Science &

Technology in
the Philippines
What’s the situation?
The local scenario:
•Economy driven largely by
services sector
•Rapid population growth and
uncontrolled urbanization
•Depletion of resources and
environmental degradation
•Narrow range of export products
A look at local transportation
technologies….
A look at local transportation
technologies….
A look at local transportation
technologies….
 A look at local transportation
technologies….

• fill a real transportation need

• contributes to economy, albeit the underground economy
• demonstrates Filipino creativity and ingenuity, but
highly polluting and unsafe
Where can these technologies
go?

• Can we adapt them to

help alleviate current
problems?
Agriculture has always been a
strong driver of Philippines S & T…

“It is the declared policy of the State to

accelerate agricultural development and
enhance the production of agricultural
crops by optimizing the use of resources
and applying modern farming systems
and technology to attain food security
for domestic use and to expand and
diversify agricultural production for
export.”
 Do you know where biotech crops
are grown?
The Philippines was the
first in Asia to approve
commercial cultivation
of a GM crop for animal
feed and food in 2002
when it allowed GM
corn planting. It has
also allowed GM crop
imports for more than a
decade. Around 70
percent of its corn
output is GM.
 The case of Bt – talong…
• The success of Bt corn prompted
development of similar products
of modern biotechnology
• But it was still not accepted by
some socio – civic groups. Why?
What are the gaps
in Philippine
Science &
Technology?
Three models for the relationship
between science and development.
PURE TECHNOLOGICAL PRODUCTION
DEVELOPEMNT AND MARKETING
RESEARCH

“ In developing countries, government goals and the “demand

side” pull are often lacking. As a result, universities and
research centers have become isolated from the rest of the
country in an ivory tower, more connected to research centers
in Europe or the United States than of the obvious needs of
industry, agriculture, and education in their own countries.”
• Mode A
 independent to each other ; pure
research, technological development
and production and marketing
• Mode B
 technological development
overlap/depends on pure research and
production and marketing
• Mode C
 pure research affected by
technological development and
production and marketing.
AN INTEGRATED FRAMEWORK FOR
ASSESSING THE STATE OF PHILIPPINE S&T

SUPPLY LINKAGE DEMAND

NATIONAL NATIONAL NATIONAL

S&T SUPPLY S&T LINKAGE S&T DEMAND
SUBSYSTEM SUBSYSTEM SUBSYSTEM

 Technology  Technology
 S&T Education and
Incubation Implementation
Training
 Technology Transfer • Technological
• Basic Research
• Technology Learning
• Applied Research
Commercialization • Technological
and Invention
• Technology Capability Building
• S&T Services
Diffusion

THE STRONG INTERACTIONS AMONG THE SYSTEMS OF RESEARCH, TECH-

NOLOGY TRANSFER, AND PRODUCTION IN ADVANCED COUNTRIES
“ Better R & D and a well –
established S & T manpower is S&T users: Large
essential for creating companies/SMEs
technological advancement
aligned and relevant to the
Economic
needs of industry and the Growth
general populace. “
Public Private Productivity
Investment Investment Growth

Research & Improved

Development Job Growth Standard
Technological of Living
Advancement
S&T Human
Resource
Development
S&T users:
General Public
 State of Science and Technology in the Philippines

How developed is Philippine S & T?

UNESCO recommends
a GERD of 1% for
developing countries.
 THE PHILIPPINES’ SHARE OF USPTO PATENTS
AS COMPARED TO THOSE OF ITS NEIGHBORS

Country Total No. of Patents % Share Total No. of Patents % Share

1963-1987 1988-2008

U.S.A. 1,091,416 66.5 2,538,250 57.94

Japan 148,024 9.01 725,866 16.57

Taiwan 1,306 0.08 70,643 1.61

Korea, Rep. 343 0.02 57,968 1.32

China 519 0.03 8,975 0.205

Singapore 76 0.005 4,097 0.093

Malaysia 34 0.002 947 0.022

PHILIPPINES 132 0.008 355 0.008

Thailand 19 0.001 303 0.007

Indonesia 75 0.004 178 0.004

 INCREASE IN THE NO. OF USPTO PATENTS GRANTED
TO NATIONALS OF SELECTED ASIAN COUNTRIES

9000 8,975

8000
1963-1987
7000
1988-2008
6000

5000
4,097
4000

3000

2000
947
1000 519
75 178 19
303 132 355 34 76
0
Indonesia Thailand Philippines Malaysia Singapore China
 State of Science and Technology in the Philippines

How developed is Philippine S & T?

