Historical

Antecedents in
the Philippines
 Discuss the historical antecedents in science and
Discuss technology that leads to current scientific knowledge and
advance technological innovations in the Philippines.

Objectives Discuss how scientific and technological developments

Discuss affect society and the environment in our country.

Exhibit the historical antecedents that revolutionized

Exhibit science and technology in the Philippines.
 Periods in the
Progress of
Science

• Pre-Colonial Science and Technology

• Stone Ages in the Philippines
• Bronze and Iron Ages in the Philippines
• Spanish Colonization
• American Colonization and World War II
Pre-
Colonial
Science
and
Technolo
gy
 Pre-Colonial
Science and
Technology
 Indigenous means of raising animals, farming, and
utilizing plants and herbs for medical purposes.
 Invented tools and built structures, and observed
heavenly bodies to predict seasons and weather.
 Developed tools for planting, hunting, cooking, fishing
and fighting enemies during tribal conflicts.
 The use of technology is very evident in the handicrafts,
pottery, weaving and tools used by ancient Filipinos in
their everyday life.
Pre-Colonial
Science and
Technology
The ancient practices in science and technology by our
ancestors are considered indigenous science or folk science
which is one of the foundations of modern science.

The growth of science and its development as a field in

the Philippines is a hybrid of indigenous and foreign ideas.
Spain and the United States of America, being
former colonizers, played an important role in building the
foundation of science in the country
 Stone
Ages in
the
Philippin
es
 Stone Ages in the Philippines

Archaeological findings indicate that around

50,000 years ago, modern men or Homo sapiens from
the Asian mainland first came over land and across
narrow channels to live in Palawan and Batangas.
For about 40,000 years, they made simple tools or
weapons of stone flakes, but eventually developed
techniques for sawing, drilling and polishing hand stones.
This very long period, considered as the Philippine Stone
Age, was when the Tabon Man (c. 67,000 BC) and the
Callao Man (c. 24,000-22,000 BCE) were supposed to
have lived.
 The Tabon Man and the Callao Man
The Tabon Man is the oldest confirmed modern human
to have been found in the Philippines. His bones, which
provide evidence of the existence of Home sapiens between
37,000 and 47,000 years ago, were discovered in the Tabon
Caves in Quezon, Palawan Island in 1962.
In 2007, archaeologists unearthed human bones in the
Philippines that proved early man had lived on the
archipelago almost 70,000 years ago.
Before the discovery of the bone, scientists believed
that humans had not occupied the Philippines before 47,000
years ago based on the discovery of the Tabon Man.
 The Tabon Man and the Callao Man
The discovery of Callao Man took place in the Callao
Caves near Peneblanca (210 miles from Manila) where
archaeologists from the University of the Philippines and the
French National Museum of Natural History were taking part
in a four-year excavation project in the extensive cave
network. While digging in the area, they discovered a foot
bone that turned out to be a metatarsal bone from the right
foot.
After analysing the 2.4 inch bone using a method
called uranium series dating, it was revealed that it was
significantly older than Tabon Man - dated to 67,000 years
ago - making it the oldest human remains ever found in the
Philippines.
Stone Ages in the
Philippines
The Austronesians around 5,000-2,000
BC, ancestors of most present-day Filipinos,
arrived in the islands. It is still unsure as to
their exact direction of movement to what is
today the Philippines, and southern Mainland
China is considered their most plausible point
of origin. These ancestors not only brought
most languages spoken by Filipinos today;
they were also said to have brought more
sophisticated and organized agricultural
technologies and methods. This is where rice
cultivation also flourished with the 2,000-
year-old Banaue Rice Terraces of the
Ifugao people as prominent evidence.
Bronze and Iron Ages in the
Philippines
 Bronze and Iron
Ages in the
Philippines

There is no distinct
Bronze Age in the Philippines.
As early as 3,000 BC
people were producing a
range of materials from
seashell ornaments to
pottery of various designs.
The production of pottery
subsequently became well
developed and flourished for
about 2,000 years until it
came into competition with
imported Chinese ceramics.
 Bronze and Iron
Ages in the
Philippines

