SCIENCE EDUCATION IN THE PHILIPPINES (STS NOTES)

HOMO LUZONENSIS

The earliest known hominin remains in the Philippines is the fossil discovered in 2007 in the Callao
Caves in Cagayan. The 67,000-year-old find predates the 47,000-year-old Tabon Man, which was
until then the earliest known set of human remains in the archipelago. The find consisted of a single
61 millimeter metatarsal which was dated using uranium series ablation. It was initially thought to be
possibly one of the oldest Homo sapiens remains in the Asia-Pacific
Excavations in 2011 and 2015 saw researchers led by Florent Détroit of the Musée de l'homie
at the Natural History Museum in Paris and Armand Mijares of the University of the Philippines
in Quezon City find 12 more bones and teeth in the same spot where the foot bone was
discovered
Homo luzonensis, also locally called ubag after a mythical caveman, is an extinct, possibly pygmy,
species of archaic human from the Late Pleistocene of Luzon, the Philippines. Their remains, teeth
and phalanges, are only known from Callao Cave in the northern part of the island dating to before
50,000 years ago.
Video on Homo Luzonensis and Tabon Cave Remains
Tabon Man refers to remains discovered in the Tabon Caves in Lipuun Point in Quezon, Palawan in
the Philippines. They were discovered by Robert B. Fox, an American anthropologist of the National
Museum of the Philippines, on May 28, 1962.
.  Manunggul Jar is a secondary burial jar excavated from a Neolithic burial site in
the Manunggul cave of the Tabon Caves at Lipuun Point in Palawan, Philippines. It
dates from 890–710 B.C. and the two prominent figures at the top handle of its cover
represent the journey of the soul to the afterlife

THE LAGUNA COPPERPLATE INSCRIPTION (JAN 1990):

The Laguna copperplate inscription (Tagalog: Kasulatang tansong natagpuan sa

Laguna) is an official document, more precisely an acquittance, inscribed in the Shaka
year 822 (Gregorian A.D. 900). It is the earliest known calendar-dated document used
within the Philippine Islands.

Discovered: 1989; Lumban, Laguna, Philippines

Present location: National Museum of the Phili...

Created: 900

VIEW THE COPPER PLATE THROUGH GOOGLE (THE INSCRIPTION S AND TRANSLATIONS)

Is the Laguna copper plate inscription authentic?

 The LCI is genuine and authentic, based on the identical script-type known to have
existed during the tenth century, and the correctness of the language(s) employed,
substantial elements that would be hard to imitate or falsify at the present time without
being noticed by the experts.

What is the use of discovered copper plate in Laguna in writing the history of the
Philippines?

This shows evidence that our ancestors have civilize. Because of this copper plate
we can see a chance to see the past history of our ancestors. Some of the past
teachings that our country has been discovered by the Spaniards and we are not civilize
country

It measures around 20 cm by 30 cm and is inscribed with ten lines of writing on one side. The text
was mostly written in Old Malay with influences of Sanskrit, Old Javanese and Old Tagalog using
the Kawi script. Dutch anthropologist Antoon Postma deciphered the text and found that it identified
the date of its inscription in the "Year of Saka 822, month of Vaisakha."

The Most Fascinating Archaeological Discoveries in the Philippines.

 The “Yawning” Jarlet of Leta-Leta Cave.
 The Callao Man.
 The Laguna Copper Plate Inscription (LCI).
 The Flying Elephant of Lena Shoal.
 The Manunggul Jar.
 Oton Death Mask.
 Bolinao Skull.
 Maitum Anthropomorphic Burial Jar.

PHIL. PREHISTORY

1. There are more than a hundred languages and dialects that exist in the country today. Of these, eight
are considered major languages, namely: Sugbuhanon (Cebuano), Tagalog, Iloko, Pangasinan,
Hiligaynon (ilonggo), Kapangpangan, Magindanaw, Samarnon (waray-waray) They are sister-
languages and belong to one family of languages called Austronesian or Malayo-Polynesian.
2. When the Spaniards set foot on Philippine soil, they found the Filipinos writing in their native
syllabary or alphabet. The philippine alphabet is called syllabary because every letter is pronounced as
a syllable. The tagalog script was called baybayin, sometimes erroneously called alibata. It considered
of three vowels and fourteen consonants, whith a total of 17 letters. The writing system was
horizontal, from left to right.
 SHOW VIDEO: BAYBAYIN
3. Filipinos are considered born musicians. They play several musical instruments although they have
not studied music formally. The natives of cebu played instruments made of bamboo and wood like a
stringed instrument called the kudyapi. Among the Negritos of Zambales and Bataan, the favorite
musical instrument were the bansic, a sort of a flute and the gangsa, a kind of guitar.The Ilocanos have
their musical instrument like the kutibeng, a sort of guitar with five strings; the flute ; and the kudyapi.
They also dances. Among the bisayans, the favorite were the balitaw and dandansoy. The ancient
Filipinos from all regions had dances and songs for all occasions.
4. The art of the earliest Filipinos may be seen in their tools and weapons. These tools were at first
rough, but as time went on, the Filipinos began to polish them. Later, beads, amulets, bracelets and
other ornaments were used to improve their appearance.
5. Shell tools, in the archaeological perspective, were tools fashioned by pre-historic humans
from shells in lieu of stone tools. The use of shell tools during pre-historic times was a
practice common to inhabitants of environments that lack the abundance of hard stones for
making tools. This was the case with the islands surrounding the Pacific, including
the Philippines. Shells were fashioned into tools, as well as ornaments. From adzes, scoops,
spoons, dippers and other tools to personal ornaments such as earrings, anklets, bracelets
and beads. These different artefacts made of shells were unearthed from various
archaeological sites from the country.
6.  The pre-Spanish Filipinos practiced agriculture, which was the main source of livelihood. They also
practiced irrigation. They increased their crop production by irrigating ditches. This is proven by the
rice terraces in Banawe. Aside from agriculture, they went into such industries such as fishing,
mining, shipbuilding, poultry, stock-raising, lumbering and weaving.
7. Mining was another important industry. Gold is obtained from rivers and in some places, from mines,
which the native work.
8.  Shipbuilding and lumbering were thriving industries. The filipino shipbuilders built all kinds of boats
for travel, war, and commerce. Domestic and foreign trade existed long before the Spaniards arrived
in the Philippines. Domestic commerce between barangays and islands was carried on through the
waterways.
9.  On the other hand, foreign trade was carried on with countries like China, Japan, Siam (Thailand),
Cambodia, Sumatra, Borneo, Java, and other islands of Malaysia. Because currency was not in use,
the pre- Spanish Filipinos used the barter system in their commercial transactions. The Chinese traders
testified that the Filipinos were honest and paid their debts to the traders even after many months had
passed.

