang culture was egalitarian, with little political organization.
 6

Mesoamerica

The Coxcatlan caves in the Valley of Tehuacán provide evidence for agriculture in
components dated between 5000 and 3400 BC. Similarly, sites such as Sipacate in
Guatemala provide maize pollen samples dating to 3500 BC. It is estimated that fully
domesticated maize developed in Mesoamerica around 2700 BC. Mesoamericans during
this period likely divided their time between small hunting encampments and large
temporary villages. Around 1900 BC, the Mokaya domesticated one of the dozen species
of cacao. A Mokaya archaeological site provides evidence of cacao beverages dating to

this time. The Mokaya are also

thought to have been among the first
cultures in Mesoamerica to develop a
hierarchical society. What would
become the Olmec civilization had its
roots in early farming cultures of
Tabasco, which began around 5100 to 4600 BC.
The emergence of the Olmec civilization has traditionally been dated to around
1600 to 1500 BC. Olmec features first emerged in the city of San Lorenzo Tenochtitlán,
fully coalescing around 1400 BC. The rise of civilization was assisted by the local ecology
of well-watered alluvial soil, as well as by the transportation network provided by
the Coatzacoalcos River basin. This environment encouraged a densely concentrated
population, which in turn triggered the rise of an elite class and an associated demand for
the production of the symbolic and sophisticated luxury artifacts that define Olmec
culture. Many of these luxury artifacts were made from materials such as jade, obsidian,
and magnetite, which came from distant locations and suggest that early Olmec elites
had access to an extensive trading network in Mesoamerica. The aspect of Olmec culture
perhaps most familiar today is their artwork, particularly the Olmec colossal heads. San
Lorenzo was situated in the midst of a large agricultural area. San Lorenzo seems to have
been largely a ceremonial site, a town without city walls, centered in the midst of a
widespread medium-to-large agricultural population. The ceremonial center and
attendant buildings could have housed 5,500 while the entire area, including hinterlands,
could have reached 13,000. It is thought that while San Lorenzo controlled much or all of
the Coatzacoalcos basin, areas to the east (such as the area where La Venta would rise
to prominence) and north-northwest (such as the Tuxtla Mountains) were home to
independent polities. San Lorenzo was all but abandoned around 900 BC at about the
 7

same time that La Venta rose to prominence. A wholesale destruction of many San
Lorenzo monuments also occurred circa 950 BC, which may indicate an internal uprising
or, less likely, an invasion. The latest thinking, however, is that environmental changes
may have been responsible for this shift in Olmec centers, with certain important rivers
changing course.

Self-Assessment Questions (SAQ)

A. Fill in the blanks with the correct answer.

1. Called the "cradle of civilization" because it is where people first abandoned their
nomadic way of life to build permanent homes. Birthplace of writing, astronomy, a
written legal code, places of worship, and inventions like the wheel. Name means
"land between 2 rivers". Originally south= Sumer, north=Akkad but unifies under
Babylonians. Modern day Iraq.
________________________________________________________________
2. Root of civilization
________________________________________________________________
3. Builder of the cities/first flood + Ark, king of Uruk, first and best of heroes.
________________________________________________________________
4. Written language of Mesopotamia developed by the Sumerians. Means "wedge
shaped" because wedge shaped stylus pressed into slab of soft clay to write. Other
materials included stone and chisel, metal and chisel, and paint on glazed
terracotta. Developed from pictograms and spread to Persia and Egypt - only
international script for centuries.
________________________________________________________________
5. God who gave Gilgamesh his power.
________________________________________________________________

B. Matching Type: Match the statements on the upper part with the statements
below. . Write the letter of your answer on the blank before each number.

____ 1. Four (4) ethno cultural groups of Mesopotamia

____ 2. Environmental mistake of Sumerians

____ 3. Timeline of people

____ 4. Human emotion indicated by Sumerian art

____ 5. Importance of river valleys

A. Did not find a balance between cultivation to support population, and protection
of the environment. Civilization ultimately destroyed their land.
B. Steady source of water, fertile land, transportation (communication, trade)
 8

C. Sumerians, Semitic people (Akkadians, Amorites), Indo-Europeans (Luvians,

Hittites), Hurrians
D. Sumerians, Akkadians, Babylonians, Assyrians
E. Surprise - Wide eyes --> in the presence of god

C. Multiple Choice. Choose the letter of the correct answer that matches the given
statement. Write the letter of your choice on the space provided for.

_____ 1. Semitic chieftain Sargon conquers Sumerians and establishes capital at

Akkad - uniting lower Mesopotamia.
a. Ziggurats c. Fertile Crescent
b. Akkadians d. Assyrians

_____ 2. One of most famous Ziggurats; destroyed and built several times with
final restoration by Nebuchadnezzar. Once completed, called one of the
great wonders of the ancient world.
a. Garden of Eden c. Fertile Crescent
b. Tower of Babel d. Epic of Gilgamesh

_____ 3. Cross between checkers and dominoes

a. Garden of Eden c. Temple at Eridu
b. Game of Ur d. Timeline of people

_____ 4. Oldest religion for which written records exist. Polytheistic religion
compromising of about 3600 gods and demigods. Story of creation= by
people for people - gods planned and created main components of
universe then delegated these components to 4 gods to rule. (God of
heaven, air god, water god, earth goddess)
a. Akkadians c. Ziggurats
b. Assyrians d. Beliefs

_____ 5. Uruk, Sumer, Akkad, Babylon, Assyrian empire, Ancient Iran,

Achaemenid Persia
a. Sumerian society c. Sumerian empire and Kings
b. Uruk d. Timeline of places/empires
 9

Answer to Self-Assessment Questions (ASAQ)

A. B. C.
1. Descent of Man 1. 1. true
2. 4 cradles of early science 2. 2. false
3. Mesoamerican civilizations 3. 3. true
4. 3revolutions that defined society 4. 4. true
5. Asian civilization 5. 5. true

ASSIGNMENT:

1. Choose one remarkable development from Arabs, Chinese and Hindu science and
technology and make a flyer or poster interpreting their contributions.
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
2. Watch the short film below then write down your reflections after having watched the
film.

My Reflections:
_________________________________________
_________________________________________
_________________________________________
_________________________________________
_________________________________________
_________________________________________
_________________________________________
Contributed by:

PROF. JOSEPHINE B. JAMERO

Assistant Professor II, URS Angono
 10

Module 2

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY IN THE PHILIPPINES

By: Prof. Josephine B. Jamero

OBJECTIVES
1. Discuss the role of science and technology in Philippine nation-building.
2. Evaluate government policies pertaining to science and technology in
terms of their contributions to nation-building.
3. Identify actual science and technology policies of the government and
appraise their impact on the development of the Filipino nation.

INTRODUCTION

This module will discuss the concept of science education and will identify
some strategies to promote science education in the country.

CONTENT

Science and technology in the Philippines describes scientific and techno-

logical progress made by the Philippines and analyses related policy issues. The main
agency responsible for managing science and technology (S&T) is the Department of
Science and Technology (DOST). There are also sectoral councils for Forestry, Agri-
culture and Aquaculture, the Metal Industry, Nuclear Research, Food and Nutrition,
Health, Meteorology, Volcanology and Seismology.
The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) in the Philippines is a
government agency tasked with overseeing and managing national technology
development and acquisition, undertaking technological and scientific research and
promoting public consciousness of science and technology.
 11

The major contributions of science and technology to Philippine nation-

building are linked to its socio-economic progress and its industrialization. Today, the
current state of our country is very low in its capacity to produce local goods for
domestic needs as well as in international scientific research publications. Jun 28, 2018

By: Anna Maria Gracia T. Incog-Estardo, RN, LPT, MAEd

Click to watch the videos below.

(a) (b)

(c) (d)
 12

Brief Historical Background of Science and Technology in the Philippines

Videos to watch about Philippines Then and Now

Pre- colonial period

Even before the colonization by the Spaniards in the Philippine islands, the natives
of the archipelago already had practices linked to science and technology. Filipinos were
already aware of the medicinal and therapeutic properties of plants and the methods of
extracting medicine from herbs. They already had an alphabet, number system, a
weighing and measuring system and a calendar. Filipinos were already engaged in
farming, shipbuilding, mining and weaving."

Shipbuilding showed geometric thinking and mastery of convexity, concavity, and

the proper proportion between ship breadth and length to ensure sailing efficiency. The
practice of constructing as much as twelve ships and boats to fit inside each other, not
unlike matryoshka dolls containing each other, can be interpreted as large three-
dimensional wooden demonstration of sets, subsets, volumes, and ordinality."
(Source: Science and technology in the Philippines - https://en.wikipedia.org)

(Source: File:Banaue Rice Terrace Close Up (2).JPG - https://en.wikipedia.org)

 13

"The Banaue Rice Terraces are among the sophisticated products of

engineering by pre-Spanish era Filipinos.

The early inhabitants of the

had their own culture and
traditions. They
had their own belief system
and indigenous knowledge
 Kept them organized and
sustained their lives and
communities for many
years.

Pre- colonial period:

Even before the colonization by the Spaniards in the Philippine islands, the natives of the
archipelago already had practices linked to science and technology. Filipinos were
already aware of the medicinal and therapeutic properties of plants and the methods of
extracting medicine from herbs.
They already had an alphabet,
number system, a weighing and
measuring system and a
calendar. Filipinos were already
engaged in farming,
shipbuilding, mining and
weaving."
The Laguna Copperplate
Inscription (key) is inscribed
with small writing hammered
into its surface. It shows
heavy Indian cultural
influence (by way of Srivijaya) present in the Philippines prior to European colonization in
the 16th century.

PRE-SPANISH
PHILIPPINES
 14

"The Laguna Copperplate Inscription shows the use of mathematics in precolonial

Philippine societies. A standard system of weights and measures is demonstrated by the
use of precise measurement for gold, and familiarity with rudimentary astronomy is shown
by fixing the precise day within the month in relation to the phases of the moon.
The Laguna Copperplate Inscription (Filipino: Inskripsyon sa Binatbat na Tanso
ng Laguna, Malay: Prasasti keping tembaga Laguna; often shortened into the
acronym LCI), a legal document inscribed on a copper plate in 900 CE, is the earliest
known calendar-dated document found in the Philippines. The date of the inscription
would make it contemporary to the Balitung kingdom of Central Java, although it did not
necessarily originate from that area.
The plate was found in 1989 by a laborer near the mouth of the Lumbang River in
Wawa, Lumban, Laguna in the Philippines. The inscription, written in a mix of the Old
Malay language using the Old Kawi script, was first deciphered by Dutch anthropologist
and Hanunó'o script expert Antoon Postma in 1992.
The LCI documents the existence of several early Philippine polities as early as
AD 900, most notably the Pasig River delta polity of Tondo. Scholars believe that it also
indicates trade, cultural, and possibly political ties between these polities and at least one
contemporaneous Asian civilization—the Medang Kingdom of the island of Java.
The inscription was written in Kawi script—a writing system developed in Java—
using a mixture of languages including Sanskrit, Old Javanese, and Old Malay. This was
a rare trace of Javanese influence, which suggests the extent of inter insular exchanges of
that time.

SCIENCE

Planting crops that provide them food Pre-colonial farming tools

 Planting crops that provide them food

 Taking care of animals to help in their daily tasks
 Food production
 Interpret the movements of heavenly bodies to predict seasons and climates
and organizing months and years
 Medicinal uses of plants
 15

TECHNOLOGY

Building houses

Irrigation systems

Developing tools

Musical instruments

• METAL AGE INFLUENCE

Sophisticated designs of
gold and silver jewelry,
ceramics and metal tools.

Trading with other

countries like China,
Indonesia and Japan.

All these practices in S & T

are known as Indigenous
or Folk Science
 16

Spanish Colonial Period

The colonization of the Philippines contributed to growth of science and technology
in the archipelago. The Spanish introduced formal education and founded scientific
institution. During the early years of Spanish rule in the Philippines. Parish schools were
established where religion, reading, writing, arithmetic and music was taught. Sanitation
and more advanced methods of agriculture was taught to the natives. Later the Spanish
established colleges and universities in the archipelago including the University of Santo
Tomas."

Spanish Rule

 Spaniards brought their own culture and practices

 Established schools and introduced the concepts of subjects and disciplines
 17

 Learning of science in school focuses on understanding different concepts

related to the human body, plants, animals and bodies.
 Technology focuses on using and developing house tools in everyday life.

Life during the Spanish era

 Life became modernized, adapting some western technology and ways of life.

 Filipinos replicated technology brought by the Spaniards using indigenous

materials.

 Medicine and advanced science were introduced in formal colleges and

universities

GALLEON TRADE

 The galleon trade was supplied by merchants largely from port areas of Fujian who
traveled to Manila to sell the Spaniards spices, porcelain, ivory, processed silk cloth
and other valuable commodities.

 From 1565 to 1815, the galleon trade contributed to the change of culture, language
and environment for both Philippines and Mexico.

 The Galleon Trade was a government monopoly. Only two galleons were used: One
sailed from Acapulco to Manila with some 500,000 pesos worth of goods, spending
120 days at sea; the other sailed from Manila to Acapulco with some 250,000 pesos
worth of goods spending 90 days at sea.

 The country became one of the centers of global trade in SEA and was considered
one of the most developed places in the region.
 18

 Superstitious beliefs and Catholic doctrines and practices halted the growth of
science in the country.

AMERICAN PERIOD
The Americans have more influence in the Development of S&T compared to the
Spaniards. They established the public education system, improved engineering works
and health conditions of the people. They established a modern research university, the
University of the Philippines and also created more public hospitals. The mineral
resources were explored and exploited, transportation and communication systems were
improved, though not accessible throughout the country.

The Americans did

everything to “Americanize”
the Filipinos. They
reorganized the learning of
Science and introduced it in
public and private schools.

In basic education, science

education focused on nature
studies and science and
sanitation. The teaching of
science in higher education
has greatly improved and
modernized.
 19

WORLD WAR II

World War II has destabilized the development of the country in many ways.
Institutions and public facilities were turned into ashes, houses were burned, and many
lives destroyed. The country had a difficult time to rebuild itself from the ruins of the
war. The human spirit to survive and to rebuild the country may be strong but the
capacity of the country to bring back what was destroyed was limited.

Establishment of the New Republic

•New Republic
 The new nation started focusing on using its limited resources in improving S&T
capability.

 Use of Overseas Development Allocation to improve scientific productivity and

technological capability.

 Human resource development focused on producing more engineers, scientists,

technology experts, doctors, and other professionals.

INFLUENCES IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF S & T IN THE PHILIPPINES

Science and technology may have significant impact on the lives of the people
and in the development of Philippine society. However, improving the quality of
 20

External Influences
Internal Influences
Development
 Foreign Colonizers
 Survival of S & T in
the  Traders with Foreign
 Culture
Philippines Countries
 Economic Activities
 International
Economic Demands

science education still remains as a big challenge in the country. School science from
basic education to graduate education is improving slowly, and there are only a few
students enrolling in science and technology courses.

GOVERNMENT POLICIES ON SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

 Introduced and implemented programs,

projects and policies to boost science and
technology.

 GOAL: 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.

 In response to the ASEAN 2015 Agenda, the

government, particularly the DOST, has
sought the expertise of the NCRP to consult
various sectors in the society to study how
the Philippines can prepare itself in meeting
the ASEAN 2015 goals.

The NRCP clustered these policies into four:

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
 21

2. Physics, Engineering, and Industrial Research, Earth and Space Sciences,

and Mathematics

 Emphasizing degrees, licenses, and employment opportunities

 Outright grants for peer monitoring
 Review of RA 9184
 Harnessing science and technology as an independent mover of development
3. Medical, Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences

 Ensuring compliance of drug-manufacturing firms with ASEAN-harmonized

standards by full implementation of the FDA

 Creating an education council dedicated to standardization of pharmaceutical

services and care

 Empowering food and drug agencies to conduct evidence-based research as

pool of information

 Allocating 2% of the GDP to research

 Legislating a law supporting human genome projects
4. Biological Sciences, Agriculture, and Forestry

 Protecting and conserving biodiversity by full implementation of existing laws

 Use of biosafety and standard model by ASEAN countries

 Promoting indigenous knowledge systems and indigenous people’s

conservation

 Formulation of common food and safety standards

DOST
 22

Activity 1: Venn diagram

Procedure: Compare and contrast the different periods Pre – colonial, Spanish
colonial and American periods. Show your answer by means of a Venn diagram.

2. Name at least seven (7) existing programs of the DOST.

1__________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
2__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
3__________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
4__________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
5__________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
6__________________________________________________________________
 23

___________________________________________________________________
7___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________

Assignment:
1. Watch the movie, “The Flintstones” and answer the following questions:
a. What particular period is depicted in the movie? Justify your answer.
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________.
b. Name some of the tools and their functions that were introduced in the movie.
1__________________________________________________________________
2__________________________________________________________________
3__________________________________________________________________
4__________________________________________________________________
5__________________________________________________________________
c. Name some of the values that you learned from the movie.
1.__________________________________________________________________
2.__________________________________________________________________
3.__________________________________________________________________
4.__________________________________________________________________
5.__________________________________________________________________

2. Name at least ten (10) famous Filipino scientists and their contributions to
Science and Technology. Make your answers brief.
Example: : Edgardo Gomez – famous scientist in marine science
1.___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
 24

2.___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________.
3.___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
4.___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________.
5.__________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
6.___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________.
7.__________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
8.__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________.
9.__________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
10._________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________.

.
Contributed by:

PROF. JOSEPHINE B. JAMERO

Assistant Professor II, URS Angono
 25

Module 3

INTELLECTUAL REVOLUTIONS THAT DEFINED SOCIETY

By: Prof. Josephine B. Jamero

(Source: https://www.google.com/search?q=science+and+technology+in+the+philippine..)

OBJECTIVES

1. Discuss how the ideas postulated by Copernicus, Darwin, and Freud

contributed to the spark of scientific revolution.
2. Describe the development of Science and Technology during the scientific
revolution
3. Explain and recognize the significance of the technology invented during the
scientific revolution.
4. Recognize and appreciate the works of the different proponents
5. Articulate ways by which society is transformed by science and technology.

INTRODUCTION

This lesson will give light to the development of science and scientific ideas in the
heart of the society. For the introduction to the topic, watch the video given below.
 26

CONTENTS

Below are well-known personalities who made significant contributions to

science.

Nicolaus Copernicus was a Polish astronomer

known as the Father of Modern astronomy. He was the
first modern European scientist to propose that the earth
and other planets revolve around the sun or known as
heliocentric theory.
This caused the paradigm shift of how the earth and sun
were placed in the heavens or universe. It is the idea
that rejected Ptolemaic model which states that the earth
is the center of the solar system. The heliocentric model
proved that the sun is the center of the universe and that
the planets revolve around it.

This has brought a great impact on how people

approach Biology forever. This revolution provided a
different theory than the theory of creation. The Darwinian
revolution started when Charles Darwin published his
book, “The Origin of Species” that emphasizes that
humans are a result of evolution.

