MODULE 3

Science, Technology and Nation-Building

There are two factors that influences the
development of Science & Technology in the
OBJECTIVES: At the Philippines
end of this module, you should be
able to:

1. state the different contributions of

External influences Internal Influences
different periods of time in the Philippine
Foreign Colonizers Survival
setting;
Trades with Foreign Countries Culture
2. search some technological development
International Economic Demands Economic Activities
contributed by the different presidents in the
Philippines;
3. present government policies on science and
technology and explain their importance to the
nation; and
4. discuss the role of science and technology in
nation-building.

Development of
TOPIC OUTLINES Science and
Technology in the
Philippines
Lesson 1: Pre-colonial period
Lesson 2: Colonial period
Lesson 3: Post-colonial period

OVERVIEW

This module discusses how

development of science and technology affect
the development of the Philippines as a nation.

The development of science and

technology in the Philippine has already come
a long way. Many significant inventions and
discoveries have been accomplished by or
attributed to Filipinos. This chapter tackles
how the development of science and
technology affect the development of the
Philippine as a nation.

Brief Historical Background of Science and

Technology in the Philippines
The history of science and technology in the
Philippines started way back before the country
gained its independence from their colonizers.
 Science and technology may have F. They do trading with China, Indonesia,
significant impact on the lives of the people Japan and other neighbouring countries
and in the development of the Philippine
society. Improving the quality of science
education still remains as a big challenge in
the country. COLONIAL PERIOD
A. Spaniards. Life during the Spanish era, they
Let us dicuss the antecedents how brought with them their own culture and
technology is being impart in the Philippines. practices and slowly became
modernized. In terms of:
PRE-COLONIAL PERIOD  construction (walls, roads, bridges
During this period, Science in pre- and other large infrastructures) -
Spanish Philippines, is embedded in the way using some engineering skills and
of life of the people. Science can be observed tools
in:  They established schools for boys
and girls and introduced the
A. the way they plant their crops that provide
concept of subjects and disciplines
them food.
 beginning of formal science and
B. taking care of animals to help them in their
technology in the country
daily tasks and for food production.
 developed health and educations
C. the way they interpret the movements of systems
heavenly bodies to predict seasons and  The galleon trade has brought
climates and in organizing days into additional technology and
months and years. development in the Philippines
D. They use science in preparing soil for
agricultural purposes and they discovered B. Americans. Americans have more
the medicinal uses of plants. influence in the development of science
and technology in the Philippines
Technology in the Philippines is used by compared to Spaniards. Like,
people:  establishes the public education system
A. in building houses, irrigations and in  improved engineering works and health
developing tools that they can use in of people
everyday life. A complicated engineering  established a modern research
university (UP)
feat was achieved by the natives of the
 created more public hospitals
Cordilleras when
 mineral resources were explored and
they built rice
exploited
terraces by hand.
 transportation and communication were
B. They developed
improved
tools for planting,  researches were done to control
hunting, cooking, malaria, cholera and tuberculosis and
and fishing; for other tropical diseases
Source adapted from:
fighting their https://tinyurl.com/y5en637e

enemies during
war or tribal conflicts; and for
transportation.
C. They also developed technologies in POST-COLONIAL PERIOD
creating musical instruments. The Philippines continued to pursue
D. use of certain plants and herbs as programs in science and technology under
medicines. different administration. Each leadership had its
own science and technology program or agenda.
E. They also made sophisticated designs of
jewellery, ceramics and metal tools.
 encourage more students to enroll in science-
DEVELOPMENT OF SCIENCE AND related fields in college.
TECHNOLOGY POLICIES IN THE There are also other existing programs
PHILIPPINES supported by the Philippine government
As shown in the diagram, the through DOST. Some of these projects are:
development of policies in science and A. Providing funds for basic research and
technology is shaped or influences by several patents related to science &
variables: policies, programs and projects technology
need to be aligned to national goals, consider
international commitments based on legal
frameworks and respond to various social
needs, issues and problems.
Policies ensure that the whole country
and all people will experience the progress that
science can bring. Policies are guides to direct
all efforts to a goal of developing a
scientifically advanced country.