A Brief History Science and Technology in the Philippines

 Before the Spanish times
a. Stone age -Archeological findings show that modern man from Asia mainland first
came over on across narrow channel to live in Batangas and Palawan then they
formed settlements in Sulu, Davao, Zamboanga, Samar, Negros, Laguna, Rizal,
Bulacan and Cagayan. They made simple tools and weapons of stones flake and
later developed method of drilling and polishing stones around 40,000 BC. By
around 3,000 BC they were producing adzes ornaments of sea shells and pottery.
Pottery flourished for the 2,000 years until they imported Chinese porcelain
b. Iron Age- Filipinos were engaged in extraction , smelting and refining iron from
ores until the importation of cast iron from Sarawak and later from China they
knew curative values of some plants and extract medicine from herbs. They had no
calendar but counted the years by the period from one harvest to the another. The
Filipinos from Butuan were trading with Champa (Vietman) and those from Ma-1
(Mindoro) and San-Hau (Palawan) with China. Filipinos from Sulu and Mindanao
traded with Borneo, Malacca and Malay Peninsula. Alliances between rulers of
Brunei and Manila had become strengthened by marriages.
During Spanish Times
 1521 - The Philippines was colonized by Spain in the sixteenth century.
 Higher education was provided by schools set up by the different order in urban centers –
Colegio de San Ildefonso, Cebu -1595
Colegio de San Ignacio, Manila – 1595
Colegio de Nuestra Senora del Rosario, Manila -1597
Colegio de San Jose , Manila -1601
The Royal and Pontifical University of Santo Tomas , Manila -1611
 Attention were given by the religious orders to health as the establishment of early charity
hospital as San Lazaro in 1578.
 The Real Sociedad Economica de los Amigos Del Pais de Filipinas founded by Governador
Basco Y Vargas in 1780 to encouraged research in agriculture and industry. The society
promoted the cultivation of indigo, cotton,cinnamon and silk industry.
 The school of school of medicine and pharmacy were opened at University of Santo
Tomas in 1871. The first six graduates who included Leon Ma.Guerrero , the father of
Philippines Pharmacy due to his work on Medicinal plants.
 In 1887 the Manila School of Agriculture was created designed to provide theoretical as
well as practical education of skilled overseer, farmer and promote agricultural
environment in the country by observation analysis and experiment. These schools were
financed by the government but its direction was left to the priests.
 The Jesuits promoted meteorological studies founding the Manila observatory at the
Ateneo Municipal de Manila in 1865. This observation collected and made available
observations about weather conditions and typhoons, leading to the first public warning
by Federico Faura in 1879.
 In 1887, the Laboratoro Municipal which later became Bureau of Science was established
to undertake pathological studies of infectious diseases. Some private pharmaceutical
firms were also engaged in this activity, such as Botica Boie, the Botica de Santa Cruz and
the pharmacy establishment of Anaclito del Rosario where the Ebert Bacillus was
discovered.

 The Spanish – American War of 1898 ended Spain’s colonial empire in the Western Hemisphere
and secured the position of the United State as a Pacific power. The war enabled the United
States to establish its predominance in the Caribbean region and pursue its strategic and
economic interest in Asia.

THE AMERICAN REGIMES –

 1901 the Department of Public Information was created, It provided for the establishment
of schools for primary education with English as the medium of instruction. A Philippine
Normal School to train Filipino teachers was set up.
 1902 Secondary schools were opened and Philippine Medical School was established in
1905
 The University of the Philippines was created in 1908 with early colleges that included the
College of Agriculture in Los Banos, Laguna in 1909. Then the College of Liberal Arts,
College of Engineering, College of Veterinary Medicine, College of Laws and more
colleges follow.
 1935- The Philippines became a self-governing commonwealth. Manuel Quezon was elected
president was task with preparing the country for independence after a five year transition.
 1942 – The islands fell under Japanese occupation during WW 11. US forces and Filipinos fought
together 1944-45 to regain control.
 1946 – The Republic of the Philippines attained its independence. Manuel Roxas became the
first president of an independent Republic of the Philippines .
  1958 - Pres. Carlos P. Garcia, the Philippine Congress passed the Science Act which
established the National Science Development Board.
 1982 NSBD revamped as the National Science and Technology Authority (NSTA) and
accorded broader policy-making and program implementing functions;
 1987 NSTA elevated to Cabinet level and becomes the DOST in response to
increasing demands for S&T intervention in national development.
 1963 the Manila Science High School- the first science high school.
 Philippine Science High School System - the service institute of DOST to prepare student
with science career