Freud is a famous figure in psychology. He also

made a significant contribution to the scientific world
through the development of an important observational
method to gather reliable data to study human’s inner life.
This method is popularly known as psychoanalysis.
The scientific hypothesis he formulated formed the
essential fundamental version of this method. For Freud,
this method of psychoanalysis is a scientific way to study
the human mind and neurotic illness. It is no doubt that
amidst all questions on his works that led to some sort of
academic controversy, his method of psychoanalysis had
great impact on the scientific way of understanding
human nature.
 27

ACTIVITY 1 Self-Assessment Questions (SAQ)

A. TRUE OR FALSE. On the blank, write TRUE if the statement is correct; FALSE if
otherwise.

_________1. Nicholaus Copernicus (1473-1543) is an astronomer who proposed that

planets revolve around the sun.
_________ 2. Dadaism liberates the sub consciousness from the bonds of
consciousness.
_________ 3. Literature, Visual Arts and Music are the three aspects on the effects of
Freudian revolution.
_________ 4. Freud’s method is unorthodox.
_________ 5. Darwin joined a five-year voyage through the HMS Beagle ship on the
Island of Galapagos.

B. MATCHING TYPE Match the items found in Column A with that of Column B. Write
letter on the blank provided before each number.

_______1. Darwinian Revolution A. Evolution by means of natural

selection
_______ 2. Sigmund Freud (1856 - 1939) B. Austrian neurologist who founded
psychoanalysis
_______ 3. Copernican Revolution C. Developed an observational method
to study human's inner life; focuses
on human sexuality and evil nature
of man
_______ 4. Freudian Revolution D. English natural scientist who
formulated a theory of evolution by
natural selection (1809-1882)
_______ 5. Charles Darwin E. Heliocentric model with the Sun at
the center of the Solar System.
.
ACTIVITY 2 Expound your answers on the different questions.

1. Discuss the contribution of Copernicus in the philosophy of science.

______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
 28

2. Discuss how Darwin’s evolutionary theory influenced the following fields: economy,
agriculture, political science and religion.
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
3. Describe Freud’s ideas as a scientist.
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________

RUBRICS for Activity 2:

4 3 2 1
FEATURES EXPERT ACCOMPLISHED CAPABLE BEGINNER

The student The student

Ideas presented Ideas were
1. Clarity of expressed somewhat
were not clear vague and
ideas himself very expressed his ideas
enough incorrect.
clearly. clearly

Additional and
Just enough Gives some Gives no new
2. Included relevant
additional new information information and
additional information was
information was but poorly poorly
information. given based on
given organized organized
research

Answers were Answers were Answers had no

3.Conciseness Answers were
somewhat direct to not direct to the relevance to the
of answers direct to the point
the point point. question given.
 29

Answer to Self-Assessment Questions (ASAQ)

A. B.
1. 1.
2. 2.
3. 3.
4. 4.
5. 5.

ASSIGNMENT:

1. Create a timeline highlighting the major discoveries and developments in science.

2. Give a short description of each of the scientists below and describe their
contributions to science and technology.

a. William Gilbert h. Alexandre Koyre

b. Tycho Brahe i. John Locke
c. Johannes Kepler j. Robert Boyle
d. Sir Francis Bacon k. Evangelista Torricelli
e. Galileo Galilei l. Isaac Newton
f. Rene Descartes .
g. Antoine Van Leeuwenhoek

Contributed by:

PROF. JOSEPHINE B. JAMERO

Assistant Professor II, URS Angono
 30

Unit II – Science and Technology and Nation Building

Module 4

THE PHILIPPINE GOVERNMENT SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY AGENDA

By: Prof. Rosanna A. Garcia

(Source: https://www.google.com/search?q=philippine+science+and+technology+agenda...)

OBJECTIVES

1. Identify the priority programs, projects and policies of the Philippine

government when it comes to Science and Technology.

2. Discuss how these programs, projects and policies will contribute to national
development.

INTRODUCTION

Philippines is one of the developing countries that is continuously addressing the

persistent problems of inequality and poverty. How the Philippines respond to these
challenges will determine whether a country will experience rapid, inclusive, and
sustained growth and development.
As early as the 1980s, the Philippine government has prioritize the initiatives on
promoting the role of science and technology in the national development. The 1987
Philippine Constitution acknowledges the significant role of science and technology for
national development and progress.
Consequently, development can be unfavorable by becoming the potential
contributor of dehumanization of man and to the degradation of the environment. Being
aware of the opposing influences of science and technology in the development of a
country, effective plans, policies and programs should be formulated as a major effort in
promoting harmony among these opposing aspects to balance the effects to the state.
 31

These efforts will boost advancements while maintaining conservational and socio-
cultural cohesion in the Philippines.
It is the goal of this module for you to identify the efforts of the government to
transform our country into becoming a developed country by considering and aiming to
answer the following questions.

Reflective Questions:

1. How do the Filipinos envision the country in the next 25 years?

2. How relevant are the pillars of development to the aim of the development
plan of the government?
3. What are the priority areas included in the science and technology agenda
2017-2022?

LEARNING ACTIVITIES

ACTIVITY 1 The National Development Agenda

a. Input: The Philippine Development Plan (PDP) serves as the blueprint of programs
and administration’s plans for progress. NEDA launched the PDP 2017-2022 which
is a part of the four medium-term plans anchored on the Ambisyon Natin 2040.
Link to NEDA search Vision –Ambisyon Natin 2040 (2040.neda.gov.ph)

b. Answer the following questions:

1. What are the major goals of PDP 2017- 2020?

2. What are the plans in Ambisyon Natin 2040 to meet the goals for
a. Vision for self
b. Vision for the country

Scoring Rubrics for Activity 1:

Topics/Question Enumerated Enumerated Enumerated used Total highest

only with short own words to explain attainable
explanation or give example points
1. PDP 2017- 10 pts 20 pts 25 pts 25 pts
2020
2. a. self 10 pts 15 pts 30 pts 30 pts
b. country 15 pts 30 pts 45 pts 45 pts
100 pts

ACTIVITY 2: PILLARS OF DEVELOPMENT

a. Input: Layco (2018) shared the three main pillars from which the PDP 2017-2020 is
founded:
 32

1. Malasakit:
2. Kaunlaran
3. Pagbabago

b. Using the link 2040.neda.gov.ph, explain how the pillars discussed by the three
presenters affect the country’s socio economic progress.

a. Malasakit by Senator Loren Legarda

b. Pagbabago by Guillermo M Luz
c. Patuloy sa Pagunlad
d. Presentation of Vice President Ma Leonor G Robredo on Ambisyon Natin 2040

Scoring Rubrics for Activity 2

Topics Copied from Copied with Copied used own Total highest
the short words to explain or attainable
presentation explanation give example points
Each presentation 10 15 25 25
Total 100 pts

Activity 3: The HNRDA FRAMEWORK

a. Input: The Department of Science and Technology ensures that policies, efforts and
plans include in the science and technology agend is linked to the national
development plan. Thus, DOST prepared the Harmonized National R&D Agenda
(HNRDA) 2017-2022 to ensure that results of science and technology endeavors
are geared towards and utilized in areas of maximum economic and social
benefit for the people. What are the priority areas included in the S&T agenda
2017-2022?

b. Connect to: dost.gov.ph and take a look at the HNRDA framework.

Be sure you have a copy of the framework for your reference.

Self -Assessment Questions (SAQ)

Identify the subject described by the following statements.

1. Target goal of the SAPAT Program

2. R&D Priority area of Climate change adaptation
3. Meaning of AANR
4. R&D Priority area of ATIN Program
5. Scope of ATIN Program
 33

6. Meaning of NIBRA
7. Pillar where National Security and Sovereignty belongs
8-12. R&D Priority Areas and Programs in the HNRDA
13. Author of Ambisyon Natin 2040
14. Director of NEDA
15. Secretary of DOST

Answer to Self-Assessment Questions (ASAQ)

1. Food security
2. Health
3. Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources
4. NIBRA
5. Inclusive Nation-Building
6. National Integrated Basic Research Agenda
7. Pagbabago
8-12. NIBRA, Health, AANR, Industry Energy and Emerging Technology, DRR CCA
13. NEDA
14. Karl Kendrick Chua, Ernesto Pernia
15. Fortunato T De la Peña

REFERENCES:
Department of Science and Technology. Approved Harmonized National R&D
Agenda.2017-2022 from http://www.dost.gov.ph/knowledge resources/downloads/files
Nationa Economic Development Authority. Ambisyon Natin 2040. 2040.neda.gov.ph
National Economic Development Authority. Vision 2040 The Filipino. Public
Consultations: Discussions with the Filipino Youth. Research published by NEDA.
www.neda.gov.ph

Contributed by:

PROF. ROSANNA A. GARCIA

Assistant Professor I, URS Tanay
 34

Module 5

MAJOR DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS AND PERSONALITIES IN

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY IN THE PHILIPPINES
By: Dr. Eva B. Maranan

(Source: https://www.google.com/search?q=philippine+science+and+technology...)

OBJECTIVES

1. Provide the learners knowledge on the significant contributions of young and

brilliant Filipino scientists and experts whose exposure to foreign studies contributed to
the field of science and technology.
2. Appreciate the scientific skills possessed by these scientists and apply these in
every life.

INTRODUCTION

This module discusses the major development programs in science and

technology as well as the prominent and famous personalities which contribute to the
development of science and technology in the country. Further, the readings about their
profile will hopefully inspire the students to strive hard especially in the field of science.
Whatever information they will get from this module may be used to uplift oneself
especially in raising their socioeconomic status.

CONTENTS

A. Major Development Programs in ST in the Philippines

B. Prominent/major Personalities in ST in the Philippines

Major Development Programs in Science and Technology in the Philippines

According to Ariola (2018), there are several major development programs in terms
of Science and Technology in the country which were instituted by USAID in partnership
with the Department of Science and Technology (DOST). The US-Philippines Science
 35

and Technology Agreement was signed by former US Secretary Hillary Clinton and
Philippine Secretary of Foreign Affairs Albert del Rosario. These development programs
are:
 Storm Surge modeling, training, and study visits to National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administrations (NOAA) scientific centers.

 Registered 1.3 million fisherfolk to give them access to Government of the

Philippines (GPH) basic services and help in fisheries conservation.

 Use of renewable energy and environment-friendly alternative energy to realize

the guiding vision which is “Energy Access for More”.

 Addressed increasing levels of emission due to rapid urbanization.

 Assisted Batangas City in more effective and sustainable local planning.

 Helped the Philippines to improve its ability to respond to natural disasters and
adapt to the negative impacts of climate change by setting up EWS in flood and
landslide prone communities.

 Introduced mobile and web-based applications of technology.

 Promoted digital literacy.

 Helped create an electronic medical record system, which facilitated access to

300,000 patients and generated 700,000 patient consultations which improve
delivery health services.

 Initiated support for researching utilization of oxytocin in Uniject, a free-filled, exact

dose of oxytocin that provides an efficient alternative to prevent post-partum
hemorrhage.

 Supported research in tuberculosis (TB) in children and the relationship of tobacco

and TB to children.

On the other hand, Bautista, et.al (2018) also presented major development
programs in ST in the country. This is known as the DOST’s “8-point action agenda” which
was initially launched by the agency in 2006 to promote and support science, technology,
and innovation. These agenda include:
 Science-based know-how and tools that enable the agriculture sector to raise
productivity to world class standards.

 Innovative, cost-effective and appropriate technologies that enable micro, small

and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to develop and produce competitive products
that meet the world-class standards.
 36

 State-of-the-art facilities and capabilities that enable local industries to move up

the value chain and attain global competitiveness.
 Idea of the Philippines as a global leader in Information Technology- Business
Process Management Services generating direct employment of 1.3
million(520,000 of which in the countryside)

 ICT-Based transformation of governance broadening access to government

services (i.e. health and education) for those in the countryside (to bring the
Philippines in the top 50 global ranking of e-government by 2016).

 Improved quality healthcare and quality of life thru science, technology, and
innovation.

 Highly skilled and globally competitive S&T human resources in support of the
national S&T programs.

 Science-based weather information and climate change scenarios with

associated mitigation strategies for a disaster and climate change resilient
Philippines.

Prominent and Major Personalities in Science and Technology in the Philippines

Though the Philippines is still classified as a Third world country, we cannot deny
there are Filipinos who excel in other areas like boxing as in the case of Senator Manny
Paquiao and in the field of beauty contest where several Filipinas won as Miss Universe.
In the field of Science there are also great ideas shown by young and brilliant scientists
and experts. Their achievements are not limited to local setting only but they became
famous in other countries as well. They have excelled in different fields of sciences such
as astrophysics, geophysics, meteorology, archaeology, and anthropology as well as in
biology.

Regine Cabato of CNN Philippines Life documented 7 Filipino scientists who are
changing the world as quoted by Ariola (2018). See Table 1 for the list.

Table 1 List of Major Filipino Scientists in ST in the Philippines

Filipino Scientists Profession

1. Reina Reyes Astrophysicist

2. Irene Crisologo Radar Meteorologist
3. Julius Sempio Geoinformatics and Remote Sensing Specialist
4.Andreia Carillo Astrophysicist
5.Kamela Ng Molecular Epidemiologist
6.Migs Canilao Anthropologist and Archaeologist
7.Sarah Jaye Oliva Geophysicist
 37

In 2014, four Filipino scientists (Table 2 below) were recognized in the field of
biology. Some of their contributions earn recognition not only in the Philippines but also
abroad. Some serve as basis for policy formulation. In the field of biology, there are
other prominent Filipino scientists (see Science, Technology and Society by Ariola,
2018, pp.42-44).

Table 2 List of National Scientists (Bautista, et. al, 2018)

National Scientists Significant Contributions
Angel C. Alcala, PhD  Research on ecology and diversity of Philippine
amphibians and reptiles, as well as marine biodiversity
and conservation of marine-protected areas.
 His research led to the national policy on marine no-
take zones

Ramon C. Barba, PhD  Achieved in the field of plant physiology, especially the
induction of flowering of mango and micro propagation
or the rapid multiplying of stock plant of important crop
species.

Edgardo D. Gomez, PhD  Research and conservation efforts in invertebrate

biology and ecology.
 Pivotal in the world’s first national –scale assessment
of damage to coral reefs, resulting in international
conservation initiatives such as Global Reefs and
Risks Analysis, Global Coral Reef monitoring Network
and the International Cora Reef Action.

Gavino C. Trono Jr.,PhD  With outstanding contributions in the marine

phycology, focusing on marine biodiversity.
 Published extensive studies on the culture of seaweed
species that benefited the livelihood of coastal
populations.
 First to report on the “ice-ice” disease that affected
Many seaweed farms.

See https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/lists/national-scientists-of-the-philippines/ for the complete

list of Filipino scientists.
 38

ACTIVITY 1

A. Below is a sample template to accomplish Activity 1A. Insert pictures in the box of the
7 Filipino scientists. On the right, write their significant contributions to S&T.
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
Insert picture here
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
Regina Reyes
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
Insert picture here
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
Irene Crisologo

SCORE DESCRIPTION

2.0 Answers are more than sufficient and are very much relevant.
1.5 Answers are sufficient and relevant.

1.0 Answers are less sufficient and less relevant.

0.5 Answers are insufficient and not relevant at all.

Scoring Rubrics for Activity 1

B. Choose at least three (3) major development programs discussed above. Then look
for an example such as picture or article published in any reliable material to support
 39

these programs. Then write your personal reflection on these programs. Use the
sample template on the next page.
Sample Template

1. MDP (Write the program)_______________________________________________

My Personal Reflection:
________________________________
________________________________
________________________________
Insert picture or article here ________________________________
________________________________
________________________________
________________________________
________________________________
________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________

Scoring Rubrics for Activity 2

SCORE DESCRIPTION
5.0 All elements are present with corresponding source for the attached document.
Self-reflection conveys meaningful and relevant idea.
4.0 All elements are present with source for the supporting document. Self- reflection
does not fully convey meaningful and relevant idea.
3.0 All elements are present. Source of data is not indicated and Self- reflection is
not clear.
2.0 Only 2 elements are present. Source of data nor self-reflection is not available.
1.0 Only 1 element is present.
 40

Self Assessment Questions (SAQ)

Identify the word or group of words described by the following statements.

____________1. A radar meteorologist based in Postdam, Germany who works on

open source methods for processing weather radar data.
____________2. He works for the conservation of tropical marine resources and
invented the coral reefs that are used in Southeast Asia.
____________3. A geophysicist from Naga City but now is based in Tulane, New
Orleans who has background in physics and material science.
____________4. A hormone that acts on organs in the body which helps reduce
maternal deaths.
____________5. The induction of flowering of mango and micro propagation or rapid
multiplication of stock plant of important crop species is attributed to ______.
____________6-7. Major development programs in the country in terms of science and
technology were spearheaded by ______ and ______.
____________8-9. Two major benefits received by 1.3 million fisher folk under the US-
Philippines Science and Technology Agreement.
____________10-11. The major development programs instituted by US and the
Philippines were implemented by virtue of an Agreement signed by _______(Filipino
representative) and __________ (US representative).
____________12-13. The DOST’s “8-point action agenda” which was initially launched
by the agency in 2006 aims to _________.
____________14-15. What qualifies of S&T human resources are needed to support
the national S&T programs?

Answers to SAQ:
1. Irene Crisologo 9. Help them in fisheries conservation
2. Angel C. Alcala 10. Albert Del Rosario
3. Sarah Jaye Oliva 11. Sec. Hillary Clinton
4. Oxytocin 12-13. Promote and support science, technology and innovation
5. Ramon C. Barba 14. Highly skilled
6. USAID 15. Globally competitive

References:
 41

Ariola, Mariano M. (2018). Science, Technology, and Society. Manila: Unlimited Books
Library Services and Publishing Inc.
Bautista, DH.,Burce, NS., Marasigan-Dungo, J., Garcia, CS., Imson, JB., Labog, RA.,
Salazar, FJ and Santos, JL. (2018). Science, Technology and Society. Quezon City: Maxcor
Publishing House, Inc.
Tegon-Geron, AG., Guaves, GR., Maaihan, EM., Maauan, NE., and Rocina, JAR (2018).
Science, Technology and Society. Malabon City: Mutya Publishing House, Inc.

https://www.usaid.gov/philippines/cross-cutting/science-technology-and-innovation
https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/lists/national-scientists-of-the-philippines/

Contributed by:

EVA B. MARANAN, PhD, REE, LPT

Associate Professor V, URS Antipolo
 42

Module 6

SCIENCE EDUCATION IN THE PHILIPPINES

By: Eva B. Maranan, PhD, REE, LPT

(Source: https://pixabay.com)

OBJECTIVES

1. To give the students a background of the status of Science Education in the

country.
2. To identify what are the factors contributory to low performance in science
among Filipino students.
3. To initiate measures on how to address the existing problems deterrent to
science development.
4. To instill awareness and consciousness among young minds to help achieve
the national goals in relation to science development.

INTRODUCTION

This module discusses the status of science education in our country. Specifically,
it will describe the science performance of students in local and international
assessments, science curriculum, and various science teaching-learning processes as
well as the teaching materials.

