STAS 4 Flashcards
Before the Spaniards came to the Philippines, the natives of the archipelago already had practices linked to science and technology. Filipinos were engaged in different kinds of activities like farming, weaving, shipbuilding and mining. The Banaue Rice Terraces are among the cultured products of engineering that were built with minimal equipment, largely by hand. These are fed by an ancient irrigation system from the rainforests above terraces.They already had an alphabet called alibata and the emergence of writing system called baybayin, primarily used by certain inhabitants of Luzon and Visayas. The Laguna Copperplate Inscription which is a legal document inscribed on a copper plate, is said to be the earliest known calendar-dated document found in the Philippines. Just like other civilizations, astronomy is shown by fixing precise day within the month in relation to the phases of the moon. They had also a standard system of weights and measures for shipbuilding. The Philippine shamans or babaylans were the first healers within the tribal communities and the use of medicinal or herbal plants was the common way of treating ailments.
Pre-Colonial Period
When the Spaniards colonized the Philippines, they introduced formal education and founded scientific institution. The Spaniards provided the Philippines with parish schools in which religion, arithmetic, writing, reading and music were taught. In fact, University of Santo Tomas was started by the Spanish Archbishop of Manila as a seminary. The Spanish also contributed to the field of engineering by constructing roads, churches, bridges, walls, forts and other infrastructures. In Medicine, both the Spanish government and Religious Franciscan and Dominican missionaries established a number of hospitals in the Philippines and also acted as hospital founders and the surveyors of herbal medicines.
The American period provided the Philippines with an extensive public education system. The Philippine Commission established the Bureau of Government Laboratories allocated for the study of tropical diseases and laboratory projects. Then, it was replaced by the Bureau of Science, the primary research center of the Philippines.
Colonial Period
Marcos Era and Martial Law
President Ferdinand Marcos strengthened the development of science and technology in the Philippines. Many agencies, institutions and projects were established including National Grains Authority for the development of rice and corn industry, Philippine Council for Agricultural Research for the development of agriculture, fisheries and forestry. Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) to ensure the safety of the people. Philippine National Oil Company to promote industrial and economic development, National Academy of Science and Technology which is composed of scientists with innovative achievement in the basic and applied sciences, Philippine Council for Agricultural Research and resources, Plant breeding Institute, International Rice Research Institute, Bureau of Plant Industry and Bureau of Forest Products. Furthermore, President Marcos established the Philippine Science High School in Mindanao and Visayas to encourage careers in science and technology.
Post-Colonial Period
President Ferdinand Marcos strengthened the development of science and technology in the Philippines.
Marcos Era and Martial Law
Department of Science and Technology formerly known as National Science and technology Authority was given a representation in the cabinet. President Aquino encouraged scientists to bring the Philippines to its former position as second to only Japan in the field of science and technology.
The Science and Technology Master Plan was formulated which aimed at the modernization of the production sector, upgrading research activities and development of infrastructure for science and technological purposes.
Corazon Aquino Presidency
Several laws and projects that concerns both the environment and science to push technology as a tool to increase the country’s economic level. The term “Filipinnovation”was the term used in helping the Philippines to be an innovation hub in Asia. Philippine Science High School focuses in science, technology and mathematics in their curriculum. President Arroyo passed the Biofuels act” that promotes the development and usage of biofuels throughout the country Arroyo’s administration improves the Agriculture and Fisheries sector through Mechanization.
Gloria Macapagal Arroyo Presidency
During his term, there was a significant increase in personnel specializing in the science and technology field. Health care services were promoted through local programs such as “Doctors to the Barrio Program”. Magna Carta for Science and Technology Personnel was established. He believes that science and technology was one of the means wherein the Philippines could attain the status of new industrialized country.
Fidel Ramos Presidency
President Estrada signed the Phippine Clean Air Act of 1999, designed to protect and preserve the environment and Electronic Commerce Act of 2000 which outlaws computer hacking.
Joseph Estrada Presidency
a Filipino inventor and horticulturist, best known for inventing a way to induce more flowers in mango trees using ethrel and potassium nitrate.
- Ramon C. Barba
a Filipino biologist who led the world’s first national-scale assessment of damge to coral reefs. He also pioneered giant clam breeding and other protective areas for coastal communities of the Philippines.
- Edgardo Gomez
“ The father of Kappaphycus farming”, a Filipino biologist who focus on marine phycology particularly seaweed biodiversity .
- Gavino C. Trono
- a Filipino biologist who promote biodiversity in the aquatic ecosystems of the Philippines.
- Angel Alcala
a Filipino biologist, a leading authority of plants in the Philippines. He is the author of taxonomic and morphological papers, many of which deal with orchids including Medicinal Plants in the Philippines.
- Eduardo Quisumbing
Filipina pediatrician, the founder of the first pediatric hospital in the Philippines.
- Fe Del Mundo
Filipino plant geneticist and agronomist who contributed in Agriculture.
- Emil Q Javier