Fermentation in food
processing could have been
present earlier than this
period. Various types of
alcohol were produced from
coconuts (tuba, lambanog,
bahalina) and rice (pangasi).
This method was later
adopted to sugarcane (basi)
when Arab traders
presumably brought the crop
to Mindanao and then spread
northwards.
 Bronze and Iron
Ages in the
Philippines
Usage and small-scale production of
iron is estimated to have occurred around
500 to 200 BCE as iron manufacturing
overlapped with the arrival of limited bronze
manufacturing. People during this age
engaged in the actual iron extraction,
smelting and refining.
Crude metalwork processes were
already adopted through the hardening of
metal through heat-induced carbon
absorption or carburization. Most
materials found were imported, which shows
the existence of an extensive trading
network across Southeast Asia, China and
the Indian subcontinent as early as this
period. By 1st century CE, cotton cultivation,
textiles, mining, and jewelry making were
already practiced.
Bronze and Iron
Ages in the
Philippines
This period saw the appearance
of various clay and copper-based
materials produced by the Sa Huynh
Culture which existed around 1000 BCE
to 200 CE. Found to be concentrated in
southern Vietnam, this society is
presumed to have had presence around
Central Philippines, and possibly all the
way to Mindanao. Some notable
archeological findings from this time
are the Sa Huyun-Kalanay Pottery
Complex of Masbate (c. 400 BCE-1500
CE), and the Manunggul Jar of Palawan
(c. 890-710 BCE), which is depicted in
the old design of the
₱1,000 bill.
 Bronze and Iron
Ages in the
Philippines

As descendants of seafaring people

who subsequently settled near the sea,
social structures in ancient Philippines
were also tied to seafaring. An example
would be ancient barangay societies,
which would later expand as flourishing,
powerful localities trading with nearby
states and territories up until the 16th
century. These social organizations were
derived from the concept of the balangay,
ancient boats used by their predecessors
to travel across the Philippines and nearby
islands. The oldest to be discovered is
called the Butuan Boat One presumed to
be used around 300 CE.
Bronze and Iron Ages in the
Philippines

There is also the karakoa, or

large outrigger ships used for
both trade and warfare mostly in
the Visayas.

The lanong is a variant

within the Sulu area. These larger
vessels were said to be attached
with at least one bronze cannon
called a lantaka. Today this
cannon technology has evolved
into the typical bamboo cannons
used as noisemakers during
fiestas and New Year’s Eve.
Bronze and Iron
Ages in the
Philippines

The early form of medicine or

pananambal is associated with ancient
systems of Animist beliefs characterized by
the anito, which comprise of various nature
spirits, diwatas, and ancestors. In line with
religion, early societies’ agricultural
activities were presumed to have been
guided by a Hindu-Buddhist influenced
lunar calendar.
 Bronze and Iron
Ages in the
Philippines
Among the oldest writing systems
(Baybayin) found in the
Philippines with variations
from Pampanga down to the Visayas.
This is presumed to have evolved from
the Kawi Script originally
developed somewhere in Java, Indonesia, and
spread all over what are now Malaysia and the
Philippines. Its most renowned evidence in
the Philippines is the Laguna
Copperplate Inscription, dated around 900 CE,
which is an Old Malay writing mixed with either
Old Javanese or Old Tagalog. Kawi itself
evolved from an older writing system
originating in Southern India.
Many Baybayin writings did not survive
since most were carved on leaves and bamboo,
except for a very few when the Spaniards
brought the printing press to the islands.
 Spanish
Colonizati
on
Spanish Colonization
is the beginning of modern
science and technology in the
Philippines

While the Spaniards practiced

some aspects of science (e.g.
agriculture, botany, medicine,
meteorology), Filipinos rarely had
the opportunity to develop a serious
competence to these, due to racism
and wealth inequality within the
colonies.

Filipino farmers during Spanish

Regime
 Small group of Filipinos
particularly men who are wealthy and
landed (Ilustrados) were eventually
allowed to engage in advanced studies in
local schools or abroad.

