Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
Second Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO. 7453

Introduced by ANG PROBINSYANO
Party-List Representative Alfred Delos Santos

EXPLANATORY NOTE

The Philippine government recognizes the role of science, technology, and
innovation in achieving AmBisyon 2040. From 2009 to 2013, the research and
development expenditures as a percentage of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP)
increased from 0.11% to 0.14%. However, this is far from the global average of
2.04% and UNESCO recommendation of 1% for developing countries. The bulk
of research and development spending in the Philippines comes from the public
sector with 60% of total expenditures. Most of the activities relating to research
and development are concentrated in the National Capital Region (NCR), Regions
IV-A (CALABARZON), and Region III (Central Luzon).

‘The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) sets the direction of research
and development in the country, guided by the socio-economic agenda of the
administration, the Philippine Development Plan (PDP), and the DOST Strategic
Plan. In the Philippine Development Plan 2017-2022, the annual target for
research and development expenditure as a percentage of GDP is set at 0.2% in
2017, increasing to 0.5% by 2022.

The proposed bill, in line with the aforementioned direction and guidelines,
emphasizes the role of science, technology, and innovation as a foundation for
inclusive growth, a high-trust society, and a globally competitive knowledge
economy through increasing the country’s potential economic growth. Increasing
research and development in agriculture, industry, and service sectors as well
as investments in technology-based start-ups, enterprises will result in the
promotion and acceleration of technology adaptation.

On the other hand, this bill, through enhancing the creative capacity for
knowledge and technology generation, acquisition, and adoption, and
strengthening open collaboration will stimulation innovation which will
ultimately have a positive and well-meaning impact on Filipino society, bringing
about inchusive progress and holistic development.


In view of the foregoing, immediate approval thereof is highly recommended.

ALFRED C. ‘LOS SANTOS
Representative, Ang Probinsyano Partylist


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
Second Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO. dass

Introduced by ANG PROBINSYANO
Party-List Representative Alfred Delos Santos

AN ACT ESTABLISHING SCIENCE FOR FILIPINO SOCIETY PROGRAM

Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the
Philippines in Congress assembled:

SECTION 1. Short Title, - This Act shall be known as the “Science for
Filipino Society Act of 2020.”

SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. - In recognition of the fundamental role
of science and technology, it is the policy of the State to promote science that
reflects and responds to the needs of the Filipino society aiming for sustainable
development and progress. Article II, Section 17 provides:

“The State shall give priority to...science and technology...to
foster patriotism and nationalism, accelerate social progress, and
promote total human liberation and development.”

Equally, Article XIV, Section 10 of the 1987 Constitution states:

“Science and technology are essential for national
development and progress. The State shall give priority to research
and development, invention, innovation, and their utilization; and
to science and technology education, training, and services. It shall
support indigenous, appropriate, and self-reliant scientific and
technological capabilities, and their application to the country’s
productive systems and national life.”

SECTION 3. Objectives. - The objectives of this law are to bring about a
distinguished standard of science and technology, to contribute to the
sustainable and holistic development of the economy and society, and to improve
the total welfare of the nation by means of prescribing basic policy requirements
for the promotion of science and technology and promote policies for progress
through a coordinated and responsive manner.


In order to achieve the objective, the following programs and initiatives
shall be expanded, developed, and prioritized:

healthcare sufficiency;
clean and renewable energy;
disaster risk reduction and management (DRRM);
pollution control and mitigation;
climate adaptation and resilience;
clean water and sanitation;
sustainable cities and communities;
agricultural productivity and food security;
nutrition and food safety;
nuclear sciences for energy, health, agriculture, and industry;
indigenous science and technology;
business incubation for technology;

. foreign scholarships and technology transfer;
promotion of science and technology;
cybersecurity and infrastructure security;
biodiversity and natural resources conservation;
strengthening regional research and development centers through
infrastructure, facilities, equipment, and funding;
space technology and information and communications technology
(ICT) development;
intelligent traffic, transportation, and mobility solutions;
e-government efficiency and productivity;
rural connectivity and countryside development;
artificial intelligence application;

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SECTION 4. Policy Framework. - The formulation of Science for Filipino
Society Program shall be anchored on the following Research and Development
(R&D) Agenda;

