SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY AND SOCIETY
LESSON 2:
BRIEF HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY IN THE
PHILIPPINES
Pre-Spanish Colonization
• History of science and technology in the
Philippines started.
• Early inhabitants of the archipelago has their
own culture
• Considered now as indigenous science or folk
science
Metal Age
• Sophisticated designs of gold and silver
jewelry, ceramic, and metal tools.
• Trading with China, Indonesia, Japan, and
other nearby countries have influenced their
lived.
Spanish Colonization
• Established schools for boys and girls and
introduced the concepts of subjects and
discipline.
• Beginning of formal science and technology in
the country, known as school of science and
technology.
• Filipinos developed ways to replicate the
technology brough by the Spaniards using
indigenous materials.
• Medicine and advance science were
introduced in formal colleges and universities
established by Catholic orders.
The Galleon Trade
• Brought additional technology and
development in the Philippines but only
beneficial for the Spaniards.
• Allowed other ideas, crops, tools, cultural
practices, technology, and Western
practices to reach the country.
• Filipino students who were able to study in
Europe also contributed to the
advancement of medicine, engineering,
arts, music, and literature.
American Colonization
• Have more influenced in the development of
science and technology in the Philippines
compared to the Spaniards.
• Established the public education system,
improve engineering works and the health
conditions of the people.
• Established a modern research university, and
created more public hospitals.
• Mineral resources were also explored and
exploited.
• Transportation and communication systems
were improved.
• Reorganized the learning of science and
introduced in public and private schools.
World War II
• Destabilized the development of the country in
many ways.
• The country had a difficult time to rebuilt itself
from the ruins of the war.
Establishment of the New Republic
• Whole Nation has been focusing on using its
limited resources in improving its science and
technological capability.
• Explored the use of ODA or Overseas
Development Allocations from different
countries to help the country improve its
scientific productivity and technological
capability.
The Development of science and technology in the
Philippines is shaped by several factors and
influences. It is shaped by human and social
activities, both internal and external.
Internal Influences
• Survival
• Culture
• Economic Activities
External Influences
• Foreign Colonizers
• Trades with foreign countries
• International Economic Demand
GOVERNMENT POLICIES ON SCIENCE AND
TECHNOLOGY
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
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 R.A. 9184
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 SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY AND SOCIETY
• Harnessing science and technology as an The Philippine-American Academy of Science and
independent mover of development Engineering (PAASE, 2008) identified several
3. Medical, Chemical, and Pharmaceutical capacity-building programs such as:
Sciences
➢ Establishment of national centers of
• Ensuring compliance of drug-manufacturing
excellence
firms with ASEAN-harmonized standards by
➢ Manpower and institutional development
full implementation of the Food and Drug
programs, such as the Engineering and
Administration
Science Education Program (ESEP) to
• Creating an education council dedicated to
produce more PhD graduates in science and
standardization of pharmaceutical services
engineering
and care
➢ Establishment of regional centers to support
• Empowering food and drug agencies to
specific industries that will lead the country in
conduct evidence-based research as pool of
different research and development areas
information
➢ Establishment of science and technology
• Allocating two percent of the GDP to research business centers to assist, advise, and
• Legislating a law supporting human genome incubate technopreneurship ventures.
projects ➢ Strengthen science education at an early
4. Biological Sciences, Agriculture, and Forestry stage through the Philippine Science High
• Protecting and conserving biodiversity by full School system
implementation of existing laws
• Use of biosafety and standard model by In the field of education, several science-
ASEAN countries related programs and project were created to
• Promoting indigenous knowledge systems and develop the scientific literacy of the country.
indigenous people’s conservation The current K to 12 education program
• Formulation of common food and safety included Science, Technology, Engineering and
standards Mathematics (STEM) as one of the major tracks
in the senior high school program to
PROGRAMS SUPPORTED BY THE PHILIPPINE encourage more students to enroll in science-
GOVERNMENT THROUGH THE DOST: related field in science.
➢ Providing funds for basic research and patents
DEVELOPMENT OF SCIENCE AND
related to science and technology. The
TECHNOLOGY POLICIES IN THE PHILIPPINES:
government funds basic and applied
researches.
➢ Providing scholarships for undergraduate and
graduate studies of students in the field of
science and technology.
➢ Establishing more branches of the Philippine
Science High School System for training
young Filipinos in the field of science and
technology.
➢ Creating science and technology parks to
encourage academe and industry
partnerships.
➢ Balik Scientist Program to encourage Filipino
scientists abroad to come home and work in
the Philippines or conduct research and
projects in collaboration with Philippine-based
scientists.
➢ Developing science and technology parks in
academic campuses to encourage academe
and industry partnerships.
➢ The establishment of the National Science
Complex and National Engineering Complex
withing the University of the Philippines
campus in Diliman.

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 SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY AND SOCIETY
FAMOUS FILIPINOS IN THE FIELD OF SCIENCE

1. Ramon Cabanos Barba – for his outstanding

research on tissue culture in Philippine mangoes
2. Josefino Cacas Comiso – for his works on
observing the characteristics of Antarctica by using
satellite images
3. Jose Bejar Cruz Jr. – known internationally in the
field of electrical engineering; was elected as
officer of the famous Institute of Electrical and
Electronic Engineering
4. Lourdes Jansuy Crus – notable for her research
on sea snail venom
5. Fabian Millar Dayrit – for his research on herbal
medicine
6. Rafael Dineros Guerrero III – for his research on
tilapia culture
7. Enrique Mapua Ostrea Jr. – for investing the
meconium drugs testing
8. Lilian Formalejo Patena – for doing research on
plant biotechnology
9. Mari-Jo Panganiban Ruiz – for being an
outstanding educator and graph theorist
10. Gregory Ligot Tangonan – for his research in the
field of communications technology

There are other outstanding Filipino scientists who

are recognized here and abroad for their
outstanding contributions in science:
• Caesar A. Saloma – an internationally
renowned physicist
• Edgardo Gomez – famous scientist in marine
science
• William Padolina – chemistry and president of
National Academy of Science and Technology
(NAST)-Philippines
• Angel Alcala – marine science

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