The aspects of scholarship that

were developed ethnography, humanities
theology, science and technology were
generally neglected.
 University of Santo Tomas

Access to adequate training, was

limited to the University of Santo Tomas
(La Pontificia y Real Universidad de
Santo Tomás de Aquino Universidad
Católica de Filipinas).

The University of Santo Tomás Main Building during

the pre-war years. © Old Manila Nostalgia via Ram
Roy
 Higher institutions of learning were
established among which were:

Formal education • Colegio de Cebu (1597), now

in science and technology the University of San Carlos
was introduced by the • Colegio de Nuestra Señora del Rosario
(1611), now the University of Santo Tomas
Spaniards through
• Colegio de San Juan de Letran (1706)
scientific institutions. • Ateneo Municipal de Manila (1859)
• Escuela Nautica (1820)
• Manila School of Agriculture (1887)
 Science subjects were taught as parts of the
curriculum for college programs being
offered.

ASTRONOMY PHYSICS CHEMISTRY NATURAL MATHEMATICS

HISTORY
Important Institutions and
Development in the
Spanish Era

Observatorio Meteorológico
or the Manila Observatory
(1865) at the Ateneo
Municipal de Manila helped
in studying typhoons and
climatology within the colony
and across Asia.
 Important Institutions and
Development in the Spanish Era

Hospitals were established

like San Lazaro Hospital (1578),
the oldest in East Asia, the
Hospital de Los Baños (1590), and
the Hospital de Cebu (1850).
Important Institutions
and Development in
the Spanish Era

Philippine National
Railway (PNR) in June 1875.
The wood-burning steam
locomotive ran through the
first line from Tutuban in
Manila to Dagupan and San
Fernando, La Union.
Important Institutions
and Development in
the Spanish Era

The tranvia owned by

the Compania de las
Tranvias de Manila of 1888
consisting of German-made
light electric locomotives
which ran from Manila to
Malabon.
 Important Institutions
and Development in
the Spanish Era

Telegraph was introduced in

the Philippines in 1876 with the
first line between Manila and
Corregidor.
The first foreign- owned
overseas submarine telegraph cable
was put up in 1881. It linked
Bolinao in Pangasinan and Hong
Kong. Manila was also linked to
Iloilo, Cebu and Bacolod.
There were 65 telegraph
stations operating in the islands (49
in Luzon, 16 in the Visayas during
the height of Philippine revolution.
 American
Colonization
and WWII
 How did the
American
Colonization start?

On April 21, 1898, the

United states declared war
against Spain. It was the first
overseas conflict fought by the
U.S. it involved major campaigns
in both Cuba and the Philippine
islands.
 How did the American Colonization start?

America's involvement in the Philippines

started when the Spanish-American War ended
in December 1898, Spain sold the entire
Philippine archipelago to the United States for
$20 million. The Philippines had acquired a new
colonial ruler.
Education in the Philippines During the
American Rule
During the United States colonial period of the Philippines (1898-1946),
the United States government oversaw providing education in the
Philippines.
This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA-NC
Progress in Education
The greatest contribution of
the United States to the Philippine
civilization is the system of public
education. Directly opposed to the
Spanish system which emphasized,
on the other hand, the study of
Catholic religion, and on the other,
the employment of Philippine
languages rather than the Spanish as
pedagogical aid, the American
educational system emphasized
democratic traditions and the
practical applications of laws and
principles.
Hierarchy of Educative Process that gone through the
American System of Education

