Almost everything’s made in China, from wares and clothes and cheap iPhones. But the Philippines is not to be outdone. We have a surplus of local Einsteins and Edisons, though they are mostly unappreciated, underrated, even unrecognized.
[caption id="attachment_204704" align="alignright" width="240"] Air Juan volunteer Tomas Leonor demonstrates the use of a solar cooker made of cardboard and aluminum foil after it was built, in Quezon City. It can be used to cook items using the heat that came from direct sunlight. The makeshift device can cook rice for about an hour and a half. (Mark Balmores)[/caption]
We invented the yoyo, patis, fluorescent lamp, mole remover, superkalan, and videophone for the hearing impaired, among others. Dr. Jose Rizal easily comes to mind, too. When he was exiled in Dapitan, he discovered three new species of animals, all later named after him, the Dracoli rizali (lizard), Apogania rizali (beetle), and Rhacophorus rizali (frog). He also invented a water system for the community.
In science, Fe del Mundo is credited for her studies that led to the discovery and invention of the incubator. Makati City has launched its green e-jeepneys, which carry 24 passengers and can run 43 miles per day. This year, 15-year-old high school Angelo Casimiro invented an in-sole shoe power generator that can charge phones, radios, and flashlights. He says jogging eight hours straight can charge a 400mAh lithium ion battery.
This Nov. 13 to 16, witness an array of Filipino inventions at Fishermall Quezon City as the Philippines celebrates National Inventors Week. According to Filipino Inventors Society secretary general Teodorico Castañeda, there are 50 inventions on showcase, from fuel conservation to herbal alternatives to anything under the sun. The most recent invention, Teodorico says, is the Rapid Development Ambulatory for disasters invented by Lito de Leon, one of their members.
Last July 24 to 28 meanwhile, was the National Science and Technology Week exhibit at the SMX, which featured cool inventions. According to the article “The Coolest Pinoy Inventions at the National and Technology Week Exhibit,” a handful of kickass inventions from the first low-cost jet to adobo-flavored salted eggs left the audiences at awe.
AT THE EXHIBIT ARE:
Wi-Fi Medical Tablet, which is an ultrasound, electrocardiogram (ECG), tachometer, blood pressure recorder, and messenger all in one cool, sleek Android-powered gizmo. Developed by the UP Manila National Telehealth Center, the gadget can send a person’s vital signs to major hospitals for diagnosis. Called RxBox, this small wonder has been distributed to provinces like Mindoro, Tacloban, and Batanes among others.
[caption id="attachment_204705" align="alignleft" width="300"] A vendor demonstrates how solar panels generate power and can provide electricity for home appliances. (Photo by Ali Vicoy)[/caption]
From medicine, there’s also something Mother Earth would love: eco-friendly home furnishing. Inventors Pete and Cathy Delantar of Nature’s Legacy, a green company, have invented naturecast, a wood-like material made of twigs and debris and other materials from trees. These materials are hardened and shaped into pieces of furniture. Cool, right?
There’s also a portable generator powered by a water bottle. Awesome. Pinoy inventor Stevenson Rejuso is the man behind the 2Big Power, an LED lamp portable DC generator, which can light flashlights, charge batteries, power radios, and—read this: light an entire town for two weeks.
While we have lots of geniuses and future inventors in the making, the problem, however, are the limited or lack of support and resources from the government. Teodorico says we have an RA 7459 (Inventors and Inventions Incentives Acts of the Philippines) that was approved in 1992 after a series of legislative processes. “Incentives are given to our inventors, but instead of grants they are becoming loans. Worse, some of our local inventions don’t get patented because of a tedious process. Minsan nawawalan sila ng loob or nabubuwisit. Minsan, tinatawaran pa ng gobyerno. So the tendency is they sell their works to other interested parties, mostly abroad or to private companies,” says Teodorico. Still, many aspiring inventors apply at the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Technology Application and Promotion Institute (TAPI) to get patent and assistance.
