SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY & SOCIETY

TRENDS IN STS
▹ TRENDS IN STS
1. CONVERGENCE
 is the synergy of technological advancements to work on a similar goal or
task.
▹ TRENDS IN STS
2. SOCIAL MEDIA
 is a website, application, or online channel that enables web users web
users to create , co-create, discuss modify, and exchange user generated
content.
▹ TRENDS IN STS
2. SOCIAL MEDIA
• Social Networks - These are sites that allows you to connect with other
people with the same interests or background.
Examples: Twitter, Instagram, Facebook
▹ TRENDS IN STS
2. SOCIAL MEDIA
• Social News - A website where user can post stories and are ranked based
on the popularity through voting.
Examples: Digg, Reddit, Slashdot, Fark
▹ TRENDS IN STS
2. SOCIAL MEDIA
• Bookmarking Sites - Sites that allow you to store and manage links to
various website and resources. Most of the sites allow you to create a tag to
others.
▹ TRENDS IN STS
2. SOCIAL MEDIA
• Media Sharing - A website that allows you to share and store multimedia
files such as video, photos and music.
Examples: Instagram, YouTube, Flickr
▹ TRENDS IN STS
2. SOCIAL MEDIA
• Microblogging - a website that allows you to broadcast short message.
Examples: Twitter, Tumblr, Meetme
▹ TRENDS IN STS
2. SOCIAL MEDIA
• Blogs and Forums - a discussion website that allows user to ask questions
and comments on a journal posted by an individual or group.
Examples: Wordpress, Blogger
▹ TRENDS IN STS
3. Mobile Technologies
 The popularity of smartphones and tablets has taken a major rise over the
years.
 This is largely because of the devices capability to do the tasks that were
originally found in PCs.
▹ TRENDS IN STS
4. Assistive Media
 A platform that assist people with disability. It will guide the individual like a
blind person by using an audio recording.
Science and technology in the Philippines: a historical perspective
Philippine science and technology has a long history. It started before Spain
colonized the country where some indigenous already existed with regards to wet
rice and dry rice agriculture.
The use of technology was also evident in the
 Handicrafts
 Pottery
 Weaving
 Metal ware and boats used by ancient Filipinos.
Filipinos before Spanish colonization were already engaged in
 Farming
 Shipbuilding
 Mining
 Weaving.
The Banaue Rice Terraces is a sophisticated product of engineering by pre-Spanish
Filipinos.

Spanish Colonial Period.

- The colonization of the Philippines contributes to the growth of science and
technology in the archipelago. The Spaniards introduced formal education
and founded scientific institutions. 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 were taught to natives. Later the Spaniards
established colleges and universities in the archipelago including University
of Santo Tomas.
 - The study of medicine in the Philippines was given priority. In 1897, the
school of medicine and pharmacy was opened in the university of Santo
Tomas. It also contributed to the field of engineering in the island by
constructing government buildings, churches, roads, bridges and forts.
The Jesuits promoted meteorological studies and founded the Manilla
Observatory at the Ateneo Municipal de Manila.

American Period and Post Commonwealth Era

- The progress of science and technology continued under American rule. On
July 1, 1901, the Philippine Commission established the Bureau of
Government Laboratories which was placed under the Department of
interior. The Bureau replaced the Laboratorio Municipal which was
established during the Spanish era.
- On October 26, 1905, the Bureau of Government Laboratories was replaced
by the Bureau of Science. The Bureau dealt with the study of tropical
diseases. With the progress of Science and Technology, on December 8,
1933, the National Research Council of the Philippines was recognized. The
Bureau of science became the primary research center of the Philippines
until World war 11.
- In 1946 the Bureau of Science was replaced by the Institute of science. In
1958, during the regime of President Carlos P. Garcia, the Philippine
Congress passed the Science Act of 1958 which established the National
Science Development Board.