CONTENTS

1. Performance of Students in Local and International Science Assessment Tests

2. Science Curriculum
3. Factors Affecting the Performance in Science

Performance of Students in Local and International Science Assessment Tests

 43

The performance of Filipino students in math and in science shows that there is a
need to institute changes and development and adopt measures to improve their
performance not only in Mathematics but also in science.

1999-2000 NATIONAL ACHIEVEMENT TEST

According to Rabino (2014) as cited by Ariola (2018), “Science is the most difficult
subject in basic education in the Philippines. The National Elementary Achievement Test
(NEAT) result shows that Filipino pupils answered 48.61% of the questions in science
correctly which is less than 50%.This means that the students have difficulty to answer at
least 50% correctly.

2003 TRENDS IN INTERNATIONAL MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE STUDY (TIMSS)

The third Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) in 2003
shows that for high school, out of 45 countries that participated the Philippines ranked
41st in HS II Math, and 42nd HS II Science. For elementary, fourth grade participants
ranked 23rd out of the 25 countries in both math and science. Our country stopped
participating in the survey in 2008 and so on. The obtained scores of our high school
second year students is 200 points lower and the pupils’ score is more than 200 points
lower than that of Singapore which ranked first both in high school and elementary
categories (Ariola, 2018).
According to the report aired by ABS-CBN on June 15, 2011, the “Philippines ranks
7th among nine Southeast Asian nations in the area of education and innovation”. This
result was mentioned by Guillermo M. Luz, co-chair of the National Competitiveness
Council (NCC). At a forum on Innovation and Entrepreneurship for Globally Competitive
Philippines, Luz presented that the Philippines was falling behind Singapore, Brunei,
Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, and Vietnam. The country is second to the last which is
Cambodia when it comes to education, science and technology and innovation (Rabino,
2014) as cited by Ariola (2018).

2014 NATIONAL ACHIEVEMENT TEST

Ambag (2018) wrote that science education in the country cannot be considered
as strength”. Based on 2014 statistics, the passing rate for the National Achievement
Test (NAT) for grade six pupils is only 69.21% and the passing rate for high school is only
46.38% from 2010 statistics.
2018 PROGRAM FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDENT ASSESSMENT (PISA)
The country also participated in the 2018 Program for International Student
Assessment (PISA). Conducted by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and
Development (OECD), the study ranked 79 participating economies based on their
students’ performance in reading, science and math. Filipino students had the lowest
mean score in reading comprehension (340 points, below the 487-point survey average).
They also ranked second to the last in science (357) and math (353), below the 489-point
average in both subjects.
The results of the different examinations taken by sample students from our
country show that there is a problem in relation to administration of both mathematics and
science programs.
 44

Science Curriculum

The science curriculum in the Philippines is much different from other Southeast
Asian countries. Since the beginning, the Philippine Science Curriculum has lapses which
need evaluation and corresponding action. The Education Curriculum, in general, is
found to be too congested with so many subjects that are not relevant to development
Below is an excerpt extracted from SCIENCE FRAMEWORK FOR PHILIPPINE BASIC
EDUCATION published by DOST-SEI and UP NISMED in 2011. It describes the basic
science curriculum as follows:

The Philippines’ Grades 1-10 Science Curriculum envisions the development of scientifically,
technologically, and environmentally literate and productive members of society. They must
possess effective communication and interpersonal and lifelong learning skills as well as scientific
values and attitudes. These skills will be acquired through a curriculum that focuses on knowledge
relevant to real world and encompasses methods of inquiry. These will be implemented in a
learning environment that promotes the construction of ideas and instills respect for others.
The above curriculum includes inquiry skills, scientific attitudes and content and
connections. These things are helpful in developing better science learners.
With the implementation of K-12 Curriculum, the discussion of the topics in science
subjects uses spiral approach to achieve continuity of the topics from one grade level to
the next thus eliminating congestion of so many topics per grade level.
A study initiated by a team from UP Diliman, in partnership with University of
Melbourne and funded by Australian government aimed to investigate the progress of
students’ skills for each unit of Chemistry over the four years of the junior secondary
curriculum. Identification of progress will be achieved by assessing students as they
progress from Grade 7 to Grade 10. The team is headed by Dr. Marlene Ferido from UP
Diliman.
Having the above goals for science education, only few schools can achieve such
goals due to some factors which hinder the 100% implementation of the curriculum.

Factors Affecting the Performance in Science

The main factors that affect the low performance in science of Filipino include the
following: (1) lack of support for scientific culture reflected in the deficiencies regarding
the school curriculum, (2) inadequate teaching-learning process, (3) insufficient
instructional materials and (4) lack of training among science teachers.
The factors mentioned above boil down to the low allocation of budget to the
implementation of science program by the government. Whatever program or project that
the agency or department would like to execute if financial allocation is limited then
success of the said program/project may not be achieved. Ariola (2018) wrote that the
allocated budget by Philippine government for public educational institutions for all levels
of education is only 3.3% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) which is lower than 7.4%
of Malaysia; 4.0% of Thailand; 4.0% average for all World Education Indicators (WEI)
countries and 5.2% for Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)
countries. At all levels of education, the Philippines spend only 7.2% which is still below
 45

the 40% of Thailand and 28% of Malaysia but slightly higher than the 16.9% average for
WEI countries and higher than the 13.3% average of the OECD countries, respectively.
The budgeting allotted for a school correlate positively to the students’ academic
achievement as confirmed by Burckbuchler (2009) in his article “School Budgeting and
Student Academic Achievement.
The teaching-learning process is another issue. Iurea, et.al (2011), found out
that the learning styles used by the students and strategies employed by the teachers
have great impact on the students’ academic performance. This means that when
teaching strategy and learning style match there is a tendency to increase the students’
academic performance. Further, Muvla (2020) emphasized that the teacher-student
interaction matters a lot in the academic performance of students. On the contrary, the
cross-country study of Cordero, JM., et.al (2015) stressed that modern teaching
strategies give little significance on the academic performance of students.
On the other hand, the insufficiency of instructional materials in school
especially in science laboratories is an issue that needs to be addressed. Instructional
materials help the students understand the lesson more easily than without IM. Their
academic performance is significantly correlated to the use of instructional materials used
(Adalikwu, 2013). If insufficiency of IM is an issue what is more alarming is the absence
of it especially during the conduct of science laboratories or experiments.
Next problem is the lack of training among science teachers. Commonly, science
teaching is focused much on lectures and the laboratory part of the subject is being
sacrificed. The reason is that some science teachers themselves are not exposed in
manipulating science equipment or if they are knowledgeable there is lack of laboratory
equipment thus the laboratory skills among students are not developed.

ACTIVITY 1-Reading of Selected Articles

Article 1: “Teaching Science in the Philippines: Why and How We Can Do

Better” by Rafael Ambag (August 3, 2020).

Set A Questions

1. What were the experiences of Mr. Ambag when he was a student in the public school?
2. What are the factors that can be attributed to the low performance of Filipino students
in reading comprehension, science, and mathematics during the 2018 Program for
International Student Assessment (PISA)?
3. What makes science interesting to Mr. Ambag?

Article 2.Science Education in the Philippines: Challenges and Prospects.

Framework for Philippine Science Teacher Education. (2011), DOST-SEI & P-NISMED,
Manila

Set B Questions

1. What are the realities between science teachers and students?

 46

2. What are the challenges faced by science education in the Philippines?

3. Cite significant key points pertaining to BEED Curriculum with emphasis on science
subjects.

Self-Assessment Questions (SAQ)

1. The performance of Filipino students in science is better than in mathematics. (True

or False)
2. The National Elementary Achievement Test (NEAT) result shows that the Filipino
students performed low in science. According to Rabino, this indicates
that______________.
3-4. The Philippines ranked 7th among the 9 Southeast Asian countries in terms of
__________ and _________.
5-7. In the 2018 Program for International Student Assessment (PISA), the Filipino
students ranked last in what subjects?
8. The number of countries which participated in the 2018 PISA?
9-12. What kind of society does Grades 1-10 Science Curriculum envision?.
13. What can you say about the science curriculum of the Philippines?
14-15. Give at least two factors that affect the performance of Filipino students in
science.

Answer to SAQ:
1. False
2. science is a difficult subject
3. education
4. innovation
5. Mathematics
6. Science
7. Reading Comprehension
8. 79
9. scientifically
10. technologically
11. environmentally literate
12. productive
13. Congested
14. Inadequate teaching-learning process
15. Insufficient Instructional Materials
Other options: Lack of training among science teachers
Lack of support for scientific culture
 47

Answer the following questions:

1. If you are a science administrator what major concern about science education do
you like to address first? Why?
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
2. Do you think there is still a chance for the performance of the Philippines in Math and
Science will increase both locally and internationally? Support your answer.
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________

3. What are the best practices of other WEI and OECD countries that are effective in
terms of science achievement? Do you think they will be effective also once applied in
our country?
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________

Scoring Rubrics

Score Description
5.0 The answer is very much substantial and it is direct to the point with error-free grammar.
Ideas are arranged chronologically. Examples are very relevant.
 48

4.0 The answer is much substantial and it is direct to the point with error-free grammar.
Ideas are arranged chronologically. Examples are relevant.
3.0 The answer is fairly substantial and it is direct to the point with some errors in grammar.
Ideas are arranged chronologically. Examples are relevant.
2.0 The answer is less substantial and it is not so clear with some errors in grammar. Ideas
are less chronological.
1.0 The answer is not substantial and it is not so clear with some errors in grammar. Ideas
are vague which recommends the particular part of the answer.

References
Adalikwu, S. (2013). The Influence of Instructional Materials on Academic
Performance of Senior Secondary School Students in Chemistry in Cross River State.
Global Journal of Educational Research
Ariola, Mariano M. (2018). Science, Technology, and Society. Manila: Unlimited
Books Library Services and Publishing Inc.
Burckhbuchler, SA (2009). School District Budgeting and Student Achievement.
School Business Affairs.
Cordero, JM., Cristobal, V. and Gil, M. (2015). Teaching strategies and their
effect on student achievement: A cross-country study using data from PISA 2015
Iurea, C., Neacsu, L., Safta, CG., and Suditu, M. (2011). The Study of the
Relation between the Teaching Methods and the Learning Styles – The Impact upon the
Students’ Academic Conduct. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, Vol 11
Mvula, AK (2019). Teaching Methods and Students’ Academic Performance in
Kinematical Motion: Graphical Interpretation and Conceptual Understanding. American
Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vol. 5, No. 1

https://www.flipscience.ph/news/features-news/features/teaching-science-philippines/
http://www.sei.dost.gov.ph/images/downloads/publ/sei_scibasic.pdf
http://uis.unesco.org/sites/default/files/documents/education-counts-benchmarking-
progress-in-19-wei-countries-2006-en_0.pdf
https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ918613.pdf
https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/lists/national-scientists-of-the-philippines/

Contributed by:

EVA B. MARANAN, PhD, REE, LPT

Associate Professor V, URS Antipolo
 49

By Abelardo Cenidoza

OBJECTIVES

1. Compare indigenous science to indigenous technologies.

2. Analyze the importance of some indigenous science and indigenous

technologies in our lives.

CONTENTS

INDIGENOUS SCIENCE

Indigenous science is a product of indigenous knowledge perfected by people

through life experiences. Indigenous knowledge may connote traditional and non-
scientific knowledge because it includes superstitious beliefs and practices which maybe
the products of human imagination
However this products may become the foundations of people’s creativity,
originality, and inventiveness in defining the world where we live in. Indigenous science
covers a wide scope of areas including metaphysics, philosophy, and practical
 50

technologies usually accomplished by people then and now ( Snively and Corsiglia, 2000;
Pawilen, 2013).

INDIGENOUS TECHNOLOGY

Indigenous technologies are processes or products which are the results of

studying indigenous science. Following are the indigenous technologies that have
emerge out of Filipino’s creativity, originality and inventiveness. These technologies are
now parts of our lives when they come to medicines, food products, industry, and other
aspects of human existence.

Indigenous Science

Knowledge in observing animal behavior to predict weather conditions.

Activity 1

Observing, analysing, and

comparing the croaking of
frogs during and after the
rain.

Traditional health habit practices

Activity 2

Examining the role of

albularyo, mangtatawas to
diagnose the cause of illness
associated by prayers and
incantations.
 51

The use of herbal medicines

Activity 3

Implementing the use of garlic

(Allium sativum) as herbal medicine
to treat infection with antibacterial,
anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, anti-
hypertensive properties, and it is
widely used to reduce cholesterol
level in blood.

Knowledge in preserving food

Activity 4

Executing the traditional

techniques for food
preservation
 52

Building irrigation system

Activity 5

Identifying
traditional
techniques

Indigenous Technologies

Medical Incubator
An apparatus
used to maintain
environmental
conditions suitable
for a new-born
baby. It is used in
pre-term birth or
for some ill full
term babies.
Dedicated her life
to the cause of
pediatrics in the
Philippines,
Doctor Fe Del

Mundo – credited with studies that led to the invention of an improved incubator and a
device to treat jaundice. Her invention has saved countless premature infants around
the world.

Activity 1
Determine the function of medical incubator invented by Dr Fe Del Mundo.
 53

Erythromycin

Abelardo Aguilar, a Filipino

Scientist who discovered the
Erythromycin in 1949. Dr.
Abelardo was testing samples
of soils from his backyard and
isolated micro-organisms – a
bacteria that lead to the
development of the Antibiotic
called Erythromycin.

Activity 2
Searching the effect of erythromycin discovered by Dr Abelardo Aguilar.

Aerogas Catalytic Combustor ( ACC )

It was invented by Engr. Marinto C.

Martinez, a chemical engineer. The
gadget has been rigidly tested with
machines and on the road by
government agencies like DENR-EMB,
DOST – PICIERD, ITDI, LTO and private
users at the onset of legislation of the
Philippine Clean Air Act of 1999.Jun 16,
2017

Activity 3
Measuring the effectiveness of ACC invented by Engr Marinto C Martines.

Sustainable Alternative Lighting (SALT)

It all started with vision- a vision

that no one in the Philippines
should live in the dark.
Sustainable Alternative Lighting
or better known as SALT was
founded by Engr. Aisa Mijeno in
2014 (SALT Philippines)
.
 54

Sustainable Alternative Lighting (SALT)

develops LED lamp fuelled by salt
water. The company named SALT has
developed a truly sustainable LED lamp
powered by salt water. August 6, 2015

Activity 4
Examining the Sustainable Alternative Lighting (SALT) as environment-friendly lamp.

Salamander Amphibious Tricycle

Made by Atoy Llave

If you're into car customization,
the name Atoy Llave will
certainly ring a bell. The man
behind A-Toy Body kits and the
company's aftermarket exterior
designs is quite popular among
Filipino car lovers. The Salaman
der amphibious trike--is Llave's
latest creation. He made this in
partnership with a new com-
pany called H2O Technologies,
developing it in particular with
the firm's technical head, Lamberto Armada.
Because it is amphibious, the
Salamander can travel both on land and in
water. It stemmed from Llave's desire to do
something really useful for the benefit of his
country-men. That and his wish to put the
Philippines on the global automotive map. "I
want to show the world that the Filipino can,"
Llave told TopGear.com.ph. As you read this,
Llave and his partners are launching the thing
somewhere in Mandaluyong (near our office,
actually). It's a big night for the group. They have been toiling day and night in order to
seamlessly roll out the Salamander before the critical eyes of the motoring press.
 55

Activity 5
Adapting and preparing the salamander as an alternative vehicle during rainy season.

Self - Assessment Questions (SAQ)

I Identify whether the following are indigenous science (IS) or indigenous technologies
(IT). Write IS or IT before each letter.

____ a. Use of herbal medicines

____ b. Medical incubator
____ c. Build irrigation system
____ d. Salamander Amphibious tricycle
____ e. Aerogas catalytic combustor

II Differentiate indigenous science from indigenous technologies by giving specific

examples.

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

lll. Research on other Philippine indigenous science and briefly describe the history
behind their development.

IV Research on other Philippine indigenous technologies and briefly describe the history
behind their development.

Unit II Science and Technology and Nation Building

Module 7 Selected Indigenous Science and Technology

56
 57

References:

Science Technology and Society – Yolanda A Ilagan et al

https://youtu.be/fPCwL7tr72A-frog
https://coldteacollective.com/indigenous-filipino-healing-practices
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_CunKEUUfxs&list=PLyaPIPs0ZjkurU1369Nc-
UHzSAR3vjUHH&index=65-Salamat Dok: Bawang | Cure mula sa nature
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gRi6e-xm6Pw-video-preservation
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eEm7vh19IbE-video Spanish sardines bangus-
preservation
https://youtu.be/YrAHCL5mJcs-gravity type irrigation
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-S16x-iTvI-incubator
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wr9I9Zt5Dds-erythromycin

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fo3DXobVAzY-aerogas catalytic combustor

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WmeY-Q2MDyY-SALT
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fqDZPUO92mQ- atoy llave

Contributed by:

ABELARDO B CEŇIDOZA
Associate Professor II, URS Binangonan
 58

UNIT III-Science, Technology and the Human Persons

Module 8

THE HUMAN PERSONS FLOURISHING IN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

By Dr. Eva B. Maranan, PhD, LPT, REE

(Source: pixabay.com/images/search/views)

Introduction
This module presents the significant personalities who flourish in science and
technology. Each of them has his own view or philosophy of technology which enhance
our understanding of the essence of technology to human. The readings on their
philosophy will raise awareness and inspire the students to deal with science and
technology with extra care. Whatever information they will get from this module may
motivate them to appreciate and use God given gift to promote socioeconomic
development and conserve nature.

Objectives
1. Discuss the selected views on technology.
2. Gain an understanding on man’s existence in the world of technology.
3. Acquire knowledge on the fulfillment of man’s destiny as the ultimate end and
maker of all material things to satisfy himself.
4. Express opinion on the real essence of technology to human.
Contents
1. Selected Views on Technology
2. Mode of Revealing in Modern Technology
 59

3. Danger of Non-Stop Revealing

Selected Views on Technology

There are several views used to understand technology. However, this module
will only focus on Aristotle’s, Ellul’s and Heidegger’s views on technology.
Aristotle’s View
This view can also be called as Aristotelianism. It
views technology as a means to an end. To Aristotle,
technology is the organizing techniques in order to meet the
demand that is being posed by humans. This means that
technology is concerned with the product either it is good or
bad based on the value given to product and based on its
use and effect to the society (Bautista, et.al, 2018).
(Source: Pixabay.com)

Aristotle’ Four Causes

The four causes of Aristotle can be illustrated using a chalice.
 Causa Materialis or the Material Cause (the material by
which the chalice was made of: silver)
 Causa Formalis or the Formal Cause (the form or the shape
that gave the silver chalice its image)
 Causa Finalis or the Final Cause (the purpose or use by (https://www.google.com)
which the chalice was made for)
 Causa Efficiens or the Efficient Cause (the agent that has caused for the silver
chalice to come about: silversmith)

The four causes bring forth the silver chalice and to bring forth of something is
termed poesis. To bring forth something requires an external force
.
Jacques Ellul’s View (Pessimism)
Jacques Ellul (1912-1994), a French
philosopher of technology, is called the Karl Marx of
the 20th century and prophet of the tech-saturated
times according to according to Andrew Nikiforuk
(2018). He views technology as progressive and
beneficial, but doubtful and harmful in many ways.
His pessimistic arguments on technological progress
are: (1) it has a price; (2) it creates more problems;
(3) it creates damaging effects; and (4) it creates
unpredictable devastating effects.
 60

He wrote of technique, about which he meant more than just technology, machines
and digital gadgets but rather “the totality of methods rationally arrived at and having
absolute efficiency” in the economic, social and political affairs of civilization. (Nikiforuk,
2018)
Nikiforuk (2018) mentioned what Ellul wrote that,
“Technique has taken substance,” and “it has become a reality in itself. It is no
longer merely a means and an intermediary. It is an object in itself, an independent reality
with which we must reckon.” Further he wrote that,

“Technique encompasses the totality of present-day society,” wrote Ellul. “Man is

caught like a fly in a bottle. His attempts at culture, freedom, and creative endeavor have
become mere entries in technique’s filing cabinet.”