4.1. Research and Development to Address Critical Issues

a. Healthcare sufficiency
i. Diagnostics development
ii. Drug discovery and development
|. Hospital equipment and biomedical devices
iv. Information and communication technology for health
v. Emerging disease detection and containment
b. Food and nutrition
i. Food quality and safety
ii, Innovative food products
iii. Affordable nutrition intervention
iv. Nutrition assessment and monitoring
c. Agricultural productivity and food security



i, Breeding and improvement of crop and livestock varieties
ii. Prevention and control of pests and disease, both existing and
emerging
ifi. Increasing crop resilience
iv. Smart farming approaches
v. cultural management practices
d. Biodiversity and natural resources conservation
i, Sustainable utilization, conservation and management of
biodiversity in terrestrial, forestry and marine ecosystems
ii, Sustainable watershed management and utilization
iii, Development of high value products from agricultural and
forest wastes
e. Intelligent traffic, transportation, and mobility solutions
i. Intelligent transport system
ii. Cost-effective alternative mass transport systems
if, Automated traffic monitoring, violation detection, public
utility vehicle (PUV) tracking and safety signaling systems
f. e-Government efficiency and productivity
i. web coordination and security
ii. promotion of e-services
g. Human security
i, biosecurity
ii. cybersecurity
ili, Key services infrastructure protection

4.2 Research and Development for Clean and Renewable Energy

a. Renewable Energy Sources and Production

i. Solar

ii, Wind
iii, Hydro
iv. Biomass
v. Ocean

b. Energy Storage
i. Cost competitive energy storage
ii, Development of sustainable and efficient battery and
capacitors

4.3 Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Resilience

Observation and Monitoring Networks

Technology Development and Application for Monitoring

Modeling and Simulation for Improvement of Monitoring and
Forecasting

Hazards, Vulnerability, and Risk Assessment

Warning and Risk Communication

Technology Development and Application for Climate Change
Mitigation and Adaptation

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g. Technology Development and Application for Disaster Risk
Management

4.4 Research and Development for New and Emerging Technologies

a. Technological application in biomedical sciences
b. Nuclear sciences for energy, health, agriculture, and industry
c. Information and Communication Technology (ICT)

d. Artificial intelligence

4.5 Research and Development in Business and Production Sector

Technology Business Incubation Program
Promotion of technology for commercial use
‘Support for implementation of private research for public use
Networking of laboratories
Product innovation centers
Manufacturing industry development
i. packaging and labeling
ii. machine and equipment development
iii, assistance to traditional and indigenous industries

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4.6 Research and Development Through Technology Transfer and
Institutional Collaboration

a. Inter-departmental collaborations to roll out new and beneficial
technologies
b. Community empowerment through science and technology
c. Industry-academe-government collaboration
i, Co-laboratories
ii, Co-centers
iii.  Co-facilities
d. international science and technology collaborations

4.7 Capacity Building in Research and Development

a. Accelerated R&D program for capacity building of research and
development institutions and industrial competitiveness
i. Niche Centers in the Regions for R&D (NICER) Program
ii, R&D Leadership (RDLead) Program
iii, Collaborative R&D to Leverage PH Economy (CRADLE) for
RDIs and Industry Program
iv. Business Innovation through S&T (BIST) for Industry Program
b. Upgrading of facilities and improvement of science and technology
services
i, Product development centers
ii, Materials and product testing facilities
ili. Regional research centers



iv. Disaster risk reduction facilities
4.8 Human Resource Development for Science and Technology

a. Foreign scholarships in science and technology
b. Graduate science and technology scholarships
i. MD/Ph.D. scholarships
ii, Ph.D. research scholarships
iii. Expanded MS/Ph.D. scholarships

c. Undergraduate scholarships

d. Secondary level scholarships at Philippine Science High School
(PSHS)

e. Innovative modalities for the delivery of human resource
interventions

f. Science and Technology Regional Alliance for Inclusive National
Development (STRAND)

g. Science Teacher Academy for Regions (STAR)

h, Strengthening research centers in universities in the regions

4.9 Promotion of Science and Technology and Research and Development

a. Promotion of science and technology
i. Science fairs, symposiums, and conferences
ii. Establishment of science centers

b. Science and technology education for ordinary citizens

c. Promotion and application of indigenous science and technology

d. countryside and rural contextualization an application of science

and technology
e. Funding support for scientists and research

SECTION 5. Formulation of Science for Filipino Society Program. - The
Department of Science and Technology (DOST) shall formulate the five-year
Science for Filipino Society Program (referred to as Program) in coordination
with other relevant government agencies including state universities and colleges
(SUCs) and representatives from the private sector undertaking research and
development. The Secretary of Department of Science and Technology (DOST)
shall submit the Program for approval within ninety (90) days from the date of
effectivity of this Act.

