Lect#2 S & T History in The Philippines

Learning
Science Objective
&Technology
(S&T) in the
Philippines  To trace the history of
S&T in the Philippines
(the economic, political and
social events shaping their
developments)
The Early Years
(Spanish Period, 1869-1898)
 Opening of Suez Canal in 1869 shortened
the route from the Philippines to Europe
 Filipinos were able to study in Europe and
observed or became oriented to the rapid
succession of scientific activities (e.g.
Darwin’s theory of evolution in 1859,
Mendel’s law of heredity in 1866, invention
of telephone in 1875)
Rodriguez, S. Philippine Science and Technology: Economic, Political, and Social Events shaping their Developments.
Giraffe Books. Quezon City, Philippines. 1996.
The Early Years
 Filipino scientists were mostly interested on
animal and plant systems
 Fr. Ignacio Mercado, Dr. Trinidad Pardo de
Tavera, and Dr Leon Ma. Guerrero in
Botany
 Anacleto del Rosario in Chemistry
 Dr. Manuel Guerrero, Dr. Jose Montes, and
Dr. Elrodario Mercado in Medicine
The Early Years
 Galleon trade was the chief economic
activity
 Spanish officials focused more on the trade
due to big profits
 Agriculture and industrial development
were neglected
The Early Years
(American Occupation, 1898-1941)
 The Schurman Commission recommended
the replacement of military government with
a civil government and establishment of free
public educational system in the country
 The Taft Commission started the gradual

Filipinization of the government and
encouraged education in preparation for self-
government
The Early Years
 Philippine public school system was
established in 1901
 765 Thomasites were recruited
 Insular Bureau of Agriculture and Bureau of
Government Laboratories* were established
 Authored by Dean Worcester, a zoology
professor at the University of Michigan and a
strong advocate of science
 Conducted biological, chemical, and other
scientific studies
The Early Years
 The Philippine Commission expanded and
included Dr. Trinidad Pardo de Tavera, a
Filipino
 The Bureau of Government Laboratories was
reorganized into the Bureau of Science in
1905
 Enabled it to undertake research in all fields of
science
 Many notable American scientists were recruited
 Quality research works were produced necessitating
the creation of the Philippine Journal of Science in
1906
The Early Years
 In 1906, the Bureau of Science was made the

custodian of the International Standards of
Weights and Measurements in the country
 The University of the Philippines was

established in 1908, followed by the College
of Agriculture in Los Banos
The Early Years
 Jones Law (The Philippine Autonomy Act)
replaced the Philippine Commission with the
House of Representatives, wholly composed
of Filipinos
 Downtrend of the Bureau of Science began
(transferred to the Department of Agriculture and
Natural Resources (DANR)
 Shift of emphasis from health and sanitation to the
study of the country’s natural resources
 Growth of science slowed down (decrease number
of articles in PJS and poor quality)
The Early Years
 Bureau of Science had new functions
 Regulation, analysis, and branding of
commercial fertilizer
 Control, checking, advertising, labeling or
branding of any business and commercial
commodities
 The world recession in the 1930s caused
further losses to the bureau, which resulted to
retrenchment, loss of several divisions,
reduced budget, and brain drain
The Early Years
 In 1933-1934, a general reorganization took
place
 DANR became the Department of Agriculture
and Commerce
 Bureau of Agriculture was split into the Bureau of
Plants and the Bureau of Animal Industry
 The Division of Mineral Resources was converted
into the Bureau of Mines
 The Bureau of Science lost some of its divisions
The Bureau of Science
 Main thrust during the early years was on public
health and nutrition
 Due to outbreak of cholera, small pox, dysentery,
malaria, TB, and leprosy before 1900
 Also did research on uses of agricultural products
• medicinal plants by Edwardo Quisumbing
• isolation and elucidation of natural products by
Alfredo Santos
• essential oils used as food flavors and fragrances by
Luz Olivares Belardo
• coconut as renewable source of fuel by Julius Banzon
The College of Agriculture
 Focused efforts on improving the breed of
basic crops, livestock and poultry
 Varietal introduction, evaluation and
inheritance in rice, corn, sugar cane, coconut,
abaca, and tobacco
 Improving the breed, feed ration, and the
quality of meat and eggs (Dr. Francisco Fronda,
Father of the Poultry Industry in the Philippines,
wrote 500 scientific articles during his lifetime)
The Early Years
(The War Years, 1941-1945)
 Manuel L. Quezon was the president when the war
between Japan and the US broke out in 1941
 Very poor economy confronted the
Commonwealth and later the Republic
 Unproductive period in the research life of the
Bureau of Science (fear of death and threat of
hunger prevailed)
 A few national scientists directed their efforts to
food processing
• toyo and vinegar were produced
• coconut was converted into coco jam and cooking
oil
The Early Years
(Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Period,
1945-1948)
 Manuel Roxas became the first president of the
Republic
 Laid down his policies to rebuild the economy
(industrialization, people participation in the
government, closer cooperation with the US, and the
restoration of peace and justice)
 Bell Trade Relations Act provided for free trade
relations between the Philippines and the US until
1954
 This gives the Americans the right to dispose of,
exploit, develop, and utilize all agricultural, timber,
and mineral lands of the country
The Early Years
1945-1948)
 Bureau of Science was converted to the Institute
of Science and placed under the office of the
President
 Coordinated and redirected all scientific efforts
toward industrialization
 Filipino scientists directed their efforts toward the
solution of the country’s problems and needs (big
shortage of food and fuel, public health was poor)
 Conversion of coconut oil into ethyl alcohol
 fermentation of cassava
 indigenous raw materials and recycled food were
used as animal feed, etc.
The Early Years
1945-1948)
 The gradual Filipinization of the government
resulted in several negative effects on the
development of science in the country
 Reorganization led to loss of records (no clear
understanding of the roles and functions of different
offices)
 There was rampant graft, corruption and inefficiency of
the government due to unqualified officials
 The budget for the Bureau of Science for its research
and other scientific activities was at the mercy of its
department secretary (operating with a low budget led
to the bureau soliciting foreign aid through scientific
projects)
Post-War Philippine S&T
(The Quirino Administration, 1948-1953)
 President Elpidio Quirino desperately sought