Heidegger’s View (Existentialism)

The main concern of this view is the existence or the mode of being someone or
something. This view investigate the meaning of existence or being. (Bautista, 2018)
Martin Heidegger (1889-1976), a well-known German
philosopher, is a known supporter of existentialism, another
view of technology. It is a term that belongs to intellectual
history. Existentialism became identified with a cultural
movement that flourished in Europe in the 1940s and 1950s.
Existentialism”, therefore, may be defined as the philosophical
theory which holds that a further set of categories, governed
by the norm of authenticity, is necessary to grasp human
existence (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy). Heidegger
examined the two definitions of technology: a means to an end
(Source: Internet Encyclopedia and a human activity. To Heidegger, the real essence of
of Philosophy) technology lies in enframing, which means a way of reveal-
ing, that is to bring the concealed to unconcealment and this
is a continuous revealing.

Heidegger’s View of Technology as a Way of Revealing

According to Heidegger, the real essence of technology is in enframing (Gestell)

which is a way of revealing. Technology as enframing is the mode in which everything
comes into the open, and makes sense for us. This is a continuous bringing forth of
something that is unconcealed to unconcealment or to reveal. Since technology is a way
of revealing, it always demand to show something to the open what is hidden. The
bringing forth of into the open is a two-way relationship: the concealed is calling out for
 61

someone to set upon it and bring it to unconcealment and the one who receives the call
sets upon and acts upon to unconceal the concealed (Bautista, et.al., 2018).

Other existentialists are Soren Kierkegaard (1813-1855), Friedrich Nietzsche

(1884-1900), Jean Paul Sartre (1905-1990).

Other views of Technology

Below are top 10 views of technology based on the 2020 National Technology
Readiness Survey (NTRS) by Rockbridge Associates, Inc. among 1216 randomly
samples US adults:

#1. Technology keeps me better informed.

#2. Technology gives me more freedom of mobility.
#3. New technologies contribute to a better quality of life.
#4. People are too dependent on technology to do things for them.
#5. Technology gives people more control over their daily lives.
#6. Using the latest technology is fun.
#7. Technology makes me feel more productive in my personal life.
#8. Reliance on technology lowers the ability of people to think on their own.
#9. Technology lowers the quality of relationships by reducing personal interactions.
#10. Too much technology distracts people to a point which is harmful.

Mode of Revealing in Modern Technology

Since technology is a non-stop mode of revealing hence it can be seen even in
modern technology but not in the bringing-forth sense. Modern technology is revealed
by challenging nature instead of bringing forth. It sets challenges on nature in order to:
(1) unlock and expose; and (2) stock piles for future use.
Unlock and expose. Whatever challenges, the nature gives to human, it can be
addressed by means of research. For example the number one challenge today by nature
is how to end COVID-19 which is considered Pandemic. This kind of virus can be stopped
only through the discovery of a vaccine. Any vaccine before it is used or inject-ted to the
target individuals undergoes one year or more to test its effectiveness. A thorough study
is still conducted on the effectiveness of the vaccine that some countries have developed.
 62

Another is the evolution of SARS Cov 2, technology helps in tracing how far the virus
evolves and the extent of its effect to human.
Stock Piles for future use. With the occurrence of COVID-19, many people buy
products of technology to meet their needs in the future. An example of this is the PPE or
personal protective equipment and other protective materials which the government
purchased to meet the demands of the present society. On the other hand, the
manufacturers of the said products continue to produce for future’s use.

The Danger of Non-stop Revealing

As mentioned above, the essence of technology lies in enframing, which is the
continuous revealing of unconcealed to unconcealment and the mode of revealing does
not stop in modern technology. It continually calls man to respond to what is presented
to him or to the demand for a better and efficient means to an end. Heidegger men-tioned
the danger of continuous revealing:
(1) Revealing opens up a relationship between man and the world but an
opening of something means a closing down of something which means to reveal
something is to conceal another.
(2) When man falls into misinterpretation of that which is presented to him. That
is when he sees himself in the object before him rather than seeing the object itself.
There is a tendency for man to be fully engrossed with the enframing that he fails to
weigh the results and consequences of his setting upon an object which may be des-
tructive not only to himself but even to the surroundings and other people (Bautista, et.
al., 2018).
According to Bailey (2014) Heidegger’s analysis can help us understand how
new technologies employed to modify the body, brain, and consciousness will enframe
our own bodies and identities as something akin to “standing reserve.” Under trans-
humanism, the body is enframed as an external, technologically modifiable product

Activity 1
Watch the Video “https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rN0V7qtjmUU Heidegger: The
Question Concerning Technology.
After watching the video,
1. Write down the learning insights you get from it.
2. Write your personal reflections on technology as shown in the video.
 63

Rubrics for Assessment:

Indicators: For every item above, the answers-

1. Identify and discuss the significant points that are shown in the video.
2. Show completeness of ideas.
3. Are original written not copy pasted from electronic and non-electronic
sources.
4. Are well-organized which indicates continuity in the flow of thoughts.
5. Have very minimal grammatical errors.
6. Show that there is parallelism in the construction of statements.
7. Reveal that sentences are simple and easy to understand.
Score Description
5 All indicators are present.
4 6 indicators are present.
3 4-5 indicators are present.
2 Only 3 indicators are present.
1 Only 1-2 indicators are present.

Self-Assessment Questions(SAQ). Fill up the blanks.

1. Aristotle’s view on technology concerns mainly on ________________.
2. Based from Aristotle’s four Causes, the agent that makes the Silver chalice is
_________________.
3. _________________ is considered as the Karl Marx of the 20th century.
4. To reveal something that is concealed is called _________________.
5. The philosophy attributed to Martin Heidegger is ________________.
6. To bring out something requires ________________.
7. Jacques Ellul is an advocate of ________________.
Write True or False.
________8. Technology lowers the quality of relationships because by reducing
personal interactions.
________ 9. Technology promotes fast communications.
________10. Technology is a continuous process. Hence, the unconcealed is brought
to unconcealment.
 64

ASAQ:
1. product
2. silversmith
3. Jacques Ellul
4. enframing
5. existentialism
6. external force
7. technological pessimism
8. True
9. True
10. True
References:
Bailey, J.I. (2014). Enframing the Flesh: Heidegger, Transhumanism, and the Body
as “Standing Reserve”. Journal of Evolution and Technology - Vol. 24 Issue 2 –
July 2014
Bautista, DH.,Burce, NS., Marasigan-Dungo, J., Garcia, CS., Imson, JB., Labog, RA.,
Salazar, FJ and Santos, JL. (2018). Science, Technology and Society. Quezon City: Maxcor
Publishing House, Inc.

https://www.resilience.org/stories/2018-11-16/jacques-ellul-a-prophet-for-our-tech-saturated-times

https://rockresearch.com/top-10-views-on-technology/

Compiled by:

DR. EVA B. MARANAN

Associate Prof. V, URS Antipolo
 65

Module 9

INFORMATION AGE
By: Dr. Elvira C. Prieto

Information Technology

OBJECTIVES

1. Trace the development of the information age from the introduction of Gutenberg’s
press up to the era of social media;
2. Determine the impacts of the information age to society; and
3. Analyze the way in which the information age and social media influence human
lives.

INTRODUCTION

This section traces the development of the information age and discusses its
impact on society. Tackles the various ways the information age and social media have
influenced society and human lives.

Diagnostic Test

Instructions: Answer the following questions:

_______1. Who invented the printing press?
_______2. When was the printing press invented?
_______3. What device first compiled actuarial tables, did engineering calculations, and
served as computers?
_______4. Who is the Father of the Computer Age?
_______5. What electromechanical machine enabled the British to read all daily German
Naval Enigma traffic?
 66

_______6. What machine can solve any problem and perform any task from a written
program?
_______7. Who is the Filipino engineer who created the new silicon chip?
_______8. Who built a simple compute with around 8080 microprocessors that were
hooked up to a keyboard and television?
_______9. What did Steve Jobs call the compute described in no. 8?
_______10. Who is the creator of Microsoft?

CONTENTS

The Gutenberg Press

German goldsmith, Johannes Gutenberg,

invented the printing press around 1440. This
invention was a result of finding a way to improve the
manual, tedious, and slow printing methods. A
printing press is a device that applies pressure to an
inked surface lying on a print medium, such as cloth
or paper, to transfer ink. Gutenberg’s hand mould
printing press led to the creation of metal movable
type. Later, the two inventions were combined to
make printing methods faster and they drastically
reduced the costs of printing documents.
The beginnings of mass communication can
be traced back to the invention of the printing press.
The development of a fast and easy way of
Figure 1. The Gutenberg Press
disseminating information in print permanently reformed
the structure of society. Political and religious authorities
who took pride in being learned were threatened by the sudden rise of literacy among
people. With the rise of the printing press, the printing revolution occurred which illustrated
the tremendous social change brought by the wide circulation of information. The printing
press made the mass production of books possible which made books accessible not
only to the upper class.
As years progressed, calculations became involved
in communication due to the rapid developments in the
trade sector. Back then, people who compiled actuarial
tables and did engineering calculations served as
“computers.” During World War II, the Allies (U.S.,
Australia, etc.), countries that opposed the Axis powers
(Germany, Japan, Italy, Hungary, Romania, and Bulgaria),
were challenged with a serious shortage of human
computers for military calculations. When soldiers left for
war, the shortage got worse, so the United States Figure 2. “Enigma M4”
addressed the problem by creating the Harvard Mark 1, a Cypher Machine
 67

general purpose electromechanical computer that was 50 feet long and capable of doing
calculations in seconds that usually took people hours. At the same time, Britain needed
mathematicians to crack the German Navy’s Enigma code. The Enigma was an
enciphering machine that the German armed forces used to securely send messages.

Turing Machine (Enigma M4 Cypher Machine)

Alan Turing, an English mathematician, was hired in 1936 by the British top-secret
Government Code and Cipher School at Bletchley Park to break the Enigma code. His
code-breaking methods became an industrial process
having 12,000 people working 24/7.
To counteract this, the Nazis made the Enigma
more complicated having approximately 10114 possible
permutations of every encrypted message. Turing,
working on the side of the Allies, invented Bombe, an
electromechanical machine that enabled the British to
decipher encrypted messages of the German Enigma
machine. This contribution of Turing along with other
cryptologists shortened the war by two years (Munro,
2012).
Figure 3. Alan Turing In his paper On Computable Numbers, with an
Application to the Entscheidungsproblem, first published
in1937, Turing presented a theoretical machine called the Turing machine that can solve
any problem from simple instructions encoded on a paper tape. He also demonstrated
the simulation of the Turing machine to construct a single Universal Machine. This
became the foundation of computer science and the invention of a machine later called a
computer, that can solve any problem by performing any task from a written program
(DeHaan, 2012).
In the 1970s, the generation who witnessed the dawn of the computer age was
described as the generation with “electronic brains.” The people of this generation were
the first to be introduced to personal computers (PCs). Back then, the Homebrew
Computer Club, an early computer hobbyist group, gathered regularly to trade parts of
computer hardware and talked about how to make computers more accessible to
everyone. Many members of the club ended up being high-profile entrepreneurs,
including the founders of Apple Inc.

Apple I Computer

In 1976 Steve Wozniak, co-founder of Apple Inc., developed the computer that
made him famous: the Apple I. Wozniak designed the operating system, hardware, and
circuit board of the computer all by himself. Steve Jobs, Wozniak’s friend suggested to
sell the Apple I as a fully assembled printed circuit board. This jumpstarted their career
as founders of Apple Inc.
 68

From 1973 onward, social media platforms were introduced from variations of
multi-user chat rooms; instant-messaging
applications (e.g., AOL, Yahoo messenger, MSN
messenger, Windows messenger); bulletin board
forum systems, game-based social networking
sites (e.g., Facebook, Friendster, Myspace) and
business-oriented social networking websites
(e.g., Xing); messaging, video and voice calling
services (e.g., Viber, Skype); blogging platform,
image and video and voice calling services (e.g.,
Flicker); discovery and dating-oriented websites
(e.g., Tagged, Tinder); video sharing services
(e.g., YouTube); real-time social media feed
aggregator (e.g., FriendFeed); live-streaming
(e.g., Justin.tv, Twitch.tv); photo-video sharing Figure 4. Apple I, also called Apple-1 or
websites (e.g., Pinterest, Instagram, Snapchat, Apple Computer 1
Keek, Vine); and question-and-answer platforms
(e.g., Quora). To date, these social media platforms enable information exchange at its
most efficient level.
The information age, which progressed from the invention of the printing press to
the development of numerous social media platforms, has immensely influenced the lives
of the people. The impact of these innovations can be advantageous or disadvantageous
depending on the use of these technologies.

ACTIVITY 1. Documentary Film Viewing and Reflection

Instructions: Watch the 2018 documentary The Internet Revolution and Digital Future
Technology on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V9xZFZO7USA). Then,
write a short essay of 300-500 words on the topic, “What is the impact of the information
revolution on my learning in school?” Use the template below.

___________________________
Title
 69

Scoring Rubric
Features 4 Expert 3 Accomplished 2 Capable 1 Beginner
Quality of Piece was written Piece was written Piece had little Piece had no style
Writing in an in an interesting style or voice or voice
extraordinary style and voice Gives some new Gives no new
style and voice Somewhat information but information and
Very informative informative and poorly organized very poorly
and well- organized organized
organized
Grammar, Virtually no Few spelling and A number of So many spelling,
Usage & spelling, punctuation spelling, punctuation and
Mechanics punctuation or errors, minor punctuation or grammatical
grammatical grammatical grammatical errors that it
errors errors errors interferes with the
meaning

Exercise 2. Debate
Instructions: Form groups with five members each. Research on the topic that will be
assigned to your group and write your arguments about it. The topics are:
1. People use social media to their advantage.
2. The information revolution has made the world a better place.
3. Facebook should be held accountable for the spread of ‘fake news.’
4. Using social media platforms is a requisite to a person’s meaningful engagement
with the world.

Scoring Rubric
Category 5 3 1
Information All information Most information Information had several
presented in the presented in the debate inaccuracies OR was
debate was clear, was clear, accurate and usually not clear. Poor
accurate and thorough. Adequate sentence structure
thorough. Good sentence structure
sentence structure.
The team clearly The team seemed to The team did not show
Understanding understood the topic understand the main an adequate
of Topic in- points of the topic and understanding of the
depth and presented presented those with topic
their information force- ease.
fully and convincingly
All arguments were All arguments were Arguments were not
Organization clearly tied to an idea clearly tied to an idea clearly tied to an idea
(premise) and (premise) but the (premise)
organized organization was
in a tight, logical sometimes not clear or
fashion logical.
 70

Team consistently Team sometimes used One or more members

Presentation used gestures, eye gestures, eye contact, of the team had a
Style contact, tone of voice tone of voice and a level presentation style that
and a level of of enthusiasm in a way did not keep the
enthusiasm in a way that kept the attention of attention of the
that kept the attention the audience. audience.
of the audience.
Speaks at length Usually maintains flow Has a limited ability to
Fluency without noticeable of speech but uses link simple sentences
and effort repetition, self-correction gives only simple
Pronunciation or loss of fluidity. and/or slow speech to response and is
Pronunciation is clear. keep going. Punctuation frequently unable to
Student is easily sometimes affects convey a basic
understood. comprehensibility. message.
Pronunciation inhibits
understanding.

Exercise 3. Pair Essay

Instructions: Watch the full documentary Science Technology, and Information on the
Modern Battlefield on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hUtfXuKQ7us).
Then, choose a partner and write a 300-to-500-word essay based on the question “How
does the Information Revolution affect local and global peace and security?” Cite specific
examples to support your answer.

________________________________
Title
 71

Scoring Rubric:

Features 4 Expert 3 Accomplished 2 Capable 1 Beginner

Quality of Piece was written Piece was written Piece had little Piece had no style.
Writing in an extraordinary in an interesting style. Gives some Gives no new
style. Very style. Somewhat new information but information and
informative and informative and poorly organized very poorly
well-organized organized organized

Grammar, Virtually no Few spelling and A number of So many spelling,

Usage and spelling, punctuation errors, spelling,punctuation punctuation and
Mechanics punctuation or minor grammatical or grammatical grammatical errors
grammatical errors errors errors that it interferes
with the meaning

Exercise 4. Group Work

Instructions: Form groups with five members each. Based on the topic, Information and
Freedom of Speech, conduct informal interviews with people of different backgrounds.
Use the following guide questions in conducting the informal interviews:
1. Do you think that people should use social media in exercising their freedom of
speech?
2. What should be the limits of freedom of speech in social media?
3. Should we hold people accountable for misuse or abuse of social media in
exercising their freedom of speech? Why or why not?
Prepare a five-minute video compilation of your interviews.

