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….

• 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 RESEARCH TECHNOLOGICAL PRODUCTION AND

DEVELOPEMNT MARKETING

“ 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 technological
companies/SMEs
advancement aligned and relevant to
the needs of industry and the general
populace. “ Economic
Growth

Public Private Productivity

Investment Investment Growth

Research & Improved

Development Job Growth Standard of
Technological 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
*2013 World Intellectual
Property Organization
Republic of Korea 223,517

Japan 473,137

China 734,081

India 20,907
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
communic
ations
(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 Genomics Adaptation and
Industries
• 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.)