President Fidel v. Ramos’ term

During the Ramos administration, the Department of Science and
Technology initiated a Science and Technology Agenda for Development
(STAND) which embodies the country’s task development plan for 1993-
1998. In 1998, a president task force was formed to deal with the
overall problems confronting Research and Development in the country.
THE TASK FORCE WAS COMPOSED OF THE
>DEPARTMENT OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
>DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
>DEPARTMENT OF TRADE IN INDUSTRY
 >DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION AND COMMUNICATION

Another Science and Technology framework plan entitled ‘Competence,

Competitive Conscience: the Medium-Term Plan of the Department of
Science and Technology (1999-2004). Its six (6) flagship programs are:
1) Comprehensive program to enhance technology enteprises;
2) Integrated program on clean technologies;
3) Establishment of a packaging R and D center;
4) Expansion of regional meteorology centers;
5) S & T intervention program for the poor, vulnerable and disabled;
6) Comprehensive science and technology that science and
technology program for Mindanao
During his term, he was able to established programs that were
significant to the field of science and technology. In 1993,, Science
and Technology Agenda for National Development (STAND) was
established.
Among its priority were:
1) Exporting winners identified by the DTI
2) Domestic needs identified by Presidential Council for Countryside
Development;
3) Support industries.
4) Coconut industry development.

Among the laws enacted by Congress during President Ramos’

term were the

1) Magna Carta for Science and Technology Personnel (R.A. 8439);

2) Science and Technology Scholarship Law of 1004 (R.A. No. 7687)
3) Inventors and Inventions Incentives Act (Republic Act No. 7459)
The Intellectual Property Code of the Philippines (Republic Act
No. 8293) was also enacted which provides industrial property
rights, copyrights and related, and technology transfer
arrangements.
President Joseph Estrada’s term

During the term of President Joseph Estrada , two major legislations that he
signed were the Philippine Clean Air act of 1999 (Republic Act No, 8792) which
was designed to protect and preserve the environment and ensure the
sustainable development of its natural resources, and Electronic Commerce Act of
2000 (Republic Act No. 8792) which outlaws computer hacking and provides
opportunities for new business emerging from the Internet-driven New Economy.
Aside from this, he launched a full-scale program based on cost-effective irrigation
technologies. He also announced that dole-outs are out, which meant basic health
care, basic nutrition, and useful education for those who want, but cannot afford.

Science and technology during President Gloria M. Arroyo’s term

- In the Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo administration, the science and technology
sector of the Philippines was dubbed as the “golden age” of science and
technology by secretary Estrella Alabastro. There were numerous laws and
projects that concern both the environment and science to push technology
as a tool to increase thee country’s economic level.
- This is to help increase the productivity from science, technology and
innovations (STI) and help benefit the poor people. Moreover the term
“Filipinovation” was coined term used in helping the Philippines to be an
innovation hub in Asia.
- Science, Technology and innovation (STI) was developed further by
strengthening the schools and education system such as the Philippines
Science High School (PSHS), which focuses on science, technology and
mathematics in their curriculum.
- One of the more known laws to be passed by her administration was the
- R.A. 9367 or the “Biofuels” Act.
- This act promotes the development and usage of biofuels throughout the
country. This potentially enables a cheaper alternative to gasoline as a
medium in producing energy. Also, this benefits the environment since it
boasts a cleaner emission compared to regular fuel.