Scoring Rubric

Category 5 3 1
Information All information Most information Information had
presented in the presented in the several inaccuracies
debate was clear, debate was clear, OR was usually not
accurate and thorough. accurate and thorough. clear. Poor sentence
Good sentence Adequate structure
structure. sentence structure
Understanding The team clearly The team seemed to The team did not
of Topic understood the topic in- understand the main show an adequate
depth and presented points of the topic and understanding of the
their information force- presented those with topic
fully and convincingly ease.
Organization All arguments were All arguments were Arguments were not
clearly tied to an idea clearly tied to an idea clearly tied to an idea
(premise) and (premise) but the (premise)
organized organization was
in a tight, logical sometimes not clear or
fashion logical.
 72

Presentation Team consistently Team sometimes used One or more

Style used gestures, eye gestures, eye contact, members of the team
contact, tone of voice tone of voice and a level had a presentation
and a level of of enthusiasm in a way style that did not
enthusiasm in a way that kept the attention of keep the attention of
that kept the attention the audience. the audience.
of the audience.
Fluency and Speaks at length Usually maintains flow of Has a limited ability
Pronunciation without noticeable speech but uses to link simple
effort repetition, self- sentences gives only
or loss of fluidity. correction and/or slow simple response and
Pronunciation is clear. speech to keep going is frequently unable
Student is easily Punctuation sometimes to convey a basic
understood. affectscomprehensibility. message
Pronunciation inhibits
understanding

Answer to Pre-Test:

1. Johannes Gutenberg
2. 1440
3. Harvard Mark 1
4. Alan Turing
5. Government Code and Cipher School
6. Bombe
7. Dado Banatao
8. Federico Faggin
9. Apple 1
10. Bill Gates

Assignment. Metacognitive Reading Report

Instructions: Watch the TED talk Why the World Needs WikiLeaks on YouTube
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HNOnvp5t7Do) Then, complete the metacognitive
reading report format below:

1. Difficult Concepts
a. _________________________________________________________
b. _________________________________________________________
c. _________________________________________________________
2. Learning Insights
a. Before watching the video I thought that
_________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
 73

However, after watching the video, I now think/learned that

_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
b. Before watching the video I thought that
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
However, after watching the video, I now think/learned that
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
c. Before watching the video I thought that
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
However, after watching the video, I now think/learned that
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
3. Discussion Questions
a. __________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
b. __________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
c. __________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________

References

Aldea, KI. K., Caronan, HP. A.Caronan, & Candido, MB. O.(2018). Science, Technology
and Society (OBE Ready).
McNamara, DJ. SJ., Valverde, V. M., & Beleno, R. III (2018). Science, Technology and
Society. C&E Publishing Inc.
Quinto, EJ. M., & Nieva, A. D. (2019). Science, Technology, and Society, Outcome
Based Module. C&E Publishing Inc.
Bueno,DC.,(2019). Science,Technology and SocietyBooks Atbp., Publishing Corp.,
https://www.itnonline.com/channel/information-technology
https://www.slideshare.net/USERAAPKA/it-revolution
 74

http://4remedy.com/education_details.php?id=Information%20Technology%20Revolutio
n
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Johannes-Gutenberg
https://www.cryptomuseum.com/crypto/enigma/m4/index.htm
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apple_I
http://www.nanodic.com/nanofabrication/Nanofacture.htm
http://www.yalescientific.org/2013/02/microbots-using-nanotechnology-in-medicine/
https://www.avensonline.org/blog/application-of-nanotechnology-in-agriculture.html
https://www.alamy.com/stock-photo-graphene-buckyballs-nanotechnology-
83132345.html
http://sustainable-nano.com/2014/05/13/nano-contaminants-how-nanoparticles-get-into-
the-environment/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HNOnvp5t7Do
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hUtfXuKQ7us

Compiled by:

ELVIRA C.PRIETO, EdD

Associate Professor V, URS Tanay
 75

MODULE 10

OBJECTIVES

At the end of this section, the students should be able to:

1. Discuss the antecedents of nanotechnology and its importance to society;
2. Enumerate the positive and negative impacts of nanotechnology on the
environment and society; and
3. Identify the moral and ethical questions and concerns surrounding
nanotechnology.

INTRODUCTION

This section discusses nanotechnology and how the manipulation of matter on a

nanoscale impacts the society. It focuses on both the advantages of nanotechnology.
In the pursuit of science and technology, humans are now dealing more with a
world not seen by naked eye. This is no surprise as the study of science keeps leading
us beyond the world everyday. The information we search for is always available in nature
but we need tools to harvest it. The nano world, like the other scientific principles, provide
both knowledge and instrument to control nature

Diagnostic Test

Instructions: What are the potential advantages and disadvantages of the ability to
manipulate the building blocks of the world (i.e., individual atoms and molecules) at
dimensions and tolerances of less than one-billionth of a meter? List down your ideas.
 76

Manipulation of Atoms and Molecules

Advantages Disadvantages

Nanotechnology is the branch of technology that deals with the manipulation and
study of matter at the nanoscale. It covers all types of research and technologies that deal
with the special properties of matter on an atomic molecular and supramolecular scale.
Scientists in the field of chemistry, biology, physics, materials science, and
engineering are all involved in studying matter on the nanoscale. Nanotechnology is
“convergent” because it brings together various fields of science through its innovations,
e.g., DNA silicon chips, converging between semiconductor science (inorganic chemistry)
and biology, with applications in the medical industry. It also involves design,
characterization, production, and application of structures, devices, and systems by
controlling shapes and sizes at the nanometer scale. This technology is “enabling” in the
sense that it provides the platform and the tools to produce innovations.
 77

To decipher how nanotechnology works,

three dimensions must be considered. The
dimension involves tangible objects which
include materials, devices, and systems. The
second dimension deals with the passive and
static objects i.e., nanoparticles that have
properties different bulk objects, even if they
have the same composition; the active devices,
i.e., those that can store information, induce
energy, or change their state; and the
nanofacture, which refers to atomically precise
manufacturing (APM), i.e., collection of
instruments and procedures. The third
dimension is direct nanotechnology which
refers to materials structured at nanoscale
Figure 1. Nanofacture®
components. This also extends to indirect
nanotechnology, which starts with nanoparticles
but can be used in huge applications i.e., hugely powerful information processors with
individual nanoscale components (Ramsden, 2009).

Applications of Nanotechnology
With scientist and engineers continuously finding ways to make materials at the
nanoscale, more uses of nanotechnology arise.
In medicine, nanotechnology has numerous
applications in the development of more effective drugs.
Assisted by the view of molecules afforded by X-ray
lasers, biological mechanisms can be simulated to
destroy a cancer cell while it is treated by drug-bearing
nanoparticles. Nanobots, or molecular-scale workers can
employ molecular processes within cells, which can
deliver drugs to specific molecular sites or even carry out
surgery (Biercuk, 2011). It is now possible to diagnose
prevalent contagious diseases like HIV/AIDS, malaria,
tuberculosis, among others, with screening devices using
nanotechnology (Maclurcan, 2005).
Water purification systems containing nanoma-
terials and utilizing new membrane technologies
containing variable pore-sized filters (i.e., the forward-
osmosis membrane technology of Hydration Techno- Figure 2. Nanotechnology on
logies) are now available (Jadhawar, 2004). red blood cells
Nanoparticles are also used to prepare heat-
resistant and self-cleaning surfaces, such as floors and benchtops. Nanoparticles of
silicon dioxide or titanium dioxide can also make a surface repel water, thus preventing
stains. Detergent molecules self-assemble into a sphere to form a micelle that allows
the detergent to trap oils and fats within the cavity of the sphere that aids in washing
 78

surfaces. Zeolites are silicon oxides and aluminum oxides that have specific nano-
porous cage-like structures that are used as molecular sieves.
In agriculture, novel techniques of nanotechnology applications are applied to
breed crops with higher levels of micronutrients to detect pets and to control food
processing (Heckman, 2005). Ultrasmall probes on earth surfaces for agricultural
applications and control of soil, air, and water contamination are also developed using
nanotechnology (Zhang et al., 2011).

A simple, cheap, and effective way

of removing arsenic in soil and water is
through the use of TiO2 nanoparticles.
(Pena et al., 2005). A nanotechnology-
inspired detector from Washington, which
can sense the smallest amount of
radiation, located a nuclear leak faster
and more accurately at the Fukushima
Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (Zhang et
al., 2011). Chlorinated compounds (i.e.,
chlorinated solvents and pesticides, Figure 3. Nanotechnology application in
polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and agriculture
brominated compounds) are major
environmental contaminants that can be
reduced using nanoscale metal particles, such as FeO and Fe-Ni in conjunction with iron
filings [Fe(0)] (Dayrit et al., 2008). Silver (Ag) has long been enhanced with the discovery
that the bactericidal properties of Ag nanoparticles (1-100nm) are dependent on both their
size and shape.

Bionanotechnology can support cleaner

production methods and provide alternative and
renewable energy sources to enhance the
sustainability of factories (Colvin, 2003).
Nanotechnology helps in energy consumption like in
the use of grapheme into a coating material resulting
in the need for only one layer, which does not require
a multifunctional film coating. Nanoscale chemical
reagents or catalysts are smaller yet they increase
the rate of chemical reactions, thus lessening the
input of raw materials (Zhang et al., 2011).
In the Philippines, nanotechnology can be
applied in making sources of renewable energy
Figure 4. Graphene Buckyballs accessible to many, developing medicine that would
address serious diseases, improving the state of
agriculture, and more. There are also existing and ongoing research studies funded by
the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) on the possible application of
technology, as well as on Nano-Metrology and Education and Public Awareness.
 79

Challenges of Nanotechnology

The advantages brought by innovations in nanotechnology come with a price. With

rapid developments in nanotechnology, its adverse effects become more visible.
The environmental effect of mineral-based nanoparticles found in cosmetics,
paints, clothing, and other products are questioned as they go through sewerage
treatment plants untreated due to their undetectable size. They can be carried down by
fine silts or microplastics with inorganic and organic pollutants. Thus, these may affect
water source (Biercuk, 2011). For instance, in the 1980’s a semiconductor palnt
contaminated the ground water Silicon Valley, California (Zhang et al., 2011).

Figure 5 Nano contaminants

Carbon nanotubes in manufacture of memory storage, electronics, batteries, etc.

were found to have unknown harmful impacts to the human body by inhalation into lungs
comparable to asbestos fiber 11. A pulmonary toxicological evaluation of single-wall
carbon nanotubes indicated that it is more toxic than carbon black and quartz.
Due to its size, a nanoparticle is not easy to analyze. Lack of information and
methods of characterizing nanomaterials makes it a challenge to detect its concentration
 80

in air or in any matrix of the environment. Predicting the toxicity of a nanomaterial relies
heavily on information about its chemical structure since minor changes in its chemical
function group could drastically change its properties. Point-to-point risk assessment at
all stages of nanotechnology should then be conducted to ensure the safety to human
health and environment. Risk assessment should include the exposure risk and its
probability of exposure, toxicological analysis, transport risk, persistence risk,
transformation risk, and ability to recycle (Zhang et al., 2011). This is which is quite
expensive due to the difficulty of detecting nanoparticles.

Ethical Dilemmas of Nanotechnology

With the identified potential hazards that nanoparticles can bring to human health
and the environment, should people disregard the benefits that nanotechnology provide
them?
Issues raised regarding nanotechnology should be further studied, and nanotechnology
methods should be modified. For example, altering the compositions of graphene, known
to be one of the most advanced materials for structural improvement, replacing silicon in
electronic devices, and thermal transferring nanomaterials can be done to diminish
environmental hazards of nanotechnology. Some studies also found microorganisms that
can decompose grapheme to make it less toxic for the environment (Zhang et al., 2011).
It is imperative, therefore, that experts and governments support themselves with
enough knowledge on how nanomaterials work for the benefit of the society.

ACTIVITY 1. Flash Card Making

Instructions: Research on a nano product available in the market today. Draw or paste
a picture of the product on a 15 x20-inch illustration board. At the back, write a 50-words
description about the product, particularly explaining how it was produced using
nanotechnology. Prepare for a two-minute discussion of your flash card in front of the
class.

Scoring Rubric:
 81

ACTIVITY 2. Our Share to a Nano Safe World

Instructions: Work with a partner. Review the potential hazards of nanotechnology that
you learned in this section. Then, propose a policy that addresses the potential hazards
you identified. Use the template below for your policy proposal.
1. Name of the Policy Proposal:
2. Proponents
i. Names:
ii. Email:
iii. Telephone:
iv. Organization:
3. Date:
4. Problem statement (100-200 words):
5. Policy statement (200-300 words):
6. Additional Information
i. Timetable of implementation::

Scoring Rubric
 82

Assignment. Metacognitive Reading Report

Instructions: Read Colvin’s (2003) article, The potential environmental impact of

engineered nanomaterials (citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc.download?doi=
10.1.1423.7263&rep1=rep1&type=pdf). Then, accomplish the
metacognitive reading report below.

1. Difficult Concepts
a. _________________________________________________________
b. _________________________________________________________
c. _________________________________________________________

2. Learning Insights
a. Before watching the video I thought that
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
However, after watching the video, I now think/learned that
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
b. Before watching the video I thought that

__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
However, after watching the video, I now think/learned that
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
c. Before watching the video I thought that
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________

However, after watching the video, I now think/learned that

__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________

3. Discussion Questions
a. __________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
b. __________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
c. __________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
 83

References
Aldea, KI. K., Caronan, HP. A.Caronan, & Candido, MB. O.(2018). Science, Technology
and Society (OBE Ready).
McNamara, DJ. SJ., Valverde, V. M., & Beleno, R. III (2018). Science, Technology and
Society. C&E Publishing Inc.
Quinto, EJ. M., & Nieva, A. D. (2019). Science, Technology, and Society, Outcome
Based Module. C&E Publishing Inc.
Bueno,DC.,(2019). Science,Technology and SocietyBooks Atbp., Publishing Corp.,
https://www.itnonline.com/channel/information-technology
https://www.slideshare.net/USERAAPKA/it-revolution
http://4remedy.com/education_details.php?id=Information%20Technology%20Revolutio
n
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Johannes-Gutenberg
https://www.cryptomuseum.com/crypto/enigma/m4/index.htm
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apple_I
http://www.nanodic.com/nanofabrication/Nanofacture.htm
http://www.yalescientific.org/2013/02/microbots-using-nanotechnology-in-medicine/
https://www.avensonline.org/blog/application-of-nanotechnology-in-agriculture.html
https://www.alamy.com/stock-photo-graphene-buckyballs-nanotechnology-
83132345.html
http://sustainable-nano.com/2014/05/13/nano-contaminants-how-nanoparticles-get-into-
the-environment/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HNOnvp5t7Do
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hUtfXuKQ7us
https://wall-street.com/how-nanotechnology-could-change-the-world/

Compiled by:

ELVIRA C.PRIETO, EdD

Associate Professor V, URS TANAY
 84

UNIT IV - Issues Arising from the Application of Science

and Technology in the Modern Age

Module 11

GENETICALLY MODIFIED ORGANISMS ( GMOs )

By: Prof. Mary Jean M. Paz, LPT

OBJECTIVES

1. Explain how Genetically Modified organisms produced and its benefits.

2. Determine the interrelatedness of society, environment and health.
3. Discuss the ethics and implications of GMOs and potential future impacts.

INTRODUCTION

People have been altering the genomes of plants and animals for many years
using traditional breeding techniques. Artificial selection for specific, desired traits has
resulted in a variety of different organisms. But this artificial selection, in which organisms
that exhibit specific traits are chosen to breed subsequent generations, has been limited
to naturally occurring variations. In recent decades, however, advances in the field
of genetic engineering have allowed for precise control over the genetic changes
introduced into an organism. Today, we can incorporate new genes from one species into
a completely unrelated species through genetic engineering, optimizing agricultural
performance or facilitating the production of valuable pharmaceutical substances. Crop
plants, farm animals, and soil bacteria are some of the more prominent examples of
organisms that have been subject to genetic engineering.

CONTENTS

Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs)

Genetically modified organism (GMO), organism whose genome has been
engineered in the laboratory in order to favour the expression of desired physiological
traits or the generation of desired biological products.
- May be a microorganisms, plants or animals.
 85

- In conventional livestock production, crop farming, and even pet breeding, it has
long been the practice to breed select individuals of a species in order to produce offspring
that have desirable traits.
-In genetic modification, however, recombinant genetic technologies are
employed to produce organisms whose genomes have been precisely altered at the
molecular level, usually by the inclusion of genes from unrelated species of
organisms that code for traits that would not be obtained easily through conventional
selective breeding.

Genetically modified barley

GMOs are produced using scientific methods that include recombinant DNA
technology and reproductive cloning. In reproductive cloning, a nucleus is extracted
from a cell of the individual to be cloned and is inserted into the enucleated cytoplasm of
a host egg (an enucleated egg is an egg cell that has had its own nucleus removed). The
process results in the generation of an offspring that is genetically identical to the donor
individual.
The first animal produced by means of this cloning technique with a nucleus from
an adult donor cell (as opposed to a donor embryo) was a sheep named Dolly, born in
1996. Since then a number of other animals, including pigs, horses, and dogs, have
been generated by reproductive cloning technology. Recombinant DNA technology, on
the other hand, involves the insertion of one or more individual genes from an organism
of one species into the DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) of another. Whole-genome
replacement, involving the transplantation of one bacterial genome into the “cell body,”
or cytoplasm, of another microorganism, has been reported, although this technology is
still limited to basic scientific applications.
 86

Genetically modified organisms

GMOs produced through genetic

technologies have become a part of everyday
life, entering into society through
agriculture, medicine, research, and
environmental management. However, while
GMOs have benefited human society in many
ways, some disadvantages exist; therefore, the
production of GMOs remains a highly
controversial topic in many parts of the world.

GMOs In Agriculture
Genetically modified (GM) foods were
first approved for human consumption in the
United States in 1994, and by 2014–2015 about
90 percent of the corn, cotton,
and soybeans planted in the United States
were GM. Papaya is native to Central America
and was the first genetically modified fruit to
be grown in commercial production.
The genetically modified varieties, known as
Rainbow and SunUp or Sunrise, were developed in Hawaii to resist the papaya ringspot
virus By the end of 2014, GM crops covered nearly 1.8 million square kilometres (695,000
square miles) of land in more than two dozen countries worldwide. The majority of GM
crops were grown in the Americas.

Genetically modified corn

https://www.google.com/search?q=Genetically+modified+maize
 87

Cotton BT GMO-Biotech A GMO Soybean

https://www.google.com/search?q=images+of+GMO+cotton https://www.google.com/search?q=genetically+modified+gmo+soybeans

https://www.google.com/search?q=gmo+papaya
Not GM Papaya GM Papaya

Engineered crops can dramatically increase per area crop yields and, in some
cases, reduce the use of chemical insecticides.
For example, the application of wide-spectrum insecticides declined in many
areas growing plants, such as potatoes, cotton, and corn, that were endowed with a gene
from the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis, which produces a natural insecticide
called Bt toxin.
Field studies conducted in India in which Bt cotton was compared with non-Bt
cotton demonstrated a 30–80 percent increase in yield from the GM crop. This increase
was attributed to marked improvement in the GM plants’ ability to overcome bollworm
infestation, which was otherwise common. Studies of Bt cotton production in Arizona,
U.S., demonstrated only small gains in yield—about 5 percent—with an estimated cost
reduction of $25–$65 (USD) per acre owing to decreased pesticide applications. In
China, where farmers first gained access to Bt cotton in 1997, the GM crop was initially
successful. Farmers who had planted Bt cotton reduced their pesticide use by 50–80
percent and increased their earnings by as much as 36 percent. By 2004, however,
farmers who had been growing Bt cotton for several years found that the benefits of the
crop eroded as populations of secondary insect pests, such as mirids, increased. Farmers
once again were forced to spray broad-spectrum pesticides throughout the growing
season, such that the average revenue for Bt growers was 8 percent lower than that of
 88

farmers who grew conventional cotton. Meanwhile, Bt resistance had also evolved in field
populations of major cotton pests, including both the cotton bollworm (Helicoverpa
armigera) and the pink bollworm (Pectinophora gossypiella).
Other GM plants were engineered for resistance to a specific chemical herbicide,
rather than resistance to a natural predator or pest. Herbicide-resistant crops (HRC)
have been available since the mid-1980s; these crops enable effective chemical control
of weeds, since only the HRC plants can survive in fields treated with the corresponding
herbicide.
Many HRCs are resistant to glyphosate (Roundup), enabling liberal application of
the chemical, which is highly effective against weeds. Such crops have been especially
valuable for no-till farming, which helps prevent soil erosion. However, because HRCs
encourage increased application of chemicals to the soil, rather than decreased
application, they remain controversial with regard to their environmental impact. In
addition, in order to reduce the risk of selecting for herbicide-resistant weeds, farmers
must use multiple diverse weed-management strategies.
Another example of a GM crop is “golden” rice, which originally was intended
for Asia and was genetically modified to produce almost 20 times the beta-carotene of
previous varieties. Golden rice was created by modifying the rice genome to include a
gene from the daffodil Narcissus pseudonarcissus that produces an enzyme known as
phyotene synthase and a gene from the bacterium Erwinia uredovora that produces an
enzyme called phyotene desaturase. The introduction of these genes enabled beta-
carotene, which is converted to vitamin A in the human liver, to accumulate in the
rice endosperm—the edible part of the rice plant—thereby increasing the amount of
beta-carotene available for vitamin A synthesis in the body. In 2004 the same researchers
who developed the original golden rice plant improved upon the model, generating golden
rice 2, which showed a 23-fold increase in carotenoid production.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_rice
Golden rice (right)compared to white rice (left)

Another form of modified rice was generated to help combat iron deficiency,
which impacts close to 30 percent of the world population. This GM crop was engineered
by introducing into the rice genome a ferritin gene from the common bean, Phaseolus
vulgaris, which produces a protein capable of binding iron, as well as a gene from the
 89

fungus Aspergillus fumigatus that produces an enzyme capable of digesting

compounds that increase iron bioavailability via digestion of phytate (an inhibitor of iron
absorption). The iron-fortified GM rice was engineered to overexpress an existing rice
gene that produces a cysteine-rich metallothione is like (metal-binding) protein that
enhances iron absorption. Variety of other crops modified to endure the weather extremes
common in other parts of the globe are also in production.

