Science and technology in the Philippines refers to the country's scientific and technological development and the policies that support it. The main government agency responsible for managing science and technology programs is the Department of Science and Technology (DOST). It is supported by several sectoral councils and agencies that focus on forestry, agriculture and aquaculture, the metal industry, nuclear research, food and nutrition, health and virology, as well as the earth sciences, including meteorology, volcanology, and seismology.
Notable Filipino scientists include Fe del Mundo in pediatrics, Eduardo Quisumbing in plant taxonomy, Gavino Trono in tropical marine phycology, and María Orosa in food technology.
History
Pre-Colonial Period The Laguna Copperplate Inscription shows the use of mathematics in precolonial Philippine societies. A standard system of weights and measures is demonstrated by the use of precise measurement for gold, and familiarity with rudimentary astronomy is shown by fixing the precise day within the month in relation to the phases of the moon.
Shipbuilding showed geometric thinking and mastery of convexity, concavity, and the proper proportion between ship breadth and length to ensure sailing efficiency. The practice of constructing as much as twelve ships and boats to fit inside each other, not unlike matryoshka dolls containing each other, can be interpreted as large three-dimensional wooden demonstration of sets, subsets, volumes, and ordinality.
The Banaue Rice Terraces are among the sophisticated products of engineering by pre-Spanish era Filipinos.
Spanish Colonial Period
The colonization of the Philippines contributed to the growth of science and technology in the archipelago. The Spanish introduced formal education and founded scientific institution. 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 was taught to the natives. Later the Spanish established colleges and universities in the archipelago including the University of Santo Tomas.
Accounts by Spanish friars in the 1580s showed that astronomy was already known and practiced. The accounts also give the local names of constellations, such as Moroporo for the Pleiades and Balatik for Ursa Major among others.In 1687, Isaac Newton included an explicit reference to the Philippines in his classic Philosophiæ Naturalis Principia Mathematica by mentioning Leuconia, the ancient Ptolemaic name for the Philippines.
The study of medicine in the Philippines was given priority in the Spanish era, especially in the later years. The Spanish also contributed to the field of engineering in the islands by constructing government buildings, churches, roads, bridges and forts. Biology is given focus. Contributors to science in the archipelago during the 19th century were botanists, Fr. Ignacio Mercado., Dr. Trinidad Pardo de Tavera and Dr. Leon Ma Guerrero, chemist Anacleto del Rosario, and medicine scholars Dr. Manuel Guerrero, Dr. Jose Montes and Dr. Eliodoro Mercado. The Galleon Trade have accounted in the Philippine colonial economy. Trade was given more focus by the Spaniard colonial authorities due to the prospects of big profits. Agriculture and industrial development on the other hand were relatively neglected. The opening of the Suez Canal saw the influx of European visitors to the Spanish colony and some Filipinos were able to study in Europe who were probably influenced by the rapid development of scientific ideals brought by the Age of Enlightenment.
American Colonial Period and Post-Commonwealth era
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 and on December 8, 1933, the National Research Council of the Philippines was established. The Bureau of Science became the primary research center of the Philippines until World War II.
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.
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. Marcos Era and Martial Law During Ferdinand Marcos' presidency, the importance given to science grew. In the amended 1973 Philippine Constitution, Article XV, Section 9 (1), he declared that the "advancement of science and technology shall have priority in the national development."The 1973 Constitution: as Amended in October 16–17, 1976, on January 30, 1980, and April 7, 1981. https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/constitutions/the-amended-1973-constitution-2/ In his two terms of presidency and during Martial Law, he enacted many laws promoting science and technology.
