Graphic promoting STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math). Graphic: CET / cetconnect.org he next Philippine president should make education the top priority of his or her administration. At this stage, it should be crystal clear to Filipinos that our country is being left behind by its Southeast Asian neighbors—neighbors who at one time lagged behind us. And now that science and technology are growing ever more indispensable in people's lives, tomorrow's Filipinos will need the foundation that only a science-based education can provide. By design, our Spanish colonizers enlisted the services of the Catholic Church for the education of their colonial subjects. It therefore, comes as no surprise that many of our educational institutions are run by religious orders of the Catholic Church. Unfortunately, a government's goal to educate its citizens does not necessarily coincide with a church's goal to indoctrinate its flock. Thus for centuries, Filipinos received the short end of the stick when it came to their education. From an early age, Filipino schoolchildren are sent to Catholic-run schools that overemphasize religious dogma and deemphasize the sciences and critical thinking skills. Understandably, the church during the Spanish colonial period did not want Filipinos to become "educated" enough that they start questioning the inequitable condition they find themselves in. Nor did they want Filipinos questioning the religious dogmas of their faith. One does not have to look any further than Dr. Jose Rizal and the illlustrados of the nineteenth century. They attended European universities and returned home filled with what the Catholic Church considered "seditious" and "heretical" ideas. Even today, more than 120 years after the Spanish departed, Catholic schools continue these practices, partially out of inertia, but more likely because they are a cash cow for their religious orders. In addition, indoctrinating a person from kindergarten through college ensures the continuity of loyal benefactors for the church. Today's six-year-old students are the "401Ks" of the priests and nuns. They are the "Social Security program" for senior clergy. And this may be all well and good for the church. One shouldn't blame them for looking after their own welfare, just as their predecessors had done for centuries. Unfortunately, there is a dark side to all this. There are victims, those who are getting the short end of the stick. It is now readily apparent that the Philippines and its citizens are on the losing end of this deal. Just look at what we call our venerable institutions of higher learning. There is no "higher learning" going on in them. Their faculties lack distinction, especially in the sciences. There is no notable scientific research going on in any of them. Neither has there been anything noteworthy published by them in academic journals. Distilled down to their core, these institutions appear to be little more than diploma mills churning out mediocre graduates ill-equipped for the twenty-first century. The Philippine government must take back control of the education of its citizens. For too long, the country has allowed an entity with very divergent end-goals to decide what its citizens are taught. So today, a culture of mediocrity and timidity is deeply engrained in us, just as it has been for our parents, and our parent's parents—going back centuries. Many Filipinos have only a superficial grasp of science and remain highly receptive to myth and superstition. It will take more than a single president to "rewire" our culture. Simply tinkering around the edges or make-do fixes will not work, Filipinos will require something akin to a "factory reset." Today, in Japan, Korea, Taiwan, and Singapore, young over-achievers are creating amazing technological marvels. Our Filipino youth cannot be left on the sidelines. We must make sure that they have the wherewithal to compete head-to-head with anyone anywhere. We should not allow the Philippines to fall behind technologically. Unfortunately, if we leave our current system in place, that is exactly what will happen. Published 10/26/2021