Some benefits of genetic engineering in agriculture are:

1. Increased crop yields,
2. Reduced costs for food or drug production,
3. Reduced need for pesticides,
4. Enhanced nutrient composition and food quality,
5. Resistance to pests and disease,
6. Greater food security, and
7. Medical benefits to the world's growing population.
Advances have also been made in developing crops that mature faster and
tolerate aluminum, boron, salt, drought, frost, and other environmental stressors, allowing
plants to grow in conditions where they might not otherwise flourish Other applications
include the production of nonprotein (bioplastic) or nonindustrial (ornamental plant)
products. A number of animals have also been genetically engineered to increase yield
and decrease susceptibility to disease. For example, salmon have been engineered to
grow larger and mature faster and cattle have been enhanced to exhibit resistance to
mad cow disease (United States Department of Energy, 2007).

GMOs in Medicine and Research

GMOs have emerged as one of the mainstays of biomedical research since the
1980s. For example, GM animal models of human genetic diseases enabled
researchers to test novel therapies and to explore the roles of candidate risk factors and
modifiers of disease outcome.
GM microbes, plants, and animals also revolutionized the production of
complex pharmaceuticals by enabling the generation of safer and
cheaper vaccines and therapeutics.
- Hepatitis B vaccine produced by GM baker’s yeast
- Injectable insulin (for diabetics) produced in GM Escherichia coli bacteria
- Factor VIII (for blood clotting - for hemophiliacs) and
-Tissue plasminogen activator (tPA, for heart attack or stroke patients).

Both of which are produced in GM mammalian cells grown in laboratory culture.

Furthermore, GM plants that produce “edible vaccines” are under development. An edible
vaccine is an antigenic protein that is produced in the consumable parts of a plant (e.g.,
fruit) and absorbed into the bloodstream when the parts are eaten. Once absorbed into
the body, the protein stimulates the immune system to produce antibodies against the
pathogen from which the antigen was derived. Such vaccines could offer a safe,
inexpensive, and painless way to provide vaccines, particularly in less-developed regions
of the world, where the limited availability of refrigeration and sterile needles has been
problematic for some traditional vaccines. Novel DNA vaccines may be useful in the
 90

struggle to prevent diseases that have proved resistant to traditional vaccination

approaches, including HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and cancer.
Genetic modification of insects has become an important area of research,
especially in the struggle to prevent parasitic diseases. For example, GM mosquitoes
have been developed that express a small protein called SM1, which blocks entry of the
malaria parasite, Plasmodium, into the mosquito’s gut. This results in the disruption of
the parasite’s life cycle and renders the mosquito malaria-resistant. Introduction of these
GM mosquitoes into the wild could help reduce transmission of the malaria parasite. In
another example, male Aedes aegypti mosquitoes engineered with a method known as
the sterile insect technique transmit a gene to their offspring that causes the offspring to
die before becoming sexually mature. In field trials in a Brazil suburb, A. aegypti.
populationsdeclined by 95 percent following the sustained release of sterile GM males.
Finally, genetic modification of humans via gene therapy is becoming a treatment
option for diseases ranging from rare metabolic disorders to cancer. Coupling stem
cell technology with recombinant DNA methods allows stem cells derived from a patient
to be modified in the laboratory to introduce a desired gene.
For example, a normal beta-globin gene may be introduced into the DNA of bone
marrow-derived hematopoietic stem cells from a patient with sickle cell anemia;
introduction of these GM cells into the patient could cure the disease without the need
for a matched donor. ( PLEASE WATCH A VIDEO,https://www.britannica.com/video/215351/Top-questions-
answers-genetically-modified-organisms)

Role Of GMOs In Environmental Management

Another application of GMOs is in the management of environmental issues.
For example, some bacteria can produce biodegradable plastics, and the transfer of
that ability to microbes that can be easily grown in the laboratory may enable the wide-
scale “greening” of the plastics industry.
In the early 1990s, Zeneca, a British company, developed a microbially produced
biodegradable plastic called Biopol (polyhydroxyalkanoate, or PHA). The plastic was
made with the use of a GM bacterium, Ralstonia eutropha, to convert glucose and a
variety of organic acids into a flexible polymer. GMOs endowed with the bacterially
encoded ability to metabolize oil and heavy metals may provide efficient bioremediation
strategies.

Sociopolitical Relevance Of GMOs

While GMOs offer many potential benefits to society, the potential risks
associated with them have fueled controversy, especially in the food industry. Many
skeptics warn about the dangers that GM crops may pose to human health. For example,
genetic manipulation may potentially alter the allergenic properties of crops. Whether
some GM crops, such as golden rice, deliver on the promise of improved health benefits
is also unclear. The release of GM mosquitoes and other GMOs into the environment
also raised concerns. More-established risks were associated with the potential spread
of engineered crop genes to native flora and the possible evolution of insecticide-resistant
“superbugs.”
From the late 1990s, the European Union (EU) addressed such concerns by
implementing strict GMO labeling laws. In the early 2000s, all GM foods and GM animal
 91

feeds in the EU were required to be labeled if they consisted of or contained GM products

in a proportion greater than 0.9 percent. By contrast, in the United States, foods
containing GM ingredients did not require special labeling, though the issue was hotly
debated at national and state levels. Many opponents of GM products focused their
arguments on unknown risks to food safety. However, despite the concerns of some
consumer and health groups, especially in Europe, numerous scientific panels, including
the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, concluded that consumption of GM foods
was safe, even in cases involving GM foods with genetic material from very distantly
related organisms.
The strict regulations on GM products in the EU have been a source of tension
in agricultural trade. In the late 1990s, the EU declared a moratorium on the import and
use of GM crops. However, the ban—which led to trade disputes with other countries,
particularly the United States, where GM foods had been accepted openly—was
considered unjustified by the World Trade Organization. In consequence, the EU
implemented regulatory changes that allowed for the import of certain GM crops. Within
Europe, however, only one GM crop, a type of insect-resistant corn (maize), was
cultivated. Some countries, including certain African states, had likewise rejected GM
products. Still other countries, such as Canada, China, Argentina, and Australia, had open
policies on GM foods.
The use of GMOs in medicine and research has produced a debate that is more
philosophical in nature. For example, while genetic researchers believe they are working
to cure disease and ameliorate suffering, many people worry that current gene therapy
approaches may one day be applied to produce “designer” children or to lengthen the
natural human life span. Similar to many other technologies, gene therapy and the
production and application of GMOs can be used to address and resolve complicated
scientific, medical, and environmental issues, but they must be used wisely.
Current Use of Genetically Modified Organisms

Agricultural plants are one of the most frequently cited examples of genetically
modified organisms (GMOs).

Risks and Controversies Surrounding the Use of GMOs

Despite the fact that the genes being transferred occur naturally in other species
there are unknown consequences to altering the natural state of an organism through
foreign gene expression. After all, such alterations can change the (1) organism's
metabolism, (2) growth rate and (3) response to external environmental factors.
These consequences influence not only the GMO itself, but also the natural environ-ment
in which that organism is allowed to proliferate. Potential health risks to humans include
the possibility of exposure to new allergens in genetically modified foods, as well as the
transfer of antibiotic-resistant genes to gut flora.
Horizontal gene transfer of pesticide, herbicide, or antibiotic resistance to other
organisms would not only put humans at risk, but it would also cause ecological
imbalances, allowing previously innocuous plants to grow uncontrolled, thus promoting
the spread of disease among both plants and animals. Although the possibility
of horizontal gene transfer between GMOs and other organisms cannot be denied, in
 92

reality, this risk is considered to be quite low. Horizontal gene transfer occurs naturally at
a very low rate and, in most cases, cannot be simulated in an optimized
laboratory environment without active modification of the target genome to increase
susceptibility (Ma et al., 2003).
In contrast, the alarming consequences of vertical gene transfer between GMOs
and their wild-type counterparts have been highlighted by studying transgenic fish
released into wild populations of the same species (Muir & Howard, 1999). The enhanced
mating advantages of the genetically modified fish led to a reduction in the viability of
their offspring. Thus, when a new transgene is introduced into a wild fish population, it
propagates and may eventually threaten the viability of both the wild-type and the
genetically modified organisms.

Summary

A GMO, or genetically modified organism, is a plant, animal, microorganism or

other organism whose genetic makeup has been modified in a laboratory using genetic
engineering or transgenic technology. This creates combinations of plant, animal,
bacterial and virus genes that do not occur in nature or through traditional crossbreeding
methods. Genetic modification affects many of the products we consume on a daily basis.
As the number of GMOs available for commercial use grows every year, the Non-GMO
Project works diligently to provide the most accurate, up-to-date standards for non-GMO
verification. There are also potential benefits to society but the potential risks associated
with them have fueled controversy, especially in the food industry.

ACTIVITY

A. Briefly answer or discuss the following questions:

1. Why are genetically modified organisms important? Justify your answer and
mention also other products of GMOs that are useful to man.
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
2. Are genetically modified organisms safe for the environment? Prove your answer.
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
 93

________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________.
3. Should We be afraid of food products that contains GMOs?
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________

Self-Assessment Questions (SAQ)

B. Read and choose the correct answer by encircling the letter.

1. In what year where GMOs food products first approved for human consumption in
United States?
a. 1994
b. 2004
c. 2014

2. What kind of technique where the first animal named Dolly produced in 1996?
a. Tissue Culture
b. Gene therapy
c. Cloning

3. What do you call a species of bacteria that lives in soil, it makes proteins that are
toxic to some insects when eaten, but not others. ?
a. Ring spot Virus
b. Leaf curl virus
c. Bacillus thuringiensis

4. A GM crop which originally was intended for Asia and genetically modified to
produce almost 20 times the Beta -Carotene is called?
a. BT corn
b. Cotton
c. Golden rice

5. In what country where labeling of food containing GM ingredients are not required?
a. EU
b. Philippines
c. U.S.
 94

References:

https://www.britannica.com/science/genetically-modified-organism/GMOs-in-medicine-and-research
https://www.nature.com/scitable/topicpage/genetically-modified-organisms-gmos-transgenic-crops-
and-732/
https://www.nongmoproject.org/gmo-facts/what-is-gmo/

Note: Watch video for more information.

https://www.britannica.com/video/215351/Top-questions-answers-genetically-modified-organisms
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=477&v=8z_CqyB1dQo&feature=emb_logo
https://dpsnc.instructure.com/courses/20402/pages/ethical-issues-genetically-modified-organisms

Answer to Self- Assessment Questions :

1. a - 1994
2. c – cloning
3. c - Bacillus thuringiensis
4. c – Golden rice
5. c - US

Compiled by:

MARY JEAN M. PAZ, LPT, MAT

Associate Professor 1
 95

Module 12

BIODIVERSITY and HEALTHY SOCIETY

By: Aida M. Odi, PhD

OBJECTIVES

At the end of the topic, the learners are expected to:

1. Define biodiversity.
2. Explain the importance of biodiversity.
3. Explain and give some examples of the components of biodiversity.
4. Distinguish habitat from niche.
5. Enumerate some activities which threaten biodiversity.
6. Assess the status of Philippine biodiversity.

CONTENTS

What is biodiversity?

Biodiversity or biological diversity is a vast concept that means a lot of things.

First, that living organisms are numerous, from the minute to the largest creatures and
are composed of several species or groups; these organisms interact with one another
and with nonliving things. Second, living organisms are abundant in habitats supplying all
the foods and requirements that they need. Third, organisms have different growth and
metabolic characteristics unique to a particular group and variable reproductive patterns;
some have more species while others have less. And fourth, that biodiversity is essential
to human survival. The latter is the most important because without diversity, life can be
dull and boring; with scarce resources, there would not be enough food and medicines,
and the like.
 96

Biodiversity is the variety of life in the simplest term. It is the contraction of two
words - biological diversity, which refers to the number, variety and variability of living
organisms. It includes not just species but ecosystems-the multitude of living organisms
across all levels and how they interact with each other and with their surrounding
environment-as well. Thus, this includes the interdependence/interrelationships of all
living things in the areas where they live called habitats, whether artificial or natural. Living
organisms adapt to the physical characteristics of these areas and develop their niche,
the ecological role they play in the environment.
Biodiversity serves as sources of food and energy in addition to water and clean
air. Through biodiversity, we have an access to natural services like water purification,
soil fertility, waste disposal, pest control and aesthetic pleasure (e.g., Hibiscus rosa-
sinensis, Jasminum sambac, Rosa sp., etc.). Biodiversity also enables the discovery and
use of plants as medicines, microorganisms as sources of antibiotics, and marine animals
for various compounds of industrial use.
The three components of biodiversity include: diversity of genes or genetic
diversity, diversity of number of species or species diversity and variety of ecosystems
or community or ecological diversity (Braun & Amman, 2002).

Genetic Diversity

Genetic diversity refers to variation or differences in the genes of a species of

individuals. Genes are segments of DNA which dictate the traits or characteristics of an
organism. Considered as a variation in small scale, its impact however, is on a large
scale. Gene differences contribute remarkably in the adaptive potential of the species that
can more importantly lead to microevolution. This variation enables one species to adapt
to changing environment, and the likelihood of perpetuation of a new population.
Hogs, for example, are of the same species but of different breeds. Gumamela
(Hibiscus rosasinesis) are composed of different varieties. Insects belong to different
orders. Saccharomyces cerevisiae is a specific group of yeasts but may exhibit different
metabolic characteristics. A fungal pathogen may either infect a specific single crop or
different varieties of it at varying degrees. The virulence genes vary from one organism
to another or from one species to another. A crop may be grouped, differentially based
on gene a marker which is now a trend in studying genetic diversity. Why are these so?
These boil down to differences in DNA sequence and the percentage of nucleotides
present.

Species Diversity

The second component of biodiversity is the diversity of number of species or

species diversity. This involves a combination of species number (i.e., Species richness)
and their relative abundance in a particular area (i.e., species evenness). The latter is
measure of whether a particular ecosystem is dominated by a single species or if similar
number of individuals is present. Evenness may either be high (i.e., all species are
represented by the same number of individuals) or low (i.e., some species are
represented by many individuals while others are not).
 97

Species is a group of interbreeding organisms with similar structures. Around the

world, about 1.5 million species are known but according to scientists and taxonomists,
this is just a fraction of what is currently existing (Convention on Biological Diversity), New
species are added every day. It is believed that insects are the most diverse. A gram of
soil is composed of different species of microbes. A drop of sea water may hold a number
of planktonic species. Birds, rabbits, alligators, fishes, dragonflies and cats are all different
species.

Community or Ecological Diversity

Community diversity or ecological diversity refers to a variety of ecosystems in a

given region.
Ecosystem is a biological community including all of the abiotic factors that affect
them (Molles, Jr., 2008). Aquatic ecosystems may be freshwater, marine, estuary and
coastal. Terrestrial ecosystem may be grassland, forest, desert and the like. These
ecosystems cater a wide range of species population that interacts with one another
forming a community. Their survival and interactions are mediated and influenced by a
variety of nonliving or abiotic factors such as air, water, temperature, humidity, pH, light
intensity, current and many more.
Ecosystem diversity is of huge importance from the point of interesting species and
complexity of niches. An ecosystem also interacts with another ecosystem in a specific
overlapping region known as ecotone, and thus, may affect each other's sustainability.

Importance of Biodiversity

Biodiversity affects humans on various aspects: economy, health and culture

aesthetic and environmental issues.
The fundamental importance of biodiversity is that it is our source of foods,
clothing, shelter and medicines. Biodiversity is also a source of raw materials for industry
activities. Humans enjoy different products and goods, clean air and water, soil and water
resources due to biodiversity. Life would be so boring if there is no variation around us.
Two fundamental sciences, taxonomy and ecology generate knowledge and
information to fully understand the importance of biodiversity for human survival.
However, there are some limitations like:
1. Biodiversity conservation strategies focused on research and policy on global
scale without
too much effect on local diversity.
2. Lack of site-specific data on species composition of communities.
3. Biodiversity studies lacking in taxonomic precision.
4. Few taxonomists.
5. Insufficient biodiversity inventory and assessment.

Nevertheless, the benefits of biodiversity still share in the pie of the economy.
Tourists come and go to enjoy diverse Philippine flora and fauna; natural products and
medicines from plants and actinomycetes abound; soil and water resources are
conserved; and water flow is regulated in various communities.
 98

Status of Philippine Biodiversity

The Philippines being a tropical and archipelagic country has very rich and diverse
flora and fauna (National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan, 2002). Considered as a
biodiversity hotspot, the country attracts tourists and scientists to come over and examine
its natural resources. Though this poses an advantage to our national economy, on the
other side of the fence, this is critically threatening our local environment. Allowing the
public to observe and investigate our treasures can lead to the eventual disturbance and,
worse, exploitation of these natural resources especially 1f they are not given protection.
The 2014 data show that there are 211 wild fauna/animals and 526 wild flora/
plants which are threatened.