NATIONAL GOALS
SCIENCE & B. Provi
TECHNOLOGY din
INTERNATIONAL TREATIES g
POLICIES
PROGRAMS
LEGAL FRAMEWORKS PROJECTS

SOCIAL NEEDS. ISSUES AND PROBLEMS

scholarship for undergraduate and

Governmeny Policies on Science &
graduate studies of students in the
Technology
field of science and technology.
The Philippine government introduced
and implemented several programs, projects
and policies to boost the area of science and
FAMOUS FILIPINOS IN THE FIELD OF
technology.
SCIENCE
FILIPINO CONTRIBUTIONS
The goal is to prepare the whole country SCIENTISTS
Ramon Cabanos Tissue culture in Philippine
and its people to meet the demands of a Barba mangoes
technologically driven world and capacitate Josefino Cacas observing the characteristics of
Comiso Antarctica using satellite
the people to live in a world driven by science. images
In the field of education, several science- Jose Bejar Cruz Jr known internationally in the
related programs and projects were created to field of electrical engineering
develop the scientific literacy of the country.
Lourdes Jansuy research on sea snail venom
Special science classes were organized Cruz
and special science elementary schools were
Fabian Millar research on herbal medicine
established in different regions. Dayrit
Rafael Dineros research on tilapia culture
The current K to 12 education program Guerrero III
Enrique Mapua inventing the meconium drugs
included Science, Teachnology, Engineering Ostrea Jr. testing
and Mathematics (STEM) as one of its major Lilian Formalejo research on plant biotechnology
Patena
tracks in the senior high school program to
Mari-Jo outstanding educator and graph
Panganiban Ruiz theorist Philippines continued to pursue programs in
Gregory Ligot research in the field of Science and Technology under different
Tangonan communication technology administration. Each leadership had its own
science and technology program or agenda.
There are other outstanding Filipino Scientists who They follow policies, programs, and projects
are recognized here and abroad.
that are aligned to national goals, considering
FILIPINO CONTRIBUTIONS
SCIENTISTS the international treaties which based on legal
Ceasar Saloma internationally renowned frameworks and social needs, issues and
physicist
Edgardo Gomez famous scientist in marine problems.
science Through the years, may Filipinos were
Willaim Padolinoa chemistry and President of able to establish themselves as scientits and
National Academy of
Science and Technology-
science educators.
Philippines
Angel Alcala marine science

Many of these Filipino scientists are

ACTIVITY:
products of good school science. It means they Questions for
taught and inspired by great teachers. Their reflection
interests in science started to manifest during
their childhood years. Their natural
environment ignited their curiosity to learn 1. Trace the development of science and
more about the natural and physical technology from the pre-colonial times
environment. Schools and laboratories where up to the present. What have you
they studied and worked nurtured this observed?

SUMMARY

This lesson focused on the development of

Science and Technology in the Philippines. It
is started way back before our country gained 2. What do you think are the major
its independence from our colonies. The contributions of science and technology
development of Science and Technology in the to Philippine nation-building?
Philippines considered to factors: the internal
influences which served as for survival, to
showcased culture and increased economic
activities. While the external influences are
due to foreign colonizers, trades with foreign
countries and for international economic
demands.
The historical antecedents on how
technology is bening impart in the Philippines. 3. What specific government policy do
During pre-colonial, people embedded science you like the most in terms contributing
and technology in their daily life without to the development of science and
knowing it. In the colonial period, Spaniards technology in the Philippines?
and Americans contributed science and
technology in the Philippines by introducing
their own culture and practices and became
modernized. Durinf post-colonial period, the
 4. What do you think are the major REFERENCES:
contributions of the Philippines to the
field at present?
1. Clifford, P. (2008).Archimedes to Hawking: Laws of Science and th
Oxford University Press.
2. Davies, E. (1995). Inventions. London: Dorling Kindersley.
3. Durant, W. (1980). The Age of Faith. In the Story of Civilization. Ne
4. Gribbin, J. (2003). Science: A History. London, UK: Penguin Books
5. Jacquart, D. (2008). “Islamic Pharmacology in the Middle Ages
Review. Cambridge: Canbridge University Press. 16: 219-27
6. Needham, J., Wang, L. and Lu, G. (1971). Science and Civilizatio
5. What policies do you want the
University Press.
government to implement in the near
future? 7. Rosenfel, P. (1980).”Freud and the Scientific Method’. Accessed Fe
8. Sarma, K. (2008).”Astronomy in India”, Encyclopedia of the Histo
in non-Western Cultures, 2nd ed, Berlin: Springer Science & Bus
9. Warren, J. (2005). ‘War and the Cultural Heritage of Iraq”: A
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10. Weiner,E. (2016). The Geography Genius: Lesson from the Wo
Simon & Schuster.
11. Zhongguo ke xue yuan. (1983). Ancient China’s Technology an
Press.
12. Concepcion, G.P.(Editor) (2012). Science Philippines: Essays
Diliman, Quezon City: University of the Philippines Press.
ACTIVITY: 13. Concepcion, G.P, Padlan, E.A and Saloma, C.A. (Editors) (2
Technology for Securing a Better Philippines. Diliman, Quezon
14. Lee-Chua, Q.(2000). 10 Outstanding Filipino Scientists. Quezon C
15. Kuhn, T.S. (1962). The Structure of Scientific Revolution. 3rd ed. C
Divide the class into 6 groups. Each group will
be assigned to a president after Marcos.
Identify some achievements in the field of
science and technology under the assigned
administration and trace how they helped
shape the Philippines as a nation.
A. PRES. CORAZON AQUINO
B. PRES. RAMOS
C. PRES. ESTRADA
D. PRES. GLORIA MACAPAGAL-
ARROYO
E. PRES. NINOY AQUINO
F. PRES. RODRIGO DUTERTE

SHOW YOUR FINDINGS TO CLASS

THROUGH A 5-10-MINUTE CREATIVE
VIDEO PRESENTATION.