Name: Saifullah B.

Panda
Subject: Science, Technology, and Society (CNSM)

FILIPINO SCIENTISTS AND THEIR INVENTIONS

 MEN SCIENTISTS

1. Julián Arca Banzón

 Julian Banzon was born on March 25, 1908, to Manuel S. Banzon and Arcadia
Arca in Balanga, Bataan. He graduated from the University of the Philippines
in Manila in 1930 with a degree of Bachelor of Science in Chemistry. After
some years working as an instructor at his alma mater, in 1937 he entered the
Iowa State University in the United States as a UP pensionado. Banzon
obtained a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Biochemistry and a minor in
Microbiology in 1940. The topic of his doctoral dissertation was the
“fermentative utilization of cassava.”

Contribution: “Alternative Fuel Invention”

 He researched the production of ethyl ester fuels from sugarcane and coconuts
and devised a method of extracting residual coconut oil through chemical
means.
2. Arturo Pineda Alcaraz

 Arturo Pineda Alcaraz was born on March 21, 1916, to Conrado Alcaraz and
Paz Pineda in Manila. Due to his father’s occupation as a government auditor,
the Alcaraz family moved often. He completed his elementary school
education in Lucena, Quezon, and had his high school education in Camarines
Norte and Baguio. He then received his M.S. in Geology from the University
of Wisconsin–Madison in 1941 through a government scholarship. On his
way back to the Philippines, Alcaraz boarded a Japanese ship in San
Francisco. While the ship was crossing the Pacific Ocean, the United States
government froze all Japanese assets. As a result, Alcaraz and the other
returning Filipino scholars were stranded in Tokyo after the ship failed to
continue to the Philippines, which was a territory of the United States at that
time. Assisted by the American Embassy, they were able to return to Manila
by the end of August 1941.

Contribution: “Father of Geothermal Energy”

 First prominent Filipino expert in the field of geothermal energy and mining.
He is also known as the (Philippine) Father or Geothermal Energy
Development because of his contributions to Philippine volcanology. He
graduated from Mapua Institute of Technology with a degree in Marine
Engineering in 1937. He then finished his Master of Science in Geology at
the University of Wisconsin in 1941. Later on, in his career as a volcanologist,
he went to the University of Berkeley to undergo intensive training and
education and received a Certificate in Volcanology with the help of the
Philippine Commonwealth government.

3. Dr. Rodolfo C. Aquino

  Dr. Rodolfo C. Aquino [ born Sept. 5, 1937, Cavite, Philippines] He is the
fifth of the eight siblings born from Mateo and Asuncion. At the age of 4, his
family decided to move to his mother’s hometown in San Jose, Biñan, Laguna
due to the fear for the Japanese military forces would bomb their town after
the Pearl Harbor attack in Hawaii. At his young age, Rodolfo often goes to the
rice fields where his parents and elder siblings work. During the harvest time,
they would harvest a portion of the field and get a part of the harvest as their
share. During his high school days, Rodolfo wanted to study agriculture in
college.

Contribution: “Isolated Rice Breeder”

 In 1996, Dr. Rodolfo Aquino isolated nine specific breeds of rice for the
International Rice Research Institute. His discoveries helped prevent famine in
much of Asia, and were nearly solely responsible for Thailand and Vietnam
becoming the world’s leading rice producers (A spot once solely occupied by
the Philippines.)
 He worked in various capacities starting as a research aide and eventually
senior associate scientist until he left IRRI. He was primarily involved in
developing improved varieties for the irrigated lowland. He also has worked
with Dr. S. S. Virmani in conducting initial studies for the hybrid rice
breeding program and acted informally as trainer and training coordinator for
a few irrigated rice research trainees.
 He also served as a member of the IRRI team that collaborated with the
Philippine Seed Board in the evaluation and identification of promising
breeding lines for release as varieties to the farmers.

4. Alexis T. Belonio
  Belonio was born and raised in Muñoz, Nueva Ecija. He earned his bachelor's degree in
agricultural engineering and Master of Science degree from Central Luzon State
University. He was a researcher for the International Rice Research Institute before
moving to Central Philippine University.