Wild Fauna/Animals

No. of No. of Threatened Species

Taxonomic No. of
Endemic (DAO 2004-15) as of 2014
Group Species
Species CR EN VU OTS Total No.
Mammals 231 130 8 12 17 5 42
Birds 616 195 14 59 53 0 126
Reptiles 302 198 5 16 4 4 29
Amphibians 116 95 0 4 10 0 14
TOTAL 1265 618 27 91 84 9 211
Data from Framework for Philippine Plant Conservation Strategy and Action Plan

Wild Flora/Plants

No. of Threatened Species

No. of
Taxonomic No. of (DAO 2007-01) as of 2014
Endemic
Group Species Total
Species CR EN VU OTS
No.
Angiosperms 8,120 5800 89 141 123 56 409
Gymnosperm 33 6 0 9 2 0 11
Pteridophytes 1,100 285 10 35 51 8 104
Bryophytes 1,271 195 0 2 0 0 2
Algae 1,355 Undetermined 0 0 0 0 0
Fungi and
slime and 3,555 Undetermined 0 0 0 0 0
water molds
Lichens 789 Undetermined 0 0 0 0 0
TOTAL 16223 0 99 187 176 64 526
Data from Framework for Philippine Plant Conservation Strategy and Action Plan
 99

Summary of Threatened Wildlife Species

2012-
2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2013

2014
Taxonomic
Group

Fauna*
Land Mammals 43 43 43 43 43 42 42 42 42 43
Birds 131 131 131 132 132 127 127 127 127 126
Reptiles 27 27 27 27 27 24 24 24 24 30
Amphibians 14 14 14 14 14 14 14 14 14 14
Flora* 526 526 526 526 526 526 526
*Based on DENR Administrative Order No. 2004-15 re National List of Threatened Fauna and
2011 CITES listed species
**Based on DENR Administrative Order No. 2007-01 re National List of Threatened Philippine
Plants

Threats to Biodiversity
A number of factors negatively affect biodiversity. Their effects may be at organism
level or if in a larger scale, at an ecosystem level. These include (Millenium Ecosystem
Assessment, 2005; Amman, 2005; Braun & Amman, 2002):

1. Habitat destruction
Loss of biodiversity can be the worst end result of numerous anthropogenic
activities. These activities include urbanization, construction, agricultural land
development, logging, river damming and use of pesticides, herbicides and fertilizers.
Each of these destroys habitats in one way or another.

2. Pollution
Pollution is a condition in which there is an unnatural increase in the concentrations
of naturally-occurring environmental compounds such as heavy metals, radionuclide,
nitrates, phosphates, cyanides, agricultural wastes, sewage, pathogens, gases,
particulates and many more. Their high concentrations can make an environment
unfavorable for the survival of a particular organism. Even too much light can become a
pollutant and thus can affect biodiversity. For instance, the occurrence of city lights at
night may affect the behavior and activities of nocturnal animals.

3. Introduction of non-native species and new varieties

Non-native species or Invasive Alien Species (IAS) includes exotic micro- and
macro- species introduced accidentally or deliberately, to a place that is not part of their
natural habitat or distributional range (De Silva, 1989). Their introduction to the local
community could become a threat to other organisms as they become invasive especially
if they have an ecological niche similar with the native ones. The introduced species may
outcompete the native species for nutrients and food leading to the latter's population
 100

decline and extinction at worst. In addition, this may also result to its rapid proliferation if
it does not have any natural predator in the receiving area.
Some invasive species affecting the aquaculture industry include Janitor fish,
Clown knife fish, giant snakehead, Black-chin tilapia and Jaguar guapote (Agasen, 2005;
Guerrero, 2002; Juliano et al., 1989).
The worst invasive plant species found in the Philippines include Chromolaena
odorata, Mikania micrantha, Leucaena leucocephala, Lantana camara, Imperata
cylindrical, Hiptage benghalesis and Eichhornia crassipes (Joshi nd:.1SSG2006a; Uriarte
et al, 2007).

4. Global climate change

The gradual increase in the world's temperature also threatens biodiversity. Global
warming entails the following: meltdown of icebergs in polar regions leading to sea level
rise, increase in amount of rainfalls, too hot summers and too cold winters, frequent grass
and forest fires, changes in sea temperature, etc. Each of these brings about a negative
impact to world’s biodiversity. This remains true especially to species that are incapable
of adapting to this changing environment.

5. Exploitation

Any form of abuse to flora and fauna threatens biological diversity. Collecting them
in huge amounts may threaten their proliferation. Gathering these organisms, especially
the endangered ones, for trading is an act punishable by law.

6. Overpopulation
Human overpopulation poses the greatest threat to biodiversity population
increases, the demand for all human needs and wants also increase. As this demand
increases, the need for our natural resources also increases. Human beings are at that
point that they get too much from the environment but do not contribute to their
replacement.

Conserving Biodiversity

Strategies to conserve biodiversity need realistic solution and will need to involve
a multidisciplinary strategies y, including political, socioeconomic and scientific input, in
which all major stakeholders (government, non-government, national and international
organizations) must participate Researches can be done. Proper investigations on
environmental problems can be used for policy making leading to giving information to
local communities and to sustainable use of biodiversity.
How can biodiversity loss be prevented? Diversity can be prevented through
appropriate research, government legislation, education and awareness and sustainable
use of biodiversity.
 101

Researches focusing on the biodiversity of various organisms are still few. Many
species have yet to be discovered. Their needs and characteristics specially their
perpetuation deserve attention.
Education and awareness activities have started and are being done continuously.
This, however, should be emphasized to everyone while they are still young or in their
pre-school age. More often than not, only the adults are the focus of these activities. In
addition, sustainable use of biodiversity should be given emphasis.
Community based programs are also initiated to help conserve biodiversity.
People involved themselves in the conservation projects like in the rehabilitation of the
Apo Island in Dumaguete City.

Government legislation. There are laws and orders to save biodiversity in the
Philippines. These laws never forget preserving the wellness and the betterment of the
Philippine nature, these laws are made by various people and many of them implemented
but others are not that implemented. Examples of these laws are as follows:

Laws Description
EO No. 247 Prescribing guidelines and establishing a regulatory framework for the
prospecting of biological and genetic resources, their by-products and
derivatives, for scientific and commercial purposes; and other purposes.
Act No. 2590 An act for the protection of game and fish.
RA 7308 An act to promote and develop the seed industry in the Philippines and create a
National Seed Industry Council and for other purposes
RA 7586 National Integrated Protected Areas System Act of 1992
RA 7611 Strategic Environmental Plan for Palawan Act
RA 7900 High-value Crops Developmental Act of 1995
RA 7942 Philippine Mining Code
RA 8371 Recognizing the Rights of Indigenous Cultural Communities Indigenous People
RA 9147 Wildlife Protection Act
RA 8485 Promote Animal Welfare in the Philippines
PD 1433 Plant Quarantine Decree of 1978
PD 1586 Environmental Impact Statement System Law
EO 192 Reorganization of the DENR
Proc. No.926 Establishing Subic Watershed Forest Reserve
DAO 02 Establishing protection for ancestral homelands

Techniques in Conserving Biodiversity

Several technologies are now available to conserve and /or maintain biodiversity.
These are as follows:
 102

1. Cell and tissue culture allow the propagation/multiplication of organisms at

a rapid pace. Definitely, this is one way of conserving our resources and
rescues the endangered species.
2. Cryopreservation technology. Cryopreservation is a non-lethal storage of
organelles, cells, tissues of bone biological constructs at ultra low
temperature. This technology enables the conservation of germplasm. In
the Philippines, this is currently used by the Philippine Carabao Center.
3. Advances in molecular biology and genetics have taken a stronghold in
analyzing individual strains of an organism, identify species and predict
future phenotypes. This is a very important technique in maintaining
biodiversity.

The Role of Evolution in Biodiversity

Evolution is how the genetic composition of species changes over time (Grant et
al., 2010). It is the underlying mechanism of biodiversity. Evolution may be microevolution
or macroevolution. Microevolution is the evolution below the species level while
macroevolution is the type that gives rise to new species or larger groups such as new
genera, family, class or phyla.
Evolution may happen through artificial selection or by natural selection. Inartificial
selection, humans determine which individuals breed as exemplified by the specific crops
that are bred and varieties come out. The environment may also determine which
organisms or individuals survive and perpetuate. This is what we call natural selection.
By natural selection, there are several points to remember. First, that individual
varies and variations could be inherited for several generations. The variations may
confer advantages to the next generations so that the individuals have better capacity to
adapt and survive. Adaptations afford the organism a better chance to survive in its
surrounding. These special features have evolved over long periods of time. The
combination of bright orange and black on a monarch butterfly is an adaptation to warn
potential predators that the butterfly is poisonous and prevent it from being eaten
(https://defenders.org/monarchbuttertly/basic-facts). Some organisms may also exhibit
camouflage - the ability to blend with surroundings and a common example of an
adaptation.
Evolution may also be slow or rapid depending on the rate of environmental
change, amount of genetic variation in the species, population size involved and
generation time of particular species.
In the course of evolution, speciation and extinction may happen and dictate
biodiversity. Speciation may be allopatric, if new species are created by geographic
reproductive isolation, or sympatric, one species evolves into two species without being
geographically isolated.
Extinction is the dying out or termination of a species. This occurs due to
environmental forces like global change, habitat fragmentation, and overexploitation of
species or because of evolutionary changes in their members like inbreeding poor
reproduction, superior competition and decline in the number of population.
 103

ACTIVITY 1-TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE

Name: _______________________________ Date: _______________________

Year and Section: ______________________ Score: ______________________

1. Why is a list of species not biodiversity?

____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
2. What is the difference between species richness and species evenness?
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________

3. Distinguish macroevolution from microevolution. What is the result of each process?

____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________

4. What are genes? What is meant by “genotype”?

____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________

5. Differentiate niche from habitat.

____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________

6. Examine the two figures below, which is more biodiverse? Why? Write your explanations. Be
sure to discuss the answer in class.

7. As a student, propose strategies to help save biodiversity in your locality.

Compiled by:

DR. AIDA M. ODI

Associate Prof. V, URS Morong
 104

Module 13

Genetically Modified Organisms: SCIENCE, HEALTH AND POLITICS

By: Aida M. Odi, PhD

(Source: https://pixabay.com)

OBJECTIVES

At the end of the topic, the readers are expected to:

1. Define Genetically Modified Organism (GMO).
2. Explain the principles behind cloning and genetic engineering.
3. Answer frequently asked question about GMO.
4. Give examples of GM plants and animals.
5. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of GMOs.

CONTENTS

What are GMOs?

Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) are organisms with foreign genes
incorporated into their genome such that they exhibit different but desirable properties
that do not occur naturally by mating and/or natural recombination (Key, 2008). The
foreign genes may come from bacteria, viruses, insects, animals or even humans. These
genes are carefully studied and selected to achieve the goal of improving a particular
organism or make this organism a vehicle for faster and efficient manufacturing and
delivery of a product. The modification can be transgenic, whereby the organism contains
DNA from another species, or cisgenic, whereby it contains DNA from a member of the
same species but doesn't occur naturally (Sutherland, 2014). The latter form is generally
viewed as a safer practice, although there are concerns for all types of genetic
modification. GMOs can include plants, animals, and microorganisms. GMOs have been
approved by regulatory agencies for commercial production and consumption, while
others are currently undergoing regulatory evaluation (Center for Ecogenetics and
Environmental Health). Still other GMOs are in experimental stages and confined to
scientific laboratory research.
 105

The Making of GMOs, Steps in Cloning

Cloning requires a source of DNA or a donor organism. The DNA is cut with
restriction enzyme and is ligated to a vector, usually a plasmid, previously cut with another
restriction enzyme compatible with the first enzyme used. After ligation, the chimeric
molecules are transformed in competent cells (usually Escherichia coli) and then source
screened for the presence of genes of interest.
Several organisms have been genetically modified since the introduction of
technologies and discovery of the DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) double helix structure.
GM crops were first commercialized in 1996 and only from counties that planted
transgenic crops to about 11 million hectares (Brankow& Lovre, 2015). In 2011, the area
had expanded to 160 million hectares in 29 countries. Soybeans, maize, cotton, and
canola remain to be the leading GM crops. Other crops include eggplant, Jatropha, rice
sugar beets, cassava, papaya, banana, tomatoes, potatoes, squash, peas and alfalfa.
GM animals, on the other hand, include fishes, cows, chickens, pigs, etc.
The GM crops are listed below (Phillips, 2008; Fridovich-Keil et al., n.d,; Johnson
& O’Connor, 2015; Center for Ecogenetics and Environmental Health).

1. Corn
Corn was first genetically modified with the insertion of toxin gene from the
bacterium, Bacillus thuringiensis. With the commercialization of Bt corn, an increase in
corn production was realized because of its resistance to the attack of corn borer.

2. Cotton
Almost half of cottons grown in the world have been genetically modified to resist
pests and pesticides. However, it was reported to have had devastating results in Indian
agriculture. In the Philippines, experiments to develop local Bt corn variety are being
performed to prevent bollworm damage.

3. Jatropha
Jatropha seeds are similar to palm oil. It can be used as biofuel and a high source
of protein for livestock. However, planting Jatropha, has caused destruction of the native
plants.

4. Rice
Golden rice is the genetically modified rice containing beta carotene a precursor
of vitamin A. The golden rice is still in the research stage but once it becomes a developed
variety and commercialized many Filipinos will benefit from it. In relation, studies are
being done to address the pervasive and persistent Vitamin A deficiency problem and at
the same time make Golden Rice more profitable to farmers by adding tungro and
bacterial leaf blight (BLB) resistance to this GM crop.
5. Soy
More than 90 percent of soybeans grown in the United States are genetically
modified to be herbicide resistant.

6. Sugar Beets
 106

Sugar beets were engineered to grow faster and to be more resistant to weeds.
However a federal judge put a halt on processing GMO sugar beets due to failure of
USDA to present an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). Many environmentalists and
researchers are concerned that GMO sugar beets could have serious impact on the
environment other crops.

7. Cassava
Cassava is a starchy plant like potato that is consumed by many people across the
globe like Africa. The first GMO cassava plant was engineered in 1955. Cassava was
supposed to be virus and pest resistant but farmers reported that in few years the GMO
cassava lose their anti-virus resistant quality.

8. Papaya
Papaya, also known as Carica papaya L., has Caribbean coast of Central America
as the point of origin. It was first genetically modified in Hawaii and introduced to the
market in 1999. The GM papaya lines were developed to resist infection by papaya
ringspot virus (PRSV).

9. Banana
Majority of bananas in the US are genetically modified.

10. Eggplant
The first GM eggplant (Bt eggplant) in South and Southeast Asia, the new pest-
resistant eggplant, was developed by the Maharashtra Hybrid Seeds Company (Mahyco)
based in Jaina, India. In the Philippines, Bt eggplant was developed to address eggplant
fruit and shoot borer (EFSB). Leucinodes orboralis, using modern biotechnological
techniques.

11. Tomatoes
Many tomatoes have been genetically modified in US but GM tomatoes are
banned in Europe.
Flavr Savr is the first commercially grown GM tomato granted with a license for
human consumption. Produced by Calgene, a Californian company, it was first sold in
1994 after the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) completed its evaluation.

12. Apple
Scientists are now able to deactivate the gene for polyphenol oxidase (PPO), an
enzyme which cause the browning of apples.

13. Peas
GM peas were created by inserting kidney beans genes into the peas DNA
resulting to the production of protein with pesticidal ability.

14. Yellow crookneck squash or zucchini

GM zucchini are resistant to viruses.
 107

15. Alfalfa
GM alfalfa was developed to produce a crop that will survive exposure to
glyphosate herbicide.

Impacts of GMOs
Defined and known useful genes when inserted into an organism will definitely
affect the growth pattern, behavior and products of the said organism in a short span of
time saving a lot of pesos in conducting research when compared to traditional breeding.
GMOs have been around for several years and their impacts are already felt.
Through the GM technologies, “designer crops" can be produced. These are crops
with more nutrients, pesticide resistant, insect resistant, require less input to grow and
produce more yield (Vaesa, 2013; Huesing & English, 2018).
Some agricultural soils are saline. This condition hampers the growth of crops
because they cannot grow well or sometimes the crops are unable to grow. Thus, there
is a need to research to come up with salt tolerant organisms.
The commercialization of Bt corn is very useful to farmers as they were able to
have increased income (Huesing & English, 2018).
Growing GM plants allows the farmers to spend less time and money in pesticides
and herbicides.
Papaya resistant to Papaya Ringspot Virus and with delayed ripening command a
good place in export market.
GMO foods are also now available in the market. In other parts of the world, GMOs
are considered to have health threats (Bawa & Anilakumar, 2012).
The downsides of farming with GMOs include "creating super weeds" that have
evolved a resistance to glyphosate, a common herbicide in GMO food production.

Frequently Asked Questions about GMOs

Though GMOs are commercially available for several years now, there are still
several questions asked by the consumers or need to be addresses. Some of them are
as follows:

1. Are GMOs safe?

2. How are GMOs produced?
3. What are the major issues that need to be addressed in the regulations of
GMOs?
4. Which types /varieties of GMOs are already applied in ASEAN Member
countries?

ACTIVITY 1 TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE

Name: _____________________________ Date: _______________________

Year and Section: ___________________ Score: ______________________

1. Encircle as many words as possible that relate to Genetically Modified Organisms

from the box of letters. Words may be in horizontal, vertical, diagonal or reversed
 108

positions.
C C H G F Y S O B S G N D M
I L I G A T E G T A E M N Y
L O W W X R Z Q C P N R A E
B N A C E V D S O Z E V X Q
Q I W E R N T Y R U I O P F
A N S D F G Z H N J D K K L
L G M O Z X C Y V B N M M A
Q W E R T Y U I M O P A S V
D F A G H J K S V E C T O R
L L Z X C V A B N M Q W E S
P R T G O L D E N R I C E A
Y U I O P P A S D F G H J V
T R A N S G E N I C K L Z R
Z X C V B N G M O M A L W E

2. Indicate the genes inserted in the genetically modified crops listed in the table.

GM Crop Inserted Gene

a. banana
b. corn
c. cotton
d. rice
e. soybeans
f. papaya
g. apple
h. eggplant
i. sugar beets
j. alfalfa

3. List down five examples of GM plants and their improved characteristics.

4. Do you agree that eating GM foods is safe? Justify your answer.
5. Outline the basic steps in gene cloning.

Compiled by:

DR. AIDA M. ODI

Associate Porf. V, URS Morong
 109

Module 14

GENE THERAPY
By: Prof. Mary Jean M. Paz, LPT, MAT

OBJECTIVES

1. Explain the principle behind gene therapy and its various forms
2. Assess the issue’s potential benefits and detriments to global health.

INTRODUCTION

This module is about Gene therapy, a product of modern biotechnology which

serves as avenue for man to understand better the molecular basis of health and disease.
These include the genetic diseases, types of gene therapy, approaches or how gene
therapy delivered. The death from gene therapy and success of gene therapy. Ethical
issues will also be a concern.

CONTENTS

Gene therapy is an experimental technique that uses genes to treat or prevent

disease. In the future, this technique may allow doctors to treat a disorder by inserting a
gene into a patient’s cells instead of using drugs or surgery. Researchers are testing
several approaches to gene therapy, including:
 Replacing a mutated gene that causes disease with a healthy copy of the gene.
 Inactivating, or “knocking out,” a mutated gene that is functioning improperly.
 Introducing a new gene into the body to help fight a disease.
Although gene therapy is a promising treatment option for a number of diseases
(including inherited disorders, some types of cancer, and certain viral infections), the
 110

technique remains risky and is still under study to make sure that it will be safe and
effective. Gene therapy is currently being tested only for diseases that have no other
cures)
Genetic diseases may be classified into four (4) categories:
1. Single - genes changes
- Single locus (gene) is defective and responsible for the disease; is 100%
heritable. Examples include sickle cell anemia, hypercholesterolemia, and cystic
fibrosis.
2. Multigene disorders
- Two or more genes are defective and responsible for the disease and; is
less than 100% heritable. This disease may be dependent on environmental
factors and lifestyle. Examples include heart disease, cancer and diabetes.
3. Mitochondrial disorders
- Mutation in the mitochondrial DNA cause diseases that affect many organ
system.
4. Chromosomes abnormalities
-Sometimes complete chromosomes or parts of the chromosomes are
missing, duplicated, or modified in some way. Example include Down syndrome.

