From groundbreaking discoveries to novel modernization, science and technology (S&T) facilitates both local and national community empowerment through infrastructure development, economic growth, environmental protection, and healthcare advancement. Yet in the Philippines, science education and research remain chronically underinvested. While initiatives such as the “Balik Scientist Program” and “Expanded Philippine Science High School System Act” are steps in the right direction, much work is still needed for the S&T sector to flourish.
The consequences are stark. Without industries that can cater to various degrees and programs, graduates struggle to find jobs that suit their skills and expertise. Even at the undergraduate level, STEM students have few to no internship or on-the-job training options. S&T professionals are left no choice but to either pursue opportunities abroad or take up work entirely unrelated to their degrees. Among the 3.7 million Filipinos who earned S&T bachelor’s degrees, only 19.6 percent worked in S&T-related jobs, according to Advocates of Science and Technology for the People.
For those who remain, the landscape is hardly more encouraging. Poor working conditions and a lack of secure employment also plague the meager job landscape. In December 2025, private hospital workers rallied for mandatory hazard pay for all private healthcare workers, regardless of employment status. It is said that only private workers covered by collective bargaining agreements receive hazard pay, which often ranges from P100 to P300, a measly amount that scarcely offsets the dangers they face daily in medical wards. Meanwhile, even government-led initiatives are not spared: the Dynaslope Project, a landslide monitoring program under DOST-PHIVOLCS, was forced to lay off one-third of its personnel following a 44-percent budget cut, threatening the continuity of a critical disaster risk reduction effort.
Making matters worse, the country’s gross research and development (R&D) expenditure is only 0.3 percent of our gross domestic product, a figure far below the 2022 global average of 2.67 percent and even UNESCO’s recommendation of at least 1 percent. While the budget allocated to the Department of Science and Technology increased to P28.46 billion in 2025, a downward trend in R&D funding has been observed: P20.3 billion, P19 billion, and P18.2 billion were allocated in 2022, 2023, and 2024, respectively. The lack of adequate funding for R&D hinders the Philippines from keeping up with countries that foster innovation and address societal challenges through S&T.
With the country falling far behind global standards, it is high time for the government to review existing S&T policies and fill in the gaps. Budgets for scientific initiatives should be sufficient, labor conditions should be improved, science education and homegrown innovation should be invested in more, and science-based advice in key decisions should no longer be ignored. Only through coherent planning and steadfast political will can S&T fulfill its potential as a catalyst for national development. By pushing our nation to become a hub of science and innovation, the Philippines can begin to secure a more resilient and forward-looking future.
