THE DEVELOPMENT OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY THROUGH TIMES IN THE PHILIPPINES

Stone Age

•they made simple tools or weapons of stone flakes but eventually developed techniques for sawing, drilling and

polishing hard stones.

3000 BC

•they were producing adzes ornaments of seashells and pottery of various designs.

Iron Age

•the early Filipinos learned to make metal tools and implements -- copper, gold, bronze and, later, iron.

1st century / Pre Spanish Colonial Period

•Before Spain colonized the country, some indigenous technology existed with regards to wet rice and dry rice

agriculture. The use of technology was also evident in the handicrafts, pottery, weaving, metal ware and

boats used by ancient Filipinos.

•Filipinos were already aware of the medicinal and therapeutic properties of plants and the methods of extracting

medicine from herbs. They already had an alphabet, number system, a weighing and measuring system and a

calendar. Filipinos were already engaged in farming, shipbuilding, mining and weaving. The Banaue Rice

Terraces are among the sophisticated products of engineering by pre-Spanish era Filipinos.

Spanish Period

•The colonization of the Philippines contributed to 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 oldest existing university in Asia, the University of

Santo Tomas.
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.

American Period and Post-Commonwealth era

•Science during the American period was inclined towards agriculture, food processing, forestry, medicine and

pharmacy.

• On July 1, 1901 The Philippine Commission established the Bureau of Government Laboratories. The Bureau

dealt with the study of tropical diseases and laboratory projects.

• 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.

Marcos Era and Martial Law

• 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.

Pre Spanish Colonial Period