Investing in science and education for a progressive Philippines

If the government truly wants a more stable, productive, and self-reliant nation, it must prioritize spending on education and research. In the latest Global Innovation Index, the Philippines still ranks in the mid-50s worldwide. Our gross research and development (R&D) expenditure is merely about 0.3 percent of gross domestic product—far below the global average (approximately 2 percent) and even the United Nations’ 1-percent benchmark. This chronic underinvestment means we cannot keep pace with faster-moving economies or solve our own problems at home.

Meanwhile, ordinary Filipinos continue to struggle with basic needs that technology could address. Many public schools lack science laboratories and equipment. One study found that out of 12,390 high schools nationwide, 4,520 do not have any science lab facilities, while many more lack modern digital tools. Similarly, many health-care facilities in the Philippines lack essential equipment, technology, and infrastructure.

These gaps hamper education, careers, and public health. Without practical science labs, students learn theory but cannot develop hands-on skills; without modern medical machines, preventable diseases go undetected or untreated. Low-tech schools and hospitals leave our people vulnerable to disease, natural disasters, and economic uncertainty—all challenges that advances in science and technology could help solve.

Research also prepares us for future crises. Every year, we export thousands of skilled workers (nurses, engineers, IT professionals) to other countries because local opportunities and facilities are lacking. This “brain drain” weakens our workforce.

At the same time, government budgets often focus on infrastructure instead of innovation. For instance, the Department of Education estimates it will take 55 years and about P413.6 billion to eliminate the backlog of 165,000 classrooms. While classrooms are important, those funds could also build labs, train scientists, and spur startups. Instead of depending on imports and foreign expertise, we should cultivate homegrown solutions.

Every research project and new technology strengthens our economy, food security, health care, and national sovereignty. Boosting R&D and science education will improve health care and disease prevention, advance agriculture and food security, create high-tech industries and jobs, strengthen national defense and crisis resilience, and elevate our global image and competitiveness, showing that the Philippines is a place of thinkers and innovators.

Our leaders must wake up to these facts. Empty promises and self-serving politics cannot shield anyone from the consequences of neglect. If we do not invest in science and research now, future pandemics, economic shocks, or climate disasters will hit all of us hard, including those at the top. In contrast, consistent funding for education and R&D creates a virtuous cycle: it produces a skilled workforce, spurs economic growth, and ultimately builds a healthier, safer society.

Let us push our nation to glory by making the Philippines a hub of science and innovation. The time to act is now—with real budgets for research, better-equipped schools and hospitals, and support for Filipino scientists and engineers. Only then can we stand proudly on our own feet, fully capable of shaping our future.