PRE COLONIAL

SCIENCE AND
TECHNOLOGY
Archaeological evidence suggests that around 50,000 years ago, modern men (homo
sapiens) from the Asian mainland came overland and across narrow channels to live
in Palawan and Batangas.

For about 40,000 years

 They made simple tools or weapons of stone flakes but eventually developed
techniques for sawing, drilling and polishing hard stones.

By about 3,000 B.C.,

 They were producing adzes ornaments of seashells and pottery of various design
The Iron Age (500-200 B.C.)

 The early Filipinos learned to make metal tools and implements -- copper,
gold, bronze and, later, iron. Filipinos during this period engaged in the actual
extraction of iron from ore, smelting and refining.

First century A.D. (1 A.D.)

 Filipinos were weaving cotton, smelting iron, making pottery and glass
ornaments and were also engaged in agriculture. Lowland rice was cultivated
in diked fields and in the interior mountain regions as in the Cordillera, in
terraced fields which utilized spring water.
Tenth Century A.D (10 A.D.)
 Filipinos learned to build boats for the coastal trades.(Trading with other
countries such as China and other parts of the Malay Peninsula became more
common.)

*Other notable advancements in science and technology during the pre colonial
period
 Filipinos in Manila had learned how to build and operate modern artillery.
Filipinos grew rice, vegetables, and cotton; raised swine, goats, and fowls;
made wine, vinegar, and salt; woven cloth, and produced beeswax and honey.
Filipinos were also mining for gold in places like Panay, Mindoro, and Bicol.
They dressed vibrantly, made their own gold jewelry, and even had gold
fillings in their teeth. Their dwellings were made of wood, bamboo, and nipa.
They had their own writing system, as well as weights and measures. Some
towns were well-known for their plank-built boats. They didn't have a
calendar, so they counted the years by the moons and from one harvest to the
next.

Spanish Regime
IMPLEMENTATIONS and DISCOVERIES HERE IN THE PHILIPPINES:
16th century to 19th century
Start around the 16th century
1565 to 1813
 Galleon or Manila-Acapulco trade
 Filipinos hardly profited

 the religious orders had established several charity hospitals in the archipelago
and in fact provided the bulk of this public service.
 Spanish implemented reduccion for Filipinos.
 Created schools ( mostly facilitated by priests)
1. Jesuits founded in Cebu City the Colegio de San Ildefonso (1595)
2. Colegio de San Ignacio (1595)
3. Colegio de San Jose (1601)
4. Colegio de San Juan de Letran (1640)
5. Ateneo de Manila (1859)

The 17th century

 construction of the walls of Manila, its churches, convents, hospitals, schools
and public buildings was completed.
1762-1764
 exploit the mineral wealth of the islands, develop its agriculture, and establish
industries.

18th century
 They were focusing in medical knowledge for they have research on kinds of
diseases that can treat their communities. The most notable of these was
Father Fernando de Sta. Maria's Manual de Medicinas Caseras published in
1763 which was so in demand that it had undergone several editions by 1885.
 the faculty of jurisprudence and canonical law was established.
 1789, Manila was opened to Asian shipping
The 19th century
 They developed learning abilities here in the country like:
A. 1871, the schools of medicine and pharmacy were opened
B. 1820 on month of January 1 they offered a four-year course of
study for the profession of pilot of merchant marine.
C. 1839 School of Commercial Accounting and a School of French
and English Languages
D. 1887 the Manila School of Agriculture was created by royal
decree but it was able to open only in July 1889.
 Studies of infectious diseases such as smallpox, cholera, bubonic plague,
dysentery, leprosy and malaria were intensified with the participation of
graduates of medicine and pharmacy from UST.
 Allowed to operate on an equal footing with Spanish merchants in 1829
 Manila's rapid development as a cosmopolitan center. Modern amenities
-- a waterworks system, steam tramways, electric lights, newspapers, a
banking system -- were introduced into the city by the latter half of the
nineteenth century. nineteenth century led to Manila's rapid development as a
cosmopolitan center.
 1865 – 1901 the making of the observatory for typhoon and climatological
observation.