SECTION 6. Comprehensive National Research and Development Agenda.
The Department of Science and Technology (DOST), in consultation with
government research institutions and other agencies concerned, shall prepare a
comprehensive national research and development agenda for the government
covering all major research and development programs and projects or those
costing Twenty Million Pesos (Php 20,000,000.00) and above. The proposed
agenda shall be submitted for approval by the Director-General of the National
Economic Development Authority (NEDA).


Further, the Comprehensive National Research and Development Agenda
shall be directly related to the priorities under the Philippine Development Plan.

Further, the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) shall submit
to the Department of Budget and Management (DBM), the Speaker of the House
of Representatives and the President of the Senate of the Philippines, either in
printed form or by way of an electronic document, a copy the approved
Comprehensive National Research and Development Agenda. The Secretary of
the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) and the Agency’s web
administrator or the equivalent shall be responsible for ensuring that such a
copy is posted on the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) website.

SECTION 7. Mandatory Adaptation of Publicly Funded Technology. —
Mandatory adaptation of publicly funded and generated technologies, whenever
feasible and practicable, shall strictly be implemented by all government entities
or instrumentalities utilizing public funds thereof.

Further, all national government agencies (NGAs), government-owned-
and-controlled corporations (GOCCs), state universities and colleges (SUCs), and
local government agencies (LGUs) performing science and technology initiatives
are mandated to help develop and implement critical and strategic technology
development projects and adopt government-funded locally developed
technologies. For this purpose, all research and development activities performed
by NGAs, GOCCs, SUCs, and LGUs under their respective mandates shall be
under the control and supervision of the Department of Science and Technology.

SECTION 8. Science for Filipino Society Fund. - There is hereby created the
Science for Filipino Society Fund (referred to as Fund) to be used exclusively for
the implementation of the projects and activities under the Program. The Fund
shall be administered by the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) in
accordance with existing government budgeting, accounting, and auditing rules
and regulations.

The Fund shall be sourced from the following:

a. The initial amount of Twenty-One Billion Pesos (PHP
21,000,000,000.00) to be taken from the General Appropriation Act
(GAA) and other utilized funds and savings from the GAA of the
preceding year, in case the GAA was approved before this law is
enacted. The yearly budget for the Program shall double yearly for
the next four (4) years. Such amount shall be released to the
Department of Science and Technology (DOST) after the date of
effectivity of this Act.

b. The income produced by the Program.

c. Loans, contributions, grants, bequests, gifts, and donations whether
from local or foreign sources. Provided that, acceptance of grants,


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bequests, contributions, and donations from foreign governments
shall be subject to the approval of the President upon the
recommendation of the Secretary of the Department of Science and
Technology (DOST) and the Secretary of the Department of Foreign
Affairs (DFA). The Secretary of the Department of Science and
Technology (DOST) and subsequently the Department of Finance
(DOF) is hereby granted the authority to enter into loan agreements
with foreign financial institutions.

SECTION 9. Appropriations. - The initial amount of Twenty-One Billion
Pesos (PHP 21,000,000,000.00) is hereby appropriated as the initial operating
fund for the projects and activities under the Program, taken from the current
fiscal year’s appropriation of the Office of the President. Thereafter, the amount
needed for the operation of the Program shall be included in the General
Appropriations Act (GAA).

SECTION 10. Annual Report. ~The Department of Science and Technology
shall submit a report on the implementation of the Program to the Office of the
President and the Committees on Science and Technology of both Chambers of
Congress annually.

SECTION 11. Implementing Rules and Regulations. The Department of
Science and Technology shall formulate the Implementing Rules and Regulations
(IRRO for the effective implementation of this Act within one hundred eighty (180)
days from the date of effectivity of this Act.

SECTION 11. Separability Clause. - If any provision or part of this Act is
held invalid or unconstitutional, the remaining provisions or parts unaffected
shall remain in full force and effect.

SECTION 12. Repealing Clause. - All laws, executive orders, presidential
decrees or issuances, letters of instruction, administrative orders, rules, and
regulations contrary to or inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby
repealed, amended, or modified accordingly.

SECTION 13. Effectivity Clause. ~ This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days
after its publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general
circulation.

Approved,