American Colonial Period and Post-Commonwealth era

Angel Alcala, national scientist, is seen wearing deep blue and yellow academic gown with cap, deep
blue with gold tassel.

The progress of science and technology in the Philippines 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 under the Spanish colonial era. The Bureau dealt with the study of tropical diseases and
laboratory projects. On October 26, 1905, the Bureau of Government Laboratories was replaced by the
Bureau of Science and on December 8, 1933, the National Research Council of the Philippines was
established.[4] The Bureau of Science became the primary research center of the Philippines until World
War II.[6]

Science during the American period was inclined towards agriculture, food processing, medicine and
pharmacy. Not much focus was given on the development of industrial technology due to free trade
policy with the United States which nurtured an economy geared towards agriculture and trade.[6]

In 1946 the Bureau of Science was replaced by the Institute of Science. In a report by the US Economic
Survey to the Philippines in 1950, there is a lack of basic information which were necessities to the
country's industries, lack of support of experimental work and minimal budget for scientific research and
low salaries of scientists employed by the government. 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.[6]

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY DURING THE AMERICAN PERIOD

Science and technology in the Philippines advanced rapidly during the American regime. This was made
possible by the simultaneous government encouragement and support for an extensive public education
system; the granting of scholarships for higher education in science and engineering; the organization of
science research agencies and establishment of science-based public services.

On 21 January 1901, the Philippine Commission, which acted as the executive and legislative body
for the Philippines until 1907, promulgated Act No. 74 creating a Department of Public Instruction in the
Philippines. It provided for the establishment of schools that would give free primary education, with
English as the medium of instruction.

Commission in 1902. The Philippine Medical School was established in 1905 and was followed by
other professional and technical schools. These were later absorbed into the University of
the Philippines.

The old Laboratorio Municipal was absorbed by the Bureau of Government Laboratories created by the
Philippine Commission in 1901. In 1905, the latter was reorganized and renamed Bureau of science. It
remained the principal government research establishment until the end of the second World War. It
had a biological laboratory, a chemical laboratory, a serum laboratory for the production of vaccine
virus, serums and prophylactics, a library.