Contribution: “Rice Husk-Powered Gas Stove”

 He was "the first Filipino to receive the Rolex Award for Enterprise" in 2008 for his
invention of a low-cost and environment friendly rice husk stove. Belonio was included
by the Rolex watchmaking company on its list of 10 model innovators in November
2008. He serves as the incumbent chair of the Agricultural Engineering and
Environmental Management department of Central Philippine University.

5. Gregorio Y. Zara

 A native of Lipa, Batangas, Zara finished primary schooling at Lipa Elementary School,
where he graduated as valedictorian in 1918. In 1922, he again graduated valedictorian in
Batangas High School, an accolade which warranted him a grant to study abroad.
However the scholarship was given to another student upon the intervention of a public
official. With full support from his parents he then enrolled at the University of the
Philippines in Manila. In the middle of his first semester, he finally got the scholarship
when his rival got sick and died abroad. Dr. Zara then enrolled at the Massachusetts
Institute of Technology (MIT) in the United States, and graduated with a degree of BS in
Mechanical Engineering in 1926. After that he obtained a Master of Science in
Engineering (Aeronautical Engineering) at the University of Michigan, graduating
summa cum laude. Zara then sailed to France to take up advanced studies in physics at
the University of Paris. In 1930 he again graduated summa cum laude with a degree of
Doctor of Science in Physics, with "Tres Honorable," the highest honor conferred to
 graduate students. Zara was the first Filipino given that honor. Madam Marie Curie was
given the same accolade for her discovery of radium.

The Filipino scientist Gregorio Y. Zara (D.Sc. Physics) invented, made improvements to, or
discovered the following:

 The Zara Effect – He discovered the physical law of electrical kinetic resistance called
the Zara effect (around 1930)[2]
 He improved methods of producing solar energy including creating new designs for a
solar water heater (SolarSorber);
 A sun stove, and a solar battery (1960s);
 Invented a propeller-cutting machine (1952);
 He designed a microscope with a collapsible stage;
 helped design the robot Marex X-10;
 Invented the two-way television telephone or videophone (1955) patented as a "photo
phone signal separator network";
 Invented an airplane engine that ran on plain alcohol as fuel (1952);


 WOMEN SCIENTISTS
1. María Orosa e Ylagan

 Orosa completed her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in pharmaceutical chemistry, as

well as an additional degree in food chemistry. She was then offered a position as an
assistant chemist for the state of Washington before returning to the Philippines in 1922
to focus on addressing the problem of malnutrition in her homeland. She invented many
types of food to minimize the need for imported products to feed Filipinos. She took
advantage of the abundant natural resources of the Philippine islands such as native fruits,
crops, and vegetables to make the Philippines self-sufficient.

Contribution: “Banana Ketchup Inventor”

 During World War II, Orosa joined Marking’s Guerillas to fight for the Philippines’
freedom. She invented over 700 recipes during her lifetime, including Soyalac and Darak,
which saved thousands of lives during the war. She also invented a process for canning
goods for the guerilla warriors fighting for the liberation of the Philippines. Without her
food inventions, thousands of people would have died in internment camps, hospitals,
and on the streets.

2. Magdalena Smith Villaruz

 Filipino Entrepreneur and inventor Magdalena Smith Villaruz [born 1934 in iloilo]. A
rice farmer who transformed the agricultural technology by inventing the Turtle Hand
Tiller Tractor and many other ground-breaking inventions. Magdalena was tired of losing
 time and money because the rice field equipment bogged down in the wet grounds. So
she came up with the idea, a hand-operated tractor that floats on top of the mud and
water. The concept is a turtle shell-like filled with air that provides buoyancy.

Patented Inventions:

 Turtle Hand Tiller Tractor

 Rice Thresher
 Improved Windmill
 Leveling Device
 Two-speed transmission assembly for power
 Diaphragm pump
 Dual Diaphragm pump
 Blower for Thresher discharge ejector
 Improved power cultivator
 A three-wheeled vehicle with passenger seats
 Household Rice huller
 Corn Sheller
 Adjustable engine mount
 Simplified Hand tractor
 Floating operator’s seat
 Combination Horrow leveller

3. Fe Del Mundo

 Fe Del Mundo (Nov. 27, 1911 – Aug. 6, 2011) was born in Intramuros Manila, the
Philippines on November 27, 1911. She was one of the eight children of Bernardo del
Mundo and Paz Villanueva. Three of her eight siblings died during infancy, while her
older sister died due to appendicitis at the age of 11. The death of her sister had made her
desire to become a doctor for the poor people.