the help of the US
 President Truman proposed an economic
survey mission – the Bell Mission
($250M-aid from the US)
 Institute of Science was renamed Institute of
Science and Technology and placed under the
National Economic Coordination
(funding became favorable)
(The Quirino Administration, 1948-1953)
 Philippine economy flourished

 Crop production from 1946-1956 increased by
100%
 Livestock and poultry production likewise
improved
 The demands for lumber and timber greatly
increased due to rehabilitation and
reconstruction programs
(The Magsaysay Administration, 1953-1957)
 President Ramon Magsaysay directed all his

efforts to the upliftment of the rural people
 Improved land reform system
 Provided easy-term credit and facilities
 Constructed roads and buildings for the masses
 Provided technical advice for farmers on farm
management and intensive development
 Extended the duty-free trade under the Bell
Trade Act
(The Magsaysay Administration, 1953-1957)
 Highest number of scientists, as well as

scientific works occurred in 1956
 Due to RA No. 1237 which granted special
privileges to scientists and inventors
 Dioscoro Umali organized the Division of Plant
Breeding, the Philippine Seed Board, the
National Rice and Corn Cooperative
Movement Program
 Fronda continued to improve the poultry
industry by introducing modern techniques
(The Garcia Administration, 1957-1961)
 President Carlos Garcia adopted the “Filipino
First Policy”
 The National Science Board was replaced
with the National Science Development
Board (NSDB), raising it to a department level
with a budget of its own
 Scientific and industrial researches were made
more possible (studies on indigenous materials
for industries, improvement of industrial
products, substitution of native raw materials,
etc.)
(The Garcia Administration, 1957-1961)
 1959 was called the “crop year”

 Increase in production despite the prolonged
drought
 An offshoot of agricultural research
breakthroughs
• improved farm technology
• use of modern farm practices)
(The Macapagal Administration, 1961-1965)
 President Diosdado Macapagal instituted the

full decontrol program which lifted all
government controls on foreign exchange
 The country’s foreign reserves were depleted
 Ended the protection of Filipino enterprises
 Unlimited importation and the Filipino colonial
mentality of buying “stateside” goods caused a
substantial drop in sales of Philippine-made
commodities
(The Macapagal Administration, 1961-1965)
 The NSDB was mandated in 1963 to

undertake research in all fields
 through its 2 commissions, National Institute of
Science and Technology (NIST) and the
Philippine Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC)
 The Scientific Instrumentation Division was
added to NSDB which shifted its efforts to
extensive training and expansion
 The International Rice Research Institute (IRRI)
was established in 1960
The Marcos Era
(Pre-Martial Law Years, 1965-1971)
 President Ferdinand Marcos’ national goals

