The Need for a Pro-People Science and Technology
Science, in itself, is empirical in nature. It requires a certain concept to be verified by an observation or an experience. It heavily relies on facts. Recently, the term ‘alternative facts’ gained popularity and its very existence goes against the definition of what a fact is. These ‘alternative facts’ challenge the very notion of what a fact is. There has been suppression of scientific knowledge and information blackout on climate change.
March for Science started as a call to stand against this, which then grew into a global movement forwarding the issues and concerns the scientific community faces.
In the Philippines, the Department of Science and Technology has recently dropped Project NOAH, a state-run rain and flood forecasting system, citing lack of funds. The extreme rainy and dry seasons we have been experiencing is a manifestation of the worsening state of climate change. This reflects that general problem of science and technology here in the Philippines is its lack of funds. The current expenditure for S&T is at 0.14% of our GDP, compared to the international standard that is at 1%.
general problem of science and technology here in the Philippines is its lack of funds
In our university, our labs lack many equipment. Just to be able to do their thesis, some students visit other universities to use the equipment there. It is unfortunate that this is now the painted picture: a premier state university that puts so little importance to research that they neglect the facilities and allows students to have to go out and look for the proper equipment themselves just so they can do their research. It is important to note that research is one of the main factors that put UP in the global rankings.
Some even risk their lives while conducting their research.
A lot of people benefit from the research being done but the researchers get very little compensation for the work that they do. These workers have core functions in their respective institutions but they remain contractual. There are more than 2000 S&T workers in UP Diliman alone. Eng. Julian Oliveros, one of the people who worked on Diwata I, resigned due to lack of proper treatment when they asked for recognition from the government.
Some even risk their lives while conducting their research. Leonard Co, an ethnobotanist, and his colleagues Julius Borromeo and Sofronio Cortez, were killed in an incident involving the Armed Forces of the Philippines in the forests of Kananga, Southern Leyte. The AFP claimed that they were caught in a crossfire between the AFP and the New People’s Army (NPA) but this has been challenged by numerous groups. The Department of Justice (DOJ) has already filed charges against the soldiers involved. More than six years have passed but justice still has not been served.
Scientists, researchers, engineers, and more work towards development for the country. They try and come up with ideas to make work more efficient and to make life easier but under a bureaucrat-capitalist government, these developments end up benefiting only those with influence and power. They commercialize these goods which would supposedly help the Filipino people and in doing so, lessen the accessibility of their innovation.
All these developments come with a possible downside. It may harm the environment. A pro-people approach to science and technology takes into account the environmental impact. It gives importance to its surroundings. A pro-people approach to science and technology does not seek knowledge for knowledge sake. It has a goal to serve the masses that badly need ways for life to be easier. The farmers need a pro-people science and technology to help them yield bigger and better harvests. With a pro-people S&T, contractualization must be abolished so the contractual workers in the S&T field can have better compensation for the work that they do.
the struggles in the field of Science and Technology are not detached from the struggles faced by our communities
Having said all this, the best way to maximize our S&T field is to push for national industrialization wherein workers in the S&T field would not have to leave the country to look for a better job because we would then have our own industries. Lastly, national industrialization would also pave way for research to flourish.
However, the struggle to develop our field in Science and Technology will not be possible without campaigning for genuine societal change. National industrialization will not be possible without achieving genuine agrarian reform first. After all, the struggles in the field of Science and Technology are not detached from the struggles faced by our communities.
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