In his Second State of the Nation Address 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. The Department of Education, with the National Science Development Board (NSDB), is organizing a project to provide selected high schools with science teaching equipment over a four-year period.Ferdinand E. Marcos, Second State of the Nation Address, January 23, 1967, "The Epic of Nation-Building." https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/1967/01/23/ferdinand-e-marcos-second-state-of-the-nation-address-january-23-1967/
In his Third State of the Nation Address on January 22, 1968, he recognized that technology was the leading factor in economic development, and channeled additional funds to support projects in applied sciences and science education.Ferdinand E. Marcos, Third State of the Nation Address, January 22, 1968, "A Nation of Achievers." https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/1968/01/22/ferdinand-e-marcos-third-state-of-the-nation-address-january-22-1968/
In his Fourth State of the Nation Address on January 27, 1969, he gave a big part of the war damage fund to private universities to encourage them to create courses in science and technology and to research. He stated that he planned a project to have medical interns do a tour of duty in provincial hospitals to arouse their social consciousness and reduce the "brain drain." On April 6, 1968, he proclaimed 35 hectares in Bicutan, Taguig, Rizal as the site of the Philippine Science Community. The government also conducted seminars for public and private high school and college science teachers, training programs and scholarships for graduate and undergraduate science scholars, and workshops on fisheries and oceanography.Ferdinand E. Marcos, Fourth State of the Nation Address, January 27, 1969, "New Filipinism: The Turning Point." https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/1969/01/27/ferdinand-e-marcos-fourth-state-of-the-nation-address-january-27-1969/
In his Fifth State of the Nation Address on January 26, 1970, he emphasized that the upgrading of science curricula and teaching equipment is crucial to the science development program. He added the Philippine Coconut Research Institute to the NSDB to modernize the coconut industry. The NSDB also established the Philippine Textile Research Institute. The Philippine Atomic Energy Commission of the NSDB explored the uses of atomic energy for economic development. Marcos assisted 107 institutions in undertaking nuclear energy work by sending scientists to study nuclear science and technology abroad, and providing basic training to 482 scientists, doctors, engineers, and technicians.Ferdinand E. Marcos, Fifth State of the Nation Address, January 26, 1970, "National Discipline: The Key to our Future." https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/1970/01/26/ferdinand-e-marcos-fifth-state-of-the-nation-address-january-26-1970/
In his Seventh State of the Nation Address on January 24, 1972, he spoke about his major development projects in reforming sectors of education. Such projects included research and development schools, technical institutes, science education centers, and agricultural colleges and vocational high schools.Ferdinand E. Marcos, Seventh State of the Nation Address, January 24, 1972, "Strength through Crisis, Growth in Freedom." https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/1972/01/24/ferdinand-e-marcos-seventh-state-of-the-nation-address-january-24-1972/
In 1972, he created the National Grains Authority to provide for the development of the rice and corn industry to fully harness it for the economy of the country. (Presidential Decree No. 4, s. 1972)Presidential Decree No. 4 of September 26, 1972, Providing for the Development of the Rice and Corn Industry and Creating for this Purpose the National Grains Authority. https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/1972/09/26/presidential-decree-no-4-s-1972/ He established the Philippine Council for Agricultural Research to support the progressive development of agriculture, forestry, and fisheries for the nation. It was attached to the Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources for administrative purposes.Presidential Decree No. 48 of November 10, 1972, Establishing the Philippine Council for Agricultural Research. https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/1972/11/10/presidential-decree-no-48-s-1972/ He provided further support for the promotion of scientific research and invention with Presidential Decree No. 49, s. 1972. This decree contains details on the protection of intellectual property for the creator or publisher of the work.Presidential Decree No. 49 of November 14, 1972, Decree on the Protection of Intellectual Property. https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/1972/11/14/presidential-decree-no-49-s-1972/ He established the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) under the Department of National Defense to provide environmental protection and to utilize scientific knowledge to ensure the safety of the people. (Presidential Decree No. 78, s. 1972)Presidential Decree No. 78 of December 8, 1972, Establishing the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration. https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/1972/12/08/presidential-decree-no-78-s-1972/
In 1973, he created the Philippine National Oil Company to promote industrial and economic development through effective and efficient use of energy sources. (Presidential Decree No. 334, s. 1973)Presidential Decree No. 334 of November 9, 1973, Creating the Philippine National Oil Company, Defining Its Powers and Functions, Providing Funds Therefor, and for Other Purposes. https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/1973/11/09/presidential-decree-no-334-s-1973/