PRIMARY EDUCATION
SECONDARY
EDUCATION TERTIARY
EDUCATION
 Education became a very important issue for the United States colonial
government, since it allowed it to spread their cultural values, particularly the
Public English language, to the Filipino people. Instruction in English language, and
American history, lead to forming of a national identity and Filipino
System of nationalism.
Every child from age 7 was required to register in schools located in
Education their own town or province. The students were given free school materials.
There were three levels of education during the American period. The
"elementary" level consisted of four primary years and 3 intermediate years.
The "secondary" or high school level consisted of four years; and the third was
the "college" or tertiary level. Religion was not part of the curriculum of the
schools. as it had been during the Spanish period.
Public
System of
Education
Public Education System
Many elementary and secondary schools from the Spanish era were recycled and
new ones were opened in cities and provinces, among which there were normal,
vocational, agricultural, and business schools.
Among the most important colleges during United States rule were: Philippine
Normal School in 1901 ( Philippine Normal University) and other normal schools
throughout the country such as Silliman University (1901), Central Philippine University
(1905), Negros Oriental High School (1902. Examples of vocational schools are the
Philippine Nautical School, Philippine School of Arts and Trades (1901, now
Technological University of the Philippines) and the Central Luzon Agriculture School.
The University of the Philippines was also founded in 1908. and Schools were also built-
in remote areas like Sulu, Mindanao, and the Mountain Provinces, where attention was
given to vocational and health practice.
Public Education System

In basic education,
science education
focuses on nature
studies and science and
sanitation, until it
became a single, formal
subject area.

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA

Public Education System
The teaching of science in higher
education has also greatly improved
and modernized. Publication of
scientific journals and organization of
scientific societies were brought.
Among these local scientific
publications focused on agriculture
and plant industries, water resources,
pharmaceuticals, and general natural
and applied sciences.

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND

 Transportation
and
Communication
New developments in transportation and
communications were also brought during the
American period. Other than acquiring ownership
of PNR and extending its railroad lines, the
Commonwealth government also built other
steam locomotive railways in other parts of the
country. These are the Panay Railway, which ran
from Iloilo City to the town of Capiz (now Roxas
City), and the Cebu Railway, which ran from Danao
through Cebu City until Argao.
 Transportation
and
Communication
A shorter line was built in Negros, but this
primarily served sugar plantations and mills, not
commuters. The first automobile in the Philippines
arrived in Manila in 1900. By 1916 the ordinary car
became a common feature of traffic. As per
aviation, the first airplane to land in the
Philippines is the Avierto Gallarsa in 1924.
However, locally- owned commercial air travel
only became possible by 1941. This was when
Philippine Air Lines (now ‘Airlines’), the first Asian
commercial aviation company, was incorporated
for domestic and international flights.
Transportation
and
Communicatio
n
This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA

The Americans expanded the

telegraph and telephone capacity and
became available to the Filipino public
with the establishment of the Bureau of
Post. Before World War II, they were able
to operate 108 radio stations and 495
telegraph offices interconnected by
14,607 kilometers of wires and 328
nautical miles of submarine cables
throughout the archipelago. In 1922, the
first radio broadcasts took place in Manila
and Pasay.
Transportation and
Communication
The radio stations were
initially owned by Americans but
were soon purchased by Filipino
businessmen who extended their
media investments from
newspapers to radio, and later to
television. The radio quickly
became a staple so that even
before World War II, news
programs were regularly
broadcast. After the war, the
number of radio stations increased
rapidly, and broadcasts soon
became available throughout the
country. The radio became the
main source of entertainment and
news for millions of Filipinos until
the 1970’s when it was
supplemented by the television.
 Scientific
Developme
nt
The Americans likewise continued science
development from the Spanish regime. Government
departments, bureaus, and boards were established to
help the new colonial administration, and among these
were the Bureau of Agriculture and the Board of
Health, which later became the Bureau of Health.
American efforts at the beginning were geared
towards the promotion of public health. In 1901, the
Philippine Commission created the Bureau of
Government Laboratories under the Department of
Interior. This bureau was established for the study of
tropical diseases and laboratory projects effectively
replacing the Laboratorio Municipal.
 “No people ever accepted the blessings of
education more enthusiasm than the Filipinos”
- Governor-General Frank Murphy, 1935
 ISSUES IN SCIENCE AND
TECHNOLOGY IN THE PHILIPPINES
&
INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE SYSTEM
 Issues
Since the aftermath of World War II and
independence, the Philippines had struggled to
maintain and expand its science and
technology capacity.
Institutions and possibly many physical
documents of scientific and technological
knowledge were turned to ashes; many lives
were destroyed.
While reparation funds from Japan were
meant for rebuilding much were focused on
basic infrastructure such as schools,
hospitals, and transportation systems.
Resources are limited in improving
science.
Issues
The Philippine government has explored the
use of Overseas Development Allocations (ODA)
from different countries to help in improving its
scientific productivity and technological capability.
Human resource development is at the
heart of these efforts focusing on producing more
engineers, scientists, technologists, doctors, and
other professionals.
However, these are not enough for the
Philippines to provide quality science education to
the population, and much more catch up with
developed nations in terms of capacity and
innovation.
Issues
The brief account of the acceptance
of modern technology in the
Philippines indicates its ready
absorption into national and local life.
With the arrival of the steamboat in
1849, the telegraph in 1876, the
railway in 1888, the telephone in
1890, the automobile in 1900, and the
electric tranvia in 1905, the launching
of modern communications and
transportation technologies in the
country became apparent. Most of
these technologies were only recently
invented in the West, but their effects
were quickly felt in the societies that
accepted them.
Issues
Unfortunately, the Philippines failed to take
advantage of these opportunities as most of their
benefits were confined to the national capital
region and were unable to stimulate the
development of the overall economy. In effect,
they often confirmed, widened, or solidified
social divisions between rich and poor, urban
and rural.