President Benigno C. Aquino 111

Science education in the Philippines
In an effort to improve the efficiency of both land and water, the
government passed Republic Act 10601 which improves the Agriculture
and Fisheries Sector through Mechanism (AFMech). R.A. 10601 also
covers research, development, and extension (RDE), promotion,
distribution, supply, assembling, manufacturing, regulation, use,
operation, maintenance and project implementation of agricultural and
fisheries machinery and equipment.
- In 2010, President Benigno Aquino was considered as the
“Father of Organic Agriculture” because of his work on the
Organic Agricultural Act of 2010 (R.A. 10068). The International
Rice Researched Institute (IRRI) is an international research
consortium, including the Philippines, which serves to improve the
rice production and quality through biotechnology and research.
- Overall records and statistics about the Philippine agricultural
growth is provided by the CountrySTAT Philippines. In 2014, gross
domestic product (GDP) increased by 6.13%. The gross value
added (GVA) in agriculture and fishing went up by 1.60% and this
accounted for 10% of the GDP increase.
- The harmonized Agenda for Science and Technology was
presented to President Aquino in 2014 and it included two crucial
issues, inclusive growth and disaster risk reduction.
- On May 23, 2016, Republic Act No. 19844, otherwise known as
DICT Act of 2015, was signed into law. Under this law, the
Department of information and Communications Technology will
take charge of planning, developing, and promoting the national
ICT development agenda.
Science Education in the Philippines
The new science program decongest the competencies and arranges
them in spiral progression. While in the old curriculum, a specific
discipline is being offered per grade level such that general science is
offered in the first year, biology in second year, chemistry in the third
year and physics for the fourth year.

Marcos Era and Martial Law

- Science was given importance during the Marcos Regime. In the amended
1973 Philippine Constitution, Article XV, Section 9 (1), he declared that the
“advancement of science and technology shall have priority in national
“Development”. In his two terms of presidency and during Martial Law,
many laws were enacted promoting science and technology.
- On January 23, 1967, he declared that science was necessary for the
development programs, and thus, directed the Department of Education to
revitalize the science courses in public high schools. DepEd and the National
Science Development Board (NSDB) organized a project to provide selected
high schools with science teaching equipment over a four-year period.
- In 1968 technology was recognized as the leading factor in economic
development and thus additional funds were channeled to support projects
in applied sciences and science education. A big part of the war damage
funds was allocated to fund private universities and encourage them to
pursue programs in science, technology and research.
- Seminars were also conducted for public and private high school and
college science teachers. Training programs and scholarships were awarded
to graduate and undergraduate science scholars.
- The National Science Development Board established the Philippine
Atomic Energy Commission to explore the uses of atomic energy for
economic development. Marcos assisted 107 institutions in undertaking
nuclear energy work by sending scientists, engineers, doctors and
technicians to study nuclear science and technology abroad.

- In 1979, the government funded scientific research conducted by National

Science Development Board (NSDB), the Philippine Council for Agricultural
Research and Resources, the Plant Breeding Institute, the International Rice
Research Institute, the Bureau of Plant Industry, and the Bureau of Forest
Products.
- By virtue of Executive Order No. 784, s. 1982, the National Science
Development Board and its support agencies was reorganized and was
 named National Science and Technology Authority (NSTA) to provide
central direction and coordination of scientific and technological research
and development. 
- The Mindanao and Visayas campuses of the Philippine Science High School
were established in 1986 to encourage careers in science and and to be
more accessible to the talented students in the Mindanao and Visayas
areas in accordance with Executive Order No. 1090, s. 1986.
Fifth Republic
- During Corazon Aquino’s presidency, the National Science and
Technology Authority was replaced by the Department of Science
and Technology, giving the department a representation in the
cabinet. Under the Medium Term Philippine Development Plan
for the years 1987-1992, science and technology’s role in
economic recovery and sustained economic growth was
highlighted. Science and technology was one of the three
priorities of the government towards an economic recovery.
- The first Science and Technology Master Plan or STMP was
formulated on August 8, 1988. Its goal was for the Philippines to
achieve newly industrialized country status for the year 2000.
- During President Corazon Aquino’s term, she encouraged
scientists and inventors to bring the Philippines to its former
position as second to Japan in science and technology and to
achieve the status as an industrialized country in 2000.
- R.A. 6655 or the Free Public Secondary Education Act of 1988
opened free education at the secondary level. Together with this
was implemented the “Science for the Masses Program” which
aimed at scientific and technological literacy among Filipinos.