Pre-Colonial Philippines (900 – 1565) Spanish Colonial Period

(1565 – 1898)
a. Early Inhabitants:

a. Introduction of Modern Science and

 Homo sapiens from mainland Asia
Technology:
arrived around 50,000 years ago.
 These settlers formed communities  Rooted in the Spanish regime but
in Palawan, Batangas, and other heavily influenced by colonization
major islands. methods and goals.
 They used flake tools for hunting
and daily activities. b. Reducción Policies:

b. Trade and External Influence:  A religious strategy that

consolidated small barangays
 Coastal tribes engaged in trade into larger settlements near
with China, India, and the Malay churches.
Peninsula.  Displacement led to declines in
 Imported goods included silk, agriculture and traditional crafts
ceramics, jewelry, and weaponry. due to resettlement.
 Local crafts developed, such as
pottery, gold-smelting, and textile c. Schools and Hospitals:
weaving.
 Religious orders played a major
c. Agriculture and Food Production: role in establishing education,
mainly for religious purposes.
 Farming was a primary food  Higher education was limited to
source, with rice, vegetables, and the elite and focused on clerical
cotton cultivated. and priestly training.
 Lowland rice was farmed in diked  Science and medicine were
fields, while mountain tribes built deprioritized by friars, limiting
rice terraces. scientific development.
 Basic food processing methods  Hospitals were the main venues
included making wine, vinegar, for rudimentary scientific work in
and salt. pharmacy and medicine.

d. Environment and Innovation: d. The Galleon Trade (1565 – 1813):

 Abundant natural resources and  The Manila-Acapulco trade was

a sparse population created a the primary economic activity.
relatively stress-free environment.  Focus on the profitable trade led
 The favorable conditions meant to neglect of local industries,
there was little need for major agriculture, and mining.
innovations or technological  Local handicrafts declined due to
advancements. competition with imported goods.
e. Opening of the Suez Canal (1869):  Improved education increased
the number of highly trained
 Facilitated easier travel and professionals compared to the
communication between the Spanish era.
Philippines and Europe.
 Allowed more Filipinos to study in c. Establishment of Science Research
Europe, where they were exposed Agencies:
to new ideas and inventions.
 The Bureau of Science was
f. Limitations in Scientific Progress: established with laboratories for
chemistry, biology, and vaccines.
 Despite exposure to European  Other field-specific institutions
ideas, Filipinos faced limited were founded, including the
opportunities in science and Weather Bureau, Bureau of
technology. Forestry, Bureau of Agriculture,
 Preference for Spanish and and Bureau of Mines.
European-trained professionals  These agencies created
limited local employment in numerous job opportunities for
scientific fields. Filipinos, fostering interest in
science careers.
American Regime (1898 – 1946)
d. Jones Law and the Great
a. Rapid Development in Science and Depression:
Technology:
 Jones Law (Philippine Autonomy
 Science and technology Act) allowed Filipinos to take
progressed quickly during control of internal island affairs by
American occupation due to 1921.
several factors.  The Great Depression (1929)
caused economic hardships,
b. Extensive Support for Education: reducing government funds for
research and development.
 A public school system was
established with English as the e. Free Trade Relations with the U.S.:
medium of instruction.
 Scholarship grants were provided  The Philippine economy remained
for higher education in science agricultural, exporting crops and
and engineering. raw materials to the U.S.
 Tertiary institutions like the  This limited industrial
University of the Philippines were advancement and technological
founded, with colleges in fields research as the focus remained
such as engineering, medicine, on agriculture.
and agriculture.
Commonwealth and the Pacific War d. Aftermath of the War:

a. Philippine Commonwealth (Pre-War  The country faced massive losses

Developments): in infrastructure, human lives, and
economic stability.
 Aimed to prepare the country for  Scientific activities were at a
political independence and standstill, as all efforts were
economic self-reliance. diverted to the war and recovery
 The government supported efforts.
Filipino businessmen in
establishing industries and Rehabilitation and Reconstruction:
manufacturing enterprises. The Post-War Years (1946 – 1965)
 Science-related government
agencies, such as the Bureau of a. Post-War Challenges:
Science and Bureau of Plant
Industry, received support.  The Philippines faced widespread
destruction, food and fuel
b. Limited Success Due to U.S. Control: shortages, public health crises,
and lack of facilities.
 Foreign trade and tariff policies  Rehabilitation efforts focused on
were still controlled by the United addressing immediate needs and
States. stabilizing the economy.
 As a result, the goal of full
economic independence was b. Innovation Using Local Materials:
not fully achieved.
 Research efforts centered on
c. Pacific War and Japanese converting cheap local materials
Occupation (1941): into useful products.
 Examples include converting
 The war caused widespread coconut oil to ethanol, cassava
destruction of towns and cities, fermentation, and using
halting scientific learning and indigenous materials for livestock
research. feed.
 Research efforts during this time
were focused on war needs and c. Filipinization of Government:
mitigating hunger.
 Human casualties, infrastructure  Full Filipinization replaced foreign
damage, and food shortages officials in the government with
severely hindered progress in Filipinos.
science and technology.  This led to organizational
challenges, including loss of
records, unqualified officials, and
corruption, which negatively
affected scientific progress.
d. Decline of Science:  These institutions aimed to
develop the rice and corn
 The decline in scientific research industries and support
and development, which began advancements in agriculture,
during the Commonwealth forestry, and fisheries.
period, continued into the
reconstruction years. b. Expansion of Science Education:

e. Republic Act No. 1606 (1956):  New campuses of the Philippine

Science High School were
 A law promoting scientific, opened in Mindanao and
engineering, and technological Visayas to make quality science
research was approved. education more accessible to
 It provided financial aid for gifted students in the southern
students and researchers, Philippines.
equipment for research, and
partnerships with private c. Mismanagement and Social Unrest:
organizations.
 This led to a rise in scientific works  Despite the creation of new
and notable contributions from science agencies, significant
national scientists like Dr. Dioscoro advancements in science and
Umali and Dr. Francisco Fronda. technology were limited due to
mismanagement and ongoing
f. Agricultural Advancements (1959): social unrest during the Marcos
dictatorship.
 Farm technology research
culminated in increased The Fifth Republic (1986 – Present)
agricultural production despite
challenges like prolonged a. Department of Science and
drought. Technology (DOST):

Pre-Martial Law Years and the  Elevated to Cabinet level in 1987

Marcos Dictatorship (1965 – 1986) in response to growing needs for
science and technology in
a. Establishment of Science Agencies: national development.
 DOST institutions include PAGASA
 The National Grains Authority and (weather), PHIVOLCS
the Philippine Council for (volcanology), SEI (education),
Agricultural Research were and PSHS (high school system).
created in 1972.
 Research institutes like PNRI
(nuclear research), PTRI (textile
research), and FNRI (nutrition)
focus on supporting local science
efforts and technological self-
reliance.

b. Expansion of Educational Access:

 Free public secondary education

was established under RA No.
6655 (1988).
 Free tertiary education became
available with RA No. 10931,
providing tuition-free education
at state-run institutions.
 K+12 education reform was
implemented to extend basic
education to 12 years, improving
global competitiveness and
offering technical-vocational
tracks for senior high school
students.

c. Goal of Producing Well-Trained

Graduates:

 The combination of free tuition

and K+12 reforms aims to
increase the number of well-
trained students, encouraging
higher education access,
especially for students from
disadvantaged backgrounds.
 election fraud, and continued
economic instability.
 Arroyo pursued liberalization
policies, focusing on privatization
and competitiveness in global
markets, while also dealing with
internal political conflicts and
corruption challenges.