Contribution: “Inventor of Bamboo Incubator & Pediatrician”

 Dedicated her life to the cause of pediatrics in the Philippines, Doctor Fe Del Mundo
(Bamboo Incubator Inventor) – credited with studies that lead to the invention of an
improved incubator and a device to treat jaundice. Fe del Mundo’s invention has saved
countless premature infants around the world.
 Due to frustration by the bureaucratic constraints in working for government hospitals, Fe
del Mundo long to establish her own hospital. But in order to finance her own
construction, she needs to sell her home and the rest of her assets and also obtained a loan
from GSIS (Government Service Insurance System). In 1957, the first pediatric hospital
 in the Philippines has inaugurated with a 100-bed capacity located in Quezon City. In
1966, the hospital was expanded through the establishment of an Institute of Maternal
and Child Health – the first Institution of its kind in Asia at the time.

4. Aisa Mijeno

 Engineer Aisa Mijeno, currently a faculty member of De La Salle Lipa, Batangas and
CEO of SALt (Sustainable Alternative Lighting).
 In 2010, in order to be a full time instructor she decided to take a master’s degree on
Computer Engineering and work on her thesis earlier. The lamp is supposed to be the
final work of her thesis but it was rejected because it does not align with the field she’s
taking. Seeing the potential of her work, she continued working on it despite of the first
outcome. Aisa sees challenges as something that keeps her moving forward. She’s the
kind of person who loves to solve challenges and one if it is the invention of SALt lamp.

Contribution: “SALt Lamp”

 SALt lamp or "sustainable alternative

lighting" lamp is a LED lamp
powered by the galvanic reaction of
an anode with saline water invented
by Aisa Mijeno. It can provide eight
hours of light, as well as power to a
USB port for charging a phone.The
product concept was formed after
living with the Butbut tribe for days
relying only on kerosene lamps and
 moonlight to do evening chores. The saltwater serves not as the power source but as the
electrolyte that facilitates the current flow within the metal-air battery.

5. Lucille V. Abad

 Dr. Lucille V. Abad is a radiation chemist, specializing in radiation chemistry and

processing of polymers. She has been a lead country and national project coordinator of
IAEA regional projects on subjects related to radiation crosslinking, degradation and
grafting of polymers for health, agricultural and industrial applications. She also
undertakes researches on radiation processing, as program or project leader, within the
country. She is a Career Scientist, currently heads the Chemistry Research Section, and
the Officer-in-charge of the Atomic Research Division of the PNRI.

Contribution: “Using Irradiated Seaweed as a Plant Growth Supplement”

 Red seaweed or gulamang dagat are not just harvested for food – they're for agriculture
too. A Filipino nuclear scientist has been making the country proud by using an additive
from gulamang dagat as a "vitamin" for crops.Lucille Abad of the Philippine Nuclear
Research Institute has long been studying carrageenan, a natural preservative extracted
from processed gulamang dagat. Abad puts carrageenan under a machine that emits
electron beams to break down carrageenan chains into miniscule particles, like turning a
huge ball into dust. This radiation-modified carrageenan is then sprayed on crops like
rice. Based on studies conduted by Abad and her colleagues at PNRI, rice crops treated
with this radiation-modified carrageenan are healthier and have better yield.
Question: The world is still struggling against the COVID19 pandemic and its impact is not
isolated to public health. Is this pandemic also an event that would change the direction of
science and technology in the country? What makes you say so?

Answer: Yes! I believe that our country should consider greater heights on the idea of science
and technology, since outbreak of the COVID-19 disease has posed great challenges to the
worldwide economy and people’s daily lives and will have far-reaching consequences beyond
the spread of the disease. I also believe that it is now the perfect time that we should consider
science and technology as a way for escaping the crisis, like developing ways to cure the virus or
funding new researches against viruses. As we examine the society today, we can already
observe abundant creativity and innovation emerging at the national, institutional, organizational,
and individual levels within the countries affected by COVID-19. They have their different
alternatives on dealing with the crisis made by the pandemic. Thus, it’s important to have new
research or innovation with a clear impact pathway that has the potential to deliver a significant
contribution to the understanding of, and response to, the COVID-19 pandemic and its impacts,
and even to the unexpected crisis in the near future.