 At the end of the Spanish regime, the Philippines had evolved into a primary
agricultural exporting economy.

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

DURING THE FIRST
 REPUBLIC
• Philippine Republic (1898-1900)
- Their was a very little development in Science and Technology during this
period.

• October 19, 1898

- The government took steps to establish asecular education system by a decree.
- Universidad Literaria de Filipinas as a secular, state-supported institution
higher learning was created.
• Universidad Literaria de Filipinas
- offers courses in law, medicine, surgery, pharmacy and notary public.

• September 29, 1899

- the university was able to hold graduation exercise in Tarlac when degrees in
law and medicine was awarded.

The American Regime

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

JANUARY 21, 1901

•Thre Philippine Commission which acted as the executive and legislative body for
the Philippines until 1907.

1901
• The manila trade school was opened.
•almost 400 years of colonial experience under the Spaniards, middle class Filipinos
had developed general disdain for manual works and a preference.

1902
Secondary schools were opened after a further enactment of the Philippines in
Commission

In 1921
• The Rocketfeller foundation provided for six fellowship for qualified Filipinos in
Universities in the United States and Europe.

The number of the private colleges increase rapidly.

In 1925
• a survey of the educational system of the island was authorized survey which was
headed by Paul Monroe.
Monroe survey

 found most private schools substandard.

During the American regime, the development of science gained more government
support along with efforts to establish an old extensive public school system and
public health programs.

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.

By 1911
• the University had an enrollment of 1400 students.
• 4 years later it's enrollment had almost doubled.
• the University included 2 units
Act in 1933 creating the National Research Council of the Philippine Islands (NRCP).
It actively participated in the deliberations and drafting of provisions affecting science
and industry in the 1934 Constitutional Convention.

Educational and science policy during the American regime was not coordinated with
colonial economic policy. While Filipinos were provided opportunities for higher
education in the sciences and engineering, the economy remained basically
agricultural.

1907
•established Philippine economic development was determined by free trade relations
between the Philippines and the United States, and these continued long after
independence was achieved in 1946.

As a result of this policy, the Philippine economy became tied to that of the United
States, remaining primarily an exporter of agricultural crops and raw materials and an
importer of American manufactured goods. Undoubtedly this delayed Philippine
industrialization.
The relative underdevelopment of the physical sciences vis-a-vis the medical and
agricultural sciences may be traced to this policy. Basic and applied research in the
medical, agricultural and related sciences received much greater government support.
during the American regime than did industrial research.

Science and Technology During

the Commonwealth Period
1935
 The Philippine Commonwealth was inaugurated and ushered in a
period of transition to political independence.
 Incorporated a provision:
 Article XIII, Section 4 declaring that "The State shall promote
scientific research and invention, Arts and Letters shall be
under its patronage...
  The government, completely under Filipino Management:

 Expansion of public school system

 Abolished the Grade VII in the elementary curriculum
 Instituted the "double-single session" plan

November 13,1936
 Enacted the Commonwealth Act No. 180, reestablishing the Office of
Private Education which had been abolished in 1932.

1936
 There were 425 private schools recognized by the government, 64
were institutions at the College level and 7 were universities.
o Prior to WWII, there is a tremendous growth in qualified
scientists and engineers.

 Created the National Economic Council

 Exploitation of natural resources

 National Power Corporation
 Development of local industries
 National Development Council

 Development of successful researches of government science agencies

Bureau of Science

 Department of Agriculture and Bureau of Animal Industry

 Created new agencies to provide assistance to businessmen

  Bureau of Mines

1941
 The Pacific War broke out and the Philippines was occupied by
Japanese troops.
o Educational and scientific activities came to a halt

1944-1945
 Philippines became an independent state, had to contend with
economic reconstruction and development plan.

SCIENCE
TECHNOLOGY SINCE
INDEPENDENCE
Development of Education and the Created Agencies in Helping the

Development of the Country

1946
 The increasing number of state universities, colleges and even private
universities.
  Non-Sectarian Universities
 Are organized like business enterprises and are heavily
dependent on tuition fees.
 For profit, they only offer low-cost courses: business
administration, liberal arts and education.