emphasized economic and rural
developments
 Self-sufficiency in rice and diversification of
crops
 Land reform program and intensification of
community development programs
 Laws that adjusted the government’s buying
price for rice and corn, reorganized agricultural
agencies to reduce operational costs and
attain efficiency
The Marcos Era
 UP College of Agriculture underwent rapid

development in its facilities, faculty and staff,
academic programs and extension
 Training ground for Filipinos and other Asian
graduate students
 The Ford Foundation granted funds for the
establishment of the UP Computer Center in
1967, laboratory facilities and research
equipment
 The Philippine Sugar Industry granted funds to
support, revive and develop a strong sugar
technology curriculum
The Marcos Era
 Thrust of research were redirected towards

5 areas of priority:
1. Basic necessities
2. Import substitutes
3. Exports
4. Waste materials and product utilization
5. Science education program
The Marcos Era
(Martial Law Years, 1972-1982)
 President Marcos created Proclamation 1081
placing the entire Philippines under Martial
Law
 He made himself head of the National Economic
Development Authority (NEDA)
 Reorganized many government agencies (NSDB,
NIST, DANR)
 Created Philippine Council for Agricultural Research
(PCAR), which later became PCARR, Philippine Root
Crop Research and Training Center, Philippine
Tobacco Research and Training Center, Institute of
Plant Breeding, BIOTECH, CLSU Cotton Research and
Development Institute, National Academy of Science
and Technology and Filipino Inventors Society, Inc.
The Marcos Era
(After Martial Law, 1981-1985)
 President Marcos issued Proclamation 2045

that lifted Martial Law
 NSDB drafted a comprehensive science and
technology plan for the country (Five-Year
Science and Technology Development Plan)
 NSDB was reorganized to National Science and
Technology Authority (NSTA)
• Mandated to formulate a comprehensive
National Plan for Science and Technology
The Marcos Era
(After Martial Law, 1981-1985)
 The following agencies were created:
• Philippine Council for Agriculture and Resource
Research and Development (PCARRD)
• National Research Council of the Philippines
(NRCP)
• Philippine Council for Health Research and
Development (PCHRD)
• Philippine Council for Industry and Energy Research
Development (PCIERD)
 NAST tackled 3 major issues:
• Collection of biological specimens
• State of the dairy industry
• Effects of radiation on human health
Post EDSA revolution
(1986-present)
 President Corazon Aquino inherited a serious
economic crisis
 Organized the Philippine Commission on
Good Government (PCGG)
 Created the Commission on Human rights
(CHR)
 NSTA was reorganized to Department of
Science and Technology (DOST)
 PAGASA was transferred to the DOST from the
Department of National Defense
(1986-present)
 Task Force on Science and Technology

Development was created in 1989
 Dialogue with industry and agriculture and
identify the S&T areas needed to move to NIC
(Newly Industrializing Country) status by the
year 2000
(1986-present)
 President Fidel Ramos envisioned the
Philippines “to be a country where all are
provided a better life…”
 DOST refocused its efforts on the 15 “leading
edges”, sectors that have substantial
contribution to GNP:
• agriculture, aquaculture and marine fisheries, forest
and natural resources, metals and engineering,
textile industry, mining and minerals, process
industry, food and food industry, energy,
transportation, construction industry, information
technology, electronics, instrumentation and
control, emerging technologies, and the
pharmaceutical industry
Group Activity
 Topic: Intellectual revolutions that defined

society
 Research and explain the “revolution” without
reporting (15-20 mins creative presentation)
• Group 1 – Copernican
• Group 2 – Darwinian
• Group 3 – Freudian
• Group 4 – Information
• Group 5 – Meso-American
• Group 6 - Asian/Middle East/African

Lect#2 S & T History in The Philippines

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Learning

 The Taft Commission started the gradual

 In 1906, the Bureau of Science was made the

 The University of the Philippines was

 President Elpidio Quirino desperately sought

 Philippine economy flourished

 President Ramon Magsaysay directed all his

 Highest number of scientists, as well as

 1959 was called the “crop year”

 President Diosdado Macapagal instituted the

 The NSDB was mandated in 1963 to

 President Ferdinand Marcos’ national goals

 UP College of Agriculture underwent rapid

 Thrust of research were redirected towards

 President Marcos issued Proclamation 2045

 Task Force on Science and Technology

 Topic: Intellectual revolutions that defined

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