1. Identify several issues in the Philippines.

What Science and technology-related

policies could be developed and implemented to solve these issues?

First of all, the government should increase its budget on Education as

investment for the development of Science and Technology. Under Duterte’s
administration, the budget for Education which forms a basic requirement for
advancement in technology is comparatively low accounting only for about 4.17% of the
budget. In addition, it must change its policy from autocratic to a democratic way of
solving conflicts like the handling of Manila Water arbitral case in Singapore wherein the
president himself declared that he will not honor the ruling of the court contributing to
the loss of trust from investors. Such loss in confidence is very evident wherein not a
single from hundreds of Multinational leaving China relocated to the Philippines. Other
than education, the manufacturing sector is one of the most vital sources of a country’s
technology as can be seen in the case of China. It is therefore necessary for a country
to improve its educational system and research facilities together with an attractive
business environment to develop science and technology issues in the Philippines.

Furthermore, renewable clean energy should be preferred over traditional ones.

The Philippines have vast potential for its renewable energy, because it is abundant in
natural resources and is located in a region with favorable climatic conditions. We have
vast potential in harnessing our resources for biomass, geothermal, hydropower, solar
and wind production and making it as a sustainable source of energy, reducing the
reliance on coal, petroleum and other non-renewable sources. As for the problem with
our garbage disposal, we can create garbage liquification and gasification facilities to
convert our filth into a usable energy source. Many recyclable trash should also be
distributed in recycling facilities to avoid being stuck in landfills.

Lastly, Degraded and denuded lands should be reforested again. We should

plant more trees to preserve the ecological balance of our country and prevent our
animal and plant species from becoming extinct. We should plant the right species of
trees, and we should prefer native ones ( Apitong, Ipil, Kamagong, Lauan, Narra, Yakal,
etc) more than foreign ones to preserve our tree species once found in our primeval
forests.
Our coastal areas should be planted with mangroves to increase the vitality of
our marine ecosystems and increase the food production of our fishermen. Mangroves
also serve as natural barriers against water-borne disasters, such as tidal surges,
whirlpools and other similar phenomena. These are just some of the important things
that I want to emphasize in tackling some of the important issues plaguing my country
today.
2. Discuss science-related issues and problems in the country.

Contraceptives and Pollution. The Philippines is still a “ conservative” Catholic country.

The use of contraceptives is highly discouraged. I believe a reform in our curriculum
regarding sex education and responsible parenthood should be revised and heavily
explained in our school curriculum. Couples should be given wider access to
contraceptives to avoid unwanted pregnancies. Those who are poor and illiterate should
be taught by government health workers regarding this matter through public forums
and seminars. It should be mandatory. On the other hand, the Philippines is polluted
because the people do not care. As a contrast, look at Japan, which is an island nation
with few resources. They keep their country clean as a part of their culture. Trash is
sorted out in multiple recycling bins depending on type. What is not recycled is disposed
of properly. The final waste is incinerated or used to fill in the ocean and create more
land. In the Philippines trash is thrown on the ground. Where it ultimately washes into
the ocean.