Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila
NINETEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. _______________
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
July 29, 2022
4:55 pm
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strengthening
open
collaboration
will
stimulate
innovation
which
will
ultimately
have
a
positive
and
well-meaning
impact on Filipino society,
bringing about inclusive progress and holistic development.
In
view
of
the
foregoing,
immediate
approval
thereof
is
highly
recommended.
ALFRED C. DELOS SANTOS
Representative, Ang Probinsyano Partylist


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila
EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
Second Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. _______________
Introduced by ANG PROBINSYANO
Party-List Representative Alfred Delos Santos
AN ACT
ESTABLISHING THE 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 2022.”
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
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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:
a. healthcare sufficiency;
b. clean and renewable energy;
c. disaster risk reduction and management (DRRM);
d. pollution control and mitigation;
e. climate adaptation and resilience;
f.
clean water and sanitation;
g. sustainable cities and communities;
h. agricultural productivity and food security;
i.
nutrition and food safety;
j.
nuclear sciences for energy, health, agriculture, and industry;
k. indigenous science and technology;
l.
business incubation for technology;
m. foreign scholarships and technology transfer;
n. promotion of science and technology;
o. cybersecurity and infrastructure security;
p. biodiversity and natural resources conservation;
q. strengthening regional research and development centers through
infrastructure, facilities, equipment, and funding;
r.
space technology and information and communications technology
(ICT) development;
s. intelligent traffic, transportation, and mobility solutions;


t.
e-government efficiency and productivity;
u. rural connectivity and countryside development;
v. artificial intelligence application;
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
iii.
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
iii.
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
iii.
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
iii.
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
a. Observation and Monitoring Networks
b. Technology Development and Application for Monitoring
c. Modeling
and
Simulation
for Improvement of Monitoring and
Forecasting
d. Hazards, Vulnerability, and Risk Assessment
e. Warning and Risk Communication
f.
Technology
Development
and
Application
for
Climate
Change
Mitigation and Adaptation
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
a. Technology Business Incubation Program
b. Promotion of technology for commercial use
c. Support for implementation of private research for public use


d. Networking of laboratories
e. Product innovation centers
f.
Manufacturing industry development
i.
Packaging and labeling
ii.
Machine and equipment development
iii.
assistance to traditional and indigenous industries
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
iii.
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 the 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 shall be taken from the General Appropriation
Act (GAA) and other unutilized 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; and
c. Loans,
contributions,
grants,
bequests,
gifts,
and
donations
whether from local or foreign sources. Provided that, acceptance of
grants,
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 necessary for the
implementation of the projects and activities under the Program shall be taken
from the current fiscal year’s appropriation for 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 (IRR0 for the effective implementation of this Act within one
hundred eighty (180) days from the date of effectivity of this Act.
SECTION 12. 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 13. 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 14. 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,