 Sectarian Universities and Colleges

 Tend to be financially better endowed.
 Selective admissions, lower faculty-student ratios and provide
laboratory and library facilities requires for science and
engineering program.
 Supervised and limited by DepEd and Ministry of Education,
Culture and Sport.
 Increase in the number of college students and graduates from public and
private universities and colleges.
 In this year, there has been a little innovation in the education and training of
scientists and engineers, because this entail longer period of study and more
expensive to pursue that is why students tends to enroll in courses that are in
demand and their families can afford.

1947
 Bureau of Science was reorganized into Institute of Science.
 The creation of the Institute of Nutrition that aims to perform research,
advisory and extension functions.
1950
 The U.S. Economic Survey Mission to the Philippines reports the lack of basic
information needed by industries of the country, the neglect of experimental
work and meager appropriation in the national budget for scientific research,
including low salaries of government scientist.
 The Bell Mission recommended the systematic exploration for economic
development.

1951
 From the Bell’s Mission’s Report, the Institute of Science was reorganized and
renamed into Institute of Science and Technology.
 Where Institute of Science and Technology acquired the status of a
government-owned corporation and was placed under the Office of Economic
Coordination.

1952
 Science Foundation of the Philippines
- Were created and placed along with the Institute of Science.
- It is under the office of the President.
- This aims to stimulate research in the sciences and engineering.
- This also promote science consciousness among the people.
  Commission on Volcanology
- Were created and placed under the National Research Council of the
Philippines (NRCP).
- Its function is to primarily basic research on volcanology.

1957
 A report was submitted to the President stating the deterioration of Philippines
Science since the early years of the American Regime. Causes of decline:
a) Lack of government support.
b) Lack of scientists of high training and ability.
c) Low morale of scientists.
d) Lack of public awareness of science.

1958
 The Science Act
- Enacted by the congress, that covers the:
a) National Science Development Board (NSDB)
 To formulate policies for the development of science and
coordinate the work of science agencies.
 It covers the National Research Council of the
Philippines (NRCP)
 b) Philippine Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC)

c) National Institute OF Science and Technology (NIST)

 Placed under the NSDB.

1960’s
 Additional science agencies were created by the Science Act.

 1964
a) Philippine Inventors Commission
 b) Philippines Coconut Research Institute

 1967
a) Philippine Textile Research Institute

 1969
a) Forest Product Research and Industries Development
Commission
 Attached to NSDB for Policy Coordination:
a) National Research Council of the Philippines (NRCP)

b) Metal Industry Research and Development Center (MIRDC)

c) Science Foundation of the Philippines (SFP)

d) Philippine Science High School (PSHS)

1973-1974
 The establishment of professional examining boards and licensing procedures
 Initiation for changes in the collegiate curriculum for the specialization and
worked for improvements in educational standard.
 Medical Field
 The Philippine Medical Association (PMA) worked to
improve standard of medical education by limited
enrollment in medical colleges and adding courses for the
medical degree.
 This results to more exposure of students to community
medicine and the experimental curriculum to produce
doctors for rural areas.
 Engineering Field
 The Institute of Chemical Engineering proposed a series of
conference to discuss curriculum revision for its profession.
 Results to endorsement to the Department of Education and
Culture (DEC).
 Updating and adopting uniform core curriculum for all
universities and colleges to follow.

1982
 The NSDB was further reorganized into a National Science and Technology
Authority (NSTA), these composed of four Research and Development
Council:

a) Philippine Council for Agriculture and Resources and Research and

Development
 b) Philippine Council for Industry and energy Research Development

c) Philippine Council for Health Research and Development

d) National Research Council of the Philippines (NRCP)

1983
March
 Executive Order no. 889 was issued by the president
 This is for the establishment of a national network of
centers of excellence in basic sciences.
 Six new institutes were created:
a) National Institute of Physics

b) Geological Science

c) Natural science Research

d) Chemistry
 e) Biology

f) Mathematical Sciences

July 19
 The establishment of a Scientific Career System in the Civil Service
by Presidential Decree No. 901
 This aims to attract more qualified scientist to work in
government.
 To encourage young people to pursue science degrees and
courses.