Pre-colonial and Postcolonial Development of Science and Technology

in the Philippines

Pre-colonial Period

 Stone Age
 Archeological findings show that modern man from Asian mainland first came over land on
across narrow channels to live in Batangas and Palawan about 48, 000 B.C.
 Subsequently they formed settlement in Sulu, Davao, Zamboanga, Samar, Negros, Batangas,
Laguna, Rizal, Bulacan and Cagayan.
 They made simple tools and weapons of stone flakes and later developed method of sawing
and polishing stones around 40, 000 B.C. by around 3, 000 B.C. they were producing adzes
ornaments of seashells and pottery. Pottery flourished for the next 2, 000 years until they
imported Chinese porcelain. Soon they learned to produce copper, bronze, iron, and gold
metal tools and ornaments.
 Iron Age
 The Iron Age lasted from second or third century B.C. to 10th century A.D. during this period
Filipinos were engaged in extraction smelting and refining of iron from ores, until the
importation of cast iron from Sarawak and later from China.
 They learn to weave cotton, make glass ornaments, and cultivate lowland rice and dike fields
of terraced fields utilizing spring water in mountain regions. (Banaue rice terraces in
Cordillera. Created more than 2,000 years ago by the Ifugao people).
 They also learned to build boats for trading purposes. Spanish chronicles noted refined plank
built warship called caracoa suited for interisland trade raids.
 10th century A.D. – Filipinos from Butuan were trading with Champa (Vietnam) and those
from Ma-I (Mindoro) with China as noted in Chinese records containing several references to
the Philippines. These archaeological findings indicated that regular trades relations between
the Philippines, China and Vietnam had been well establish from the 10th century to the 15th
century A.D.
 The people of Ma-I and San-Hsu (Palawan) traded bee wax, cotton, pearls, coconut heart
mats, tortoise shell and medicinal betel nuts, panie cloth for porcelain, leads fishnets sinker,
colored glass beads, iron pots, iron needles and tin.
 Before the Spaniards
 Filipinos were already engage in activities and practices related to science forming primitive
or first wave technology. They were curative values of some plant on how to extract medicine
from herbs. They had an alphabet, a system of writing (which they use sharp-pointed tools,
leaves, bamboo and trunk’s skin. Baybayin), a method of counting and weights and measure.
They had no calendar but counted the years by the period of the moon and from one harvest to
another.
Postcolonial Period

 Spanish Colonial 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 were taught to the natives. Later the Spanish established
colleges and universities in the archipelago including 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. Biology is given focus.
 American Period and Post-Commonwealth era
 Science during the American period was inclined towards agriculture, food processing,
forestry, 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.
 The Americans introduced a system of secularized public school education as soon as civil
government was set up in the islands.
 Marcos Era and Martial Law
 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.
 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) 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.
 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)
 In 1976, he enacted a law under Presidential Decree No. 1003-A, s. 1976 to establish the
National Academy of Science and Technology, which is composed of scientists with
“innovative achievement in the basic and applied sciences,” to serve as a reservoir of
scientific and technological expertise for the country.
 Present
 5G technology - an engineered evolution of the 4G, which promises wider application-- from
education banking, transportation, and government services among others. Specific to easing
traffic congestion in Manila, Chan said the government can use 5G in mobilizing real-time
sensors in every intersection and control the traffic using artificial intelligence (AI)
technology.
 The Universal Structural Health Evaluation and Recording (USHER) System is a cost-
effective 24/7 Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) System for building and bridges that
enables economical and hassle-free Compliance.