Number of Patent Filings (Resident + Abroad)*

Philippines 350
Thailand 1,911
Malaysia 2,299
Singapore 5,470
Republic of 223,51
Korea 7
Japan 473,13
7
China 734,08
1 *2013 World Intellectual
India 20,907 Property Organization
World economic forum
In highly developed countries:

 No. Of FTE R&D scientists and engineers per

million population ranges from 2,000 to
4,000

 Gross domestic expenditures on r&d as a

Percentage of gdp or gerd/gdp range from 2.0%
to 3.0%
 STATE OF PHILIPPINE S S&T

IN 1970 THE UNITED NATIONS SET THE FOLLOWING

10-YEAR TARGETS FOR THE DEVELOPING COUN-
TRIES OF ASIA:

► 380 R&D scientists and engineers per

million population by 1980

► GERD/GDP of 1.0% by 1980

 STATE OF PHILIPPINE S S&T

By the year 2000, the no. of R&D scientists and engineers per
million population jumped to

 1,000–2000 in newly industrialized countries

But increased to only

 155 in the Philippines

This figure of 155 is not even one-half of the target of 380 set by the
united nations for attainment way back in 1980. Needless to say,
this is one of the lowest in ASEAN.
 STATE OF PHILIPPINE S S&T

 According to the latest UNESCO data, the no. of

Philippine FTE researchers per million population
has dropped further to only 81 in 2005 ― which is
the lowest among the original ASEAN and way, way
below the UN target of 380 in 1980.

 In absolute numbers, the Philippines in 2005 had

a total of 6,896 FTE researchers and a headcount of
10,690 researchers.

 How the Philippine figures compare with those of

other countries is shown in Table 2.
How developed is Philippine S & T?
S&T manpower (scientists & engineers/million population)
UNESCO recommends of an
increase in countries’
expenditures in R&D
S & T :Research and Publication
Philippine S & T: room for improvement!

The
Philippin
es has a
1:27
Master’s/
PhD to
Bachelor’
s
enrollme
nt (2008)
Philippine S & T: room for
improvement!

The Philippines
spent 0.32% of GDP
to higher education
in 2009
 Philippine S & T: room for
improvement!

The Philippines spent 11.96% of public expenditure on education on

higher education
Philippine S & T: Can we do better?

R&D: Government + HE
Philippine S & T: Can we do better?
The Philippines has a
6.4% share on the
region’s high tech
exports.

What are these

high tech exports?
Philippine S & T: Can we do better?

A
majority
of our
high tech
exports
are in
electronic
communi
cations
(69.4%)
Visions for Philippine S & T
The DOST envisions a science nation, a country whose
economic growth and development is driven and pulled by
science, technology and innovation.
National Science and Technology Plan, 2002 – 2020 (NSTP)

Harmonized Agenda for Science and Technology, 2002 - 2020

8 DOST outcomes:
1. agriculture 5. government connectivity
2. enterprise development 6. health
3. industry 7. education
4. IT – BPM 8. disaster preparedness
Strategic focus: building technological self -
reliance
Research Priority Areas
Industry Emerging Technologies Special Concerns
• Electronics and • Biotechnology / • Climate Change
Semiconductor
Industries Genomics Adaptation and
• Information and Mitigation
• Food Processing
Communication • Disaster Risk
• Metals and
Engineering Technology Reduction and
• Materials Science / Management
Nanotehnology
Energy
• Photonics
• Alternative Energy • Space Technology
• Energy Efficiency Applications
• Transportation
 Strategies to help National development thru
Science and Technology
1. Help adapt technology to local circumstance. Even
when technology are imparted from abroad, research
is necessary to make them work.
2. Incorporate new science into education.
Development requires a well – trained work force.
3. Be involved in government. Science and scientists
are an important element in choices and decisions
made by governments and can make a difference.
4. Programs and Projects should be research – based.
5. Program/Projects implementation should be
community-based (CBA).
 Reflection Points (individual)
1. What are the strengths and weaknesses of Philippine Science
and Technology research and development?
2. Do you think the government and private sector support
relevant science and technology priority areas?
3. Is the support of the government for science and technology
research adequate (in terms of its prioritization compared to
other expenditures)?
4. If you were to draw up 3 top research priorities for the country,
what do you think they should be?
5. How do you “popularize” or drum up support for science and
technology research in the country for different target groups
(i.e. students, politicians, investors, local scientists, etc.)
 References
• Goldemberg, Jose.What is the role of science in developing
countries by Jose, Science 20 Feb 1998: Vol. 279, Issue 5354, pp.
1140-1141
http://science.sceincemag.org/content/279/5354/1140.short

• PCIEERD Innovations: PCIEERD Annual Report 2015.

http://pcieerd.dost.gov.ph/images/downloads/publicatios/PCIEERD

• UNESCO Science Report; Towards 2030. Southeast Asia and

Oceania, p. 693 – 706; Country profile Philippines, pp. 716 – 718.
http://en.unseco.org sciencereport