The aforementioned technologies as they

evolved in the contemporary period in the form
of smartphones and tablets, overseas travel, car
ownership, or affording car services like Grab,
became hallmarks of privilege rather than
necessities of modern living.
Indigeno
us
Knowled
ge
System
Indigenous Knowledge System
Indigenous knowledge is embedded in the daily
life experiences of young children as they grow up.
They live and grow in a society where the members
of the community prominently practice indigenous
knowledge in their minds. The lessons they learned
are intimately interwoven with their culture and the
environment. These lessons comprised of good
values and life stories of people on their daily life
struggles. Their views about nature and their
reflections on their experiences in daily life are
evident in their stories, poems, and songs.
Indigenous
Knowledge System
Some examples of indigenous
knowledge that are taught and
practiced by the indigenous peoples
are:

• Predicting weather conditions and

seasons using knowledge in
observing animals’ behavior and
celestial bodies;
• Using herbal medicine;
• Preserving foods
Indigenous
Knowledge
System
1. Classifying plants and animals into families
and groups based on cultural properties;
2. Preserving and selecting good seeds for

planting;
3. Using Indigenous technology in daily lives;

4. Building local irrigation systems;

5. Classifying different types of soil for

planting based on cultural properties;
6. Producing wines and juices from tropical
fruits; Keeping the custom of growing
plants and vegetables in the yard.
Indigenous Science
 1. Indigenous science uses science process skills
such as observing, comparing, classifying,
measuring, problem solving, inferring,
communicating, and predicting.

2. Indigenous science is guided by culture and community

values such as the following:
Simpl • The land is a source of life. It is a precious gift from the
e creator.
framework • The Earth is revered as “Mother Earth”. It is the origin of

for their
identity as people.
understand • All living and non-living things are interconnected and
ing interdependent with each other.

indigenous • Human beings are stewards or trustee of the land

and other resources. They have a responsibility to
preserve it.
science • Nature is a friend to human beings - it needs respect and
proper
care.
3. Indigenous science is composed of traditional
knowledge practiced and valued by people and
communities such as ethno-biology, ethno-medicine,
indigenous farming methods and folk astronomy.
 Indigenous Science
Indigenous science is important in the
development of science and technology in the
Philippines. Like the ancient civilizations,
indigenous science gave birth to the development
of science and technology as a field and as a
discipline.

Indigenous science helped the people in

understanding the natural environment and in
coping with everyday life. UNESCO’s Declaration
on Science and the Use of Scientific Knowledge
(1999) recognized indigenous science as a
historical and valuable contribution to science and
technology.