Types of Gene Therapy

Virtually all cells in the human body contain genes, making them potential targets
for gene therapy. However, these cells can be divided into two major categories:
 somatic cells - most cells of the body or
 germline - eggs or sperm cells In theory it is possible to transform either somatic
cells or germ cells.
Somatic cells are nonreproductive. Somatic cell therapy is viewed as a more
conservative, safer approach because it affects only the targeted cells in the patient, and
is not passed on to future generations. In other words, the therapeutic effect ends with
the individual who receives the therapy. However, this type of therapy presents unique
problems of its own. Often the effects of somatic cell therapy are short-lived. Because the
cells of most tissues ultimately die and are replaced by new cells, repeated treatments
over the course of the individual's life span are required to maintain the therapeutic effect.
Transporting the gene to the target cells or tissue is also problematic. Regardless of these
difficulties, however, somatic cell gene therapy is appropriate and acceptable for many
disorders, including cystic fibrosis, muscular dystrophy, cancer, and certain infectious
diseases. Clinicians can even perform this therapy in utero, potentially correcting or
treating a life-threatening disorder that may significantly impair a baby's health or
development if not treated before birth.
Gene therapy using germ line cells results in permanent changes that are passed
down to subsequent generations. If done early in embryologic development, such as
during preimplantation diagnosis and in vitro fertilization, the gene transfer could also
occur in all cells of the developing embryo. The appeal of germ line gene therapy is its
potential for offering a permanent therapeutic effect for all who inherit the target gene.
Successful germ line therapies introduce the possibility of eliminating some diseases from
a particular family, and ultimately from the population, forever. However, this also raises
 111

controversy. Some people view this type of therapy as unnatural , and liken it to "playing
God." Others have concerns about the technical aspects. They worry that the genetic
change propagated by germ line gene therapy may actually be deleterious and harmful,
with the potential for unforeseen negative effects on future generations.
In summary, the distinction is that the results of any somatic gene therapy are
restricted to the actual patient and are not passed on to his or her children. All gene
therapy to date on humans has been directed at somatic cells, whereas germline
engineering in humans remains controversial and prohibited in for instance the European
Union.( Please watch ) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ChXI6cSQs0

Gene therapy approaches:

The use of vectors in gene therapy.
There are multiple approaches to gene therapy research, including inserting a
healthy copy of the mutated gene, inactivating a mutated gene that is functioning
improperly, or introducing a new gene into a target tissue, such as the retina, in the body.
Somatic gene therapy can be broadly split into two categories:
1. Ex vivo - which means exterior (where cells are modified outside the body and then
transplanted back in again). In some gene therapy clinical trials, cells from the patient’s
blood or bone marrow are removed and grown in the laboratory. The cells are exposed
to the virus that is carrying the desired gene. The virus enters the cells and inserts the
desired gene into the cells’ DNA. The cells grow in the laboratory and are then returned
to the patient by injection into a vein. This type of gene therapy is called ex vivo because
the cells are treated outside the body.
2. In vivo - which means interior (where genes are changed in cells still in the body). This
form of gene therapy is called in vivo, because the gene is transferred to cells inside the
patient’s body

An ideal vector.
 112

As extensively evaluated in clinical trials, the outcome of gene therapy relies heavily on
both the vector and the efficient delivery of the gene to the target cell.
An ideal vector should be able to protect a transgene against degradation by nucleases,
allow transport of the transgene into the nucleus of target cells, and have minimal
inflammatory effects. Viruses are used because they can efficiently gain access to
host cells to exploit the cellular machinery and facilitate their replication.

Viruses used as vectors

a. The adeno-associated virus (AAV) is a small, nonenveloped virus that packages

a linear, single-stranded DNA genome. It usually remains within the target tissues as
episomal entities, although integration into the host cell genome can rarely occur.

b. The adenovirus (Ad) is a nonenveloped virus that contains a linear, double-

stranded DNA genome. It has one of the largest capacities for delivering transgenes, is
episomal, and offers minimal risk of insertional mutagenesis. Ad has a high inflammatory
potential.9

c. The lentivirus (LV) is an enveloped retrovirus containing a positive-sense, single-

stranded RNA genome. It integrates its genome into the chromosomes of target cells and
can provide long-term expression in dividing cells. LV has a low inflammatory potential.

(Taken from-
https://www.asharedvision.com/hcp/gene-therapy-
approaches#:~:text=There%20are%20multiple%20approaches%20to,the%20retina%2C%20in%20the%20body.)

Non- Viral DNA Carriers

 113

Non -viral delivery methods may be safer than viral methods . Some of these nonviral
methods include:
a. Cationic liposomes - are positively charged lipids that can interact with negatively
charged DNA, forming a lipid -DNA complex that can traverse cell membranes .
Advantages of cationic liposomes include : formation of a stable complex; can carry
large -sized DNA; can target specific cells, and do not induce immunological
reactions . However , it has : low transfection efficiency ; shows transient
expression only; shows inhibition by serum , and it can be toxic to certain types.
b. Naked plasmid DNA injection – A gene construct is made composed of a gene of
interest with a promoter to direct protein synthesis.

Example of gene therapy clinical trials for diseases include:

1. Severe Combined Immuno-Deficiency ( SCID)

2. Cystic Fibrosis (CF )
3. Advanced Central Nervous System Malignancy
4. Mesothelioma
5. Ornithine Transcarbamylase Deficiency
6. Hemophilia
7. Sickle cell Disease

Death from gene therapy

The first reported case of death from gene therapy was in 1999.Jesse Gelsinger ,
18 years old and was suffering from ornithine transcarbamylase deficiency(OTC) that
causes a build of ammonia , was given the gene for this enzyme in an adenovirus vector.
Four days after the infusion of the recombinant virus into his liver , he died from
complications resulting from a clotting disorder and organ failure due to the adenovirus.

Success of Gene Therapy

In 2003, the first commercial gene therapy was approved in China. The therapy
marketed under the name Gendicine , treats head and neck squamous cell carcinoma .
This is an injectable therapy that contains an adenovirus vector with p53 tumor-
suppressor gene.

What are some ethical issues surrounded by Gene Therapy

Because gene therapy involves making changes to the body’s set of basic instructions, it
raises many unique ethical concerns. The ethical questions surrounding gene therapy
include:
 How can “good” and “bad” uses of gene therapy be distinguished?
 Who decides which traits are normal and which constitute a disability or
disorder?
 Will the high costs of gene therapy make it available only to the wealthy?
 Could the widespread use of gene therapy make society less accepting of people
who are different?
 114

 Should people be allowed to use gene therapy to enhance basic human traits
such as height, intelligence, or athletic ability?
Current gene therapy research has focused on treating individuals by targeting
the therapy to body cells such as bone marrow or blood cells. This type of gene therapy
cannot be passed to a person’s children. Gene therapy could be targeted to egg and
sperm cells (germ cells), however, which would allow the inserted gene to be passed to
future generations. This approach is known as germline gene therapy.
The idea of germline gene therapy is controversial. While it could spare future
generations in a family from having a particular genetic disorder, it might affect the
development of a fetus in unexpected ways or have long-term side effects that are not
yet known. Because people who would be affected by germline gene therapy are not yet
born, they can’t choose whether to have the treatment. Because of these ethical
concerns, the U.S. Government does not allow federal funds to be used for research on
germline gene therapy in people.

In summary:
Summary

 Gene therapy is the transfer of a therapeutic or working copy of a gene into

specific cells of an individual.
 The technique may be used to replace a faulty gene, or to introduce a new
gene whose function is to cure or to favourably modify the symptoms of a condition
 Gene therapy is still an experimental technique and much research remains to be
done before this approach to the treatment of conditions will realize its full potential.

Gene Therapy News

• A family is trying to raise over $2 million to give their baby a gene therapy treatment
to save her life - CNN Jul 12, 2020 | 00:45 am
• Neurogene's Gene Therapy for CLN5 Named Orphan Drug by FDA - Batten
Disease News Jul 10, 2020 | 18:00 pm
• Freeline Raises $120M for Pivotal Trial of FLT180a, a Gene Therapy... -
Hemophilia News Today Jul 10, 2020 | 14:00 pm
• ‘Incredible Progress': New Research Reports Possible Gene Therapy for ALS -
NBC10 Boston Jul 9, 2020 | 02:22 am
• Biogen boosts gene therapy strategy with Harvard pact focused on inherited eye
disease – Fierce Biotech Jul 6, 2020 | 16:55 pm

ACTIVITY 1
A. Briefly discuss the following:

1. What are the advantages and disadvantages of gene therapy?

________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
 115

________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________.

2. Should this method be used to prevent disease in addition to treating a diseases?

________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________.

Self-Assessment Questions:

B. Choose and encircle the letter of the correct answer.

1. The first reported case of death from gene therapy was in 1999 and was
suffering from ornithine transcarbamylase deficiency(OTC) that causes a build
of ammonia, he died from complications resulting from a clotting disorder and
organ failure due to what virus?
a. Adenovirus
b. Adeno -associated virus
c. Lentivirus

2. Which of the following disorders is less than 100% heritable and this disease
may be dependent on environmental factors and lifestyle?
a. Chromosomal abnormalities
b. Mitochondrial disorders
c. Multigene disorders

3. Is Germline gene therapy is a transfer of a section of DNA to any cell of the

body that will not be passed onto the patient’s children?
a. Yes
b. No
c. Maybe

4. The first country in the world that has approved commercial gene therapy
products like Gendicine.
a. China
b. Europe
c. U.S

5. Market registration of a gene therapy products in US requires approval by

which of the following organizations?
a. NIH
b. FDA
 116

c. EMA

References:

Hedreyda, Cynthia T. A General Education Biotechnology . National Institute of

Molecular Biology and Biotechnology. College of Science, University of the
Philippines , Diliman, Q.C ,Philippines.
http://www.genetherapynet.com/13-viruses-/herpesvirus-viral-vectors/13-types-of-gene-
therapy.html
https://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/primer/therapy/ethics
https://www.slideshare.net/damarisb/gene-therapy-27039196
https://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/primer/therapy/genetherapy
https://www.genetics.edu.au/publications-and-resources/facts-sheets/fact-sheet-23-
gene-therapy

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ChXI6cSQs0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BxEoX6TkitY
https://www.asharedvision.com/hcp/gene-therapy-
approaches#:~:text=There%20are%20multiple%20approaches%20to,the%20retina%2
C%20in%20the%20body.

Answer to Self-Assessment Questions (ASAQ):

1. a - Adenovirus
2. c - Multigene disorders
3. b – No
4. a – China
5. b - FDA

Contributed By:

MARY JEAN M. PAZ, LPT, MAT

Associate Professor 1, URS Pililla
 117

Module 15

CLIMATE CHANGE AND ENERGY CRISIS

By: Prof. Bernardita O. Regalado

(Source: https://pixabay.com)

OBJECTIVES

1. Identify and explain the cause and effect of global warming.

2. List down some preventive measures to avoid global warming.
3. Appreciate the importance of saving our mother earth for the next generation.

INTRODUCTION

The Philippines is highly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, including sea
level rise, increased frequency of extreme weather events, rising temperatures and
extreme rainfall. The Philippines lies in the world's most cyclone-prone region, averaging
19–20 cyclones each year, of which 7–9 make landfall.
Climate change is a long-term change in the average weather patterns that have
come to define Earth's local, regional and global climates. These changes have a broad
range of observed effects that are synonymous with the term. It is the defining issue of
our time and we are at a defining moment. From shifting weather patterns that threaten
food production, to rising sea levels that increase the risk of catastrophic flooding, the
impacts of climate change are global in scope and unprecedented in scale. Without
drastic action today, adapting to these impacts in the future will be more difficult and
costly.

CONTENTS
 118

Activity: Warm-Up: You will engage in a free write in a one sheet of paper for some
minutes in response to the term “climate change.” This practice of informal writing can
encourage them to activate prior knowledge and to explore questions that they have in a
nonthreatening, non-evaluative way. Write what you know, what you think you know, what
you’ve heard, what you’re confused or unsure about, or what you want to know. After
you’ve done writing, you will choose a partner to read each other’s writing. After hearing
each other’s writings, you’ll work together to write a collaborative summary in which you’ll
combine your ideas.

Visit the site for presentation:

Climate change
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ztWHqUFJRTs
Global warming
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y3gqoDUtmt4
Greenhouse effect
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_sJzVe9P_8

After viewing one or more of these resources, you will work in groups to answer the guided
questions:

Self-Assessment Questions:

A. Essay
1. What is global warming?
2. What cause global warming?
3. How do you prevent global warming?
4. How can you contribute towards saving the planet?

B. Read and analyze the statements below: Write the word True if the statement is correct
and False if otherwise.
_________1) Greenhouse gases (GHGs) act like a blanket in the atmosphere, trapping
heat and warming the planet.
_________2) Human-caused emissions of carbon come from both the burning of fossil
fuels and from land-use changes such as deforestation and land-clearing.
_________3) The following gases are not GHGs: nitrous oxide (N2O), methane (CH4),
water vapor (H20) and chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs).
_________4) Climate change refers only to the increasing temperature of the earth's
surface.
_________5) As climate warms, we will no longer have snow storms and cold days.
_________6) The majority of human-caused carbon emissions come from the burning of
fossil fuels.
_________7) Climate change is predicted to greatly affect the natural resources (such as
water) that people depend on.
_________8) Individual actions, such as replacing all of your old light bulbs with Compact
Fluorescent light bulbs, will help reduce the amount of GHGs in the atmosphere.
 119

_________9) All climate scientists in the 1970s were saying that we were going into an
Ice Age or cooler Earth.
_________10) The Earth had warmer periods than contemporary times and higher
carbon dioxide levels so that proves that climate change is natural and that all of the fuss
is exaggerated.

Answers to Assessment B:

1. True 6. True
2. True 7. True
3. False 8. True
4. False 9. False
5. False 10.False

References:
https://climate.nasa.gov › resources › global-warming-vs-climate-change
https://www.un.org/en/sections/issues-depth/climate-change/
https://www.climatelinks.org › resources › climate-change-risk-profile-philip
https://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/philippines/climate-change.htm
https://www.forbes.com/sites/marshallshepherd/2019/12/15/can-you-pass-this-9-
question-climate-change-quiz/#3591e5816e4c
https://www3.epa.gov/region1/eco/uep/ccquiz.html

Contributed by:

PROF. BERNARDITA O. REGALADO

Associate Professor IV, URS Pililla
 120

Module 16

ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS
By: Prof. Bernardita O. Regalado

OBJECTIVES
1. Give and explain the meaning of environmental awareness.
2. List down ways on how to promote environmental awareness.
3. Realize the importance of environmental awareness in our lives.

Introduction:
The environment is a hot topic across the world and much has been said about the
need for action to protect our planet. If current trends in climate change continue,
temperatures could increase between 3 and 6 degrees Celsius by 2050. Such large
temperature increases would lead to water shortages for billions of people, reduce
agricultural yields, increase malnutrition related deaths by millions and lead to the
extinction of a large part of animal species. Thus global warming, air and water pollution,
overuse of fertilizers, the negative implication of use of plastics and polythene,
conservation of energy and fuel resources, are all topics of current concern to not just a
few, but to everyone. Before you can begin promoting environmental awareness in your
own community you must first make sure that you have a thorough understanding of
environmental issues. When learning about the environment’s declining health it is easy
to feel discouraged, but what keeps us fighting for a healthy world is the future of our
children. They should not have to inherit our environmental problems and in order to keep
their future bright, spreading awareness is imperative.
 121

CONTENTS

Activity 1-“Flower pot planting”

The student will make a video demonstration on how to plant the flower of their choice in
a pot. By means of doing this, they will learn how to nurture this flower and have the
chance to lookout them grow, making them care about plants and nature.
Visit the site for presentation:
https://slideplayer.com/slide/9354780/
https://www.slideshare.net/memijecruz/environmentalism-51883586

After viewing one or more of these resources, you will work in groups to answer the
guided questions:
Self-Assessment Questions:

1. What is the meaning of environmental awareness?

2. Why do we need environmental awareness?
3. How can we promote environmental awareness?
4. What is the importance of environmental awareness?

Assessment:
Read and analyze the statement and choose the letter of the correct answer.
1. “World Environmental Day” and World Water Day” are observed on?
a) World Environment Day on 3rd June and World Water Day on 21st March
b) World Environment Day on 22nd March and World Water Day on 5th June
c) World Environment Day on 5th June and World Water Day on 23rd March
d) World Environment Day on 5th June and World Water Day on 22nd March

2. The fundamental objectives of Environmental Education are

a) World Environment Day on 3rd June and World Water Day on 21st March
b) World Environment Day on 22nd March and World Water Day on 5th June
c) World Environment Day on 5th June and World Water Day on 23rd March
d) World Environment Day on 5th June and World Water Day on 22nd March

3. The primary objective of Ecotourism is

a) Conservation of Environment
b) Promotion of Literature
c) Protection of Constitutional Rights
d) Revolution in Technology

4. It is not a major consequence of global warming

 122

a) Climate changes
b) Rise of mean sea level of water
c) Submerge of coastal lowland areas
d) Formation of mountain ranges

5. If the areas in and around cities generally warmer than comparable rural areas is
known as
a) Smart city land
b) Urban heat island
c) Green city land
d) Sustainable city land

6. Almost 99% of clean air consists of two gases which are

a) Carbon dioxide and nitrogen
b) Oxygen and carbon dioxide
c) Carbon dioxide and argon
d) Nitrogen and oxygen

7. Changes in the environment observed due to lockdown

a) Improvement in air quality
b) Cleaning of the river water
c) Both a and b
d) None of these

8. Which of the following is a non-conventional source of energy does not

responsible for any kind of pollution?
a) Coal
b) Natural gas
c) Solar
d) Petroleum

9. Grassland is an example of which type of ecosystem?

a) Coal
b) Natural gas
c) Solar
d) Petroleum

10. It is comparatively perfect plastic and e-waste disposal method?

a) Landfill
b) Burning
c) Recycling
d) Dumping
 123

Answers to Assessment

1. A 6. D
2. D 7. C
3. A 8. C
4. D 9. B
5. B 10. C

References:
https://courses.comet.training/course/info.php?id=56
https://www.proprofs.com/quiz-school/quizshow.php?title=mjc4mtuwoqlk5v&q=1
https://slideplayer.com/slide/9354780/
https://www.slideshare.net/memijecruz/environmentalism-51883586

Contributed by:

PROF. BERNARDITA O. REGALADO

Associate Professor IV, URS Pililla