Nicole B.

Floranza September 5, 2019

2018 – 00349 Science, Technology and Society/BSA-2A

ANACLETO DEL ROSARIO

Anacleto del Rosario (13 July 1860, Santa Cruz, Manila – 2 May 1895) was a leading Filipino chemist
in the Philippines during the Spanish era in Philippine history. Regarded as the "Father of Philippine Science
and Laboratory", del Rosario invented the formula for producing a pure kind of alcohol from tuba in a nipa
palm. This formula won for del Rosario the first prize during the World Fair in Paris, France in 1881. Del
Rosario extracted castor oil from the palma christi, literally the "palm of Christ" (castor bean), a native plant in
the Philippines.

FRANCISCO QUISUMBING

Francisco Quisumbing is a Filipino chemist who hailed from the Philippines. During his illustrious
career, he created a new formula for ink, which was trademarked under the name Quink which was used by
The Parker Pen Company. Quisumbing, who was educated at the University of Chicago, came up with a
special formula that dried very rapidly on the page, while still remaining fluid inside of the writing instrument.

GREGORIO ZARA

In 1930, Gregorio Zara discovered the physical law of electrical kinetic resistance, known as the Zara
Effect, which involves the resistance to the passage of an electric current when contacts are in motion.
Gregorio Zara was the Filipino scientist best known as the inventor of the videophone, the first two-way
electronic video communicator. Zara patented the device in 1955 as a “photo phone signal separator network.”
He patented 30 devices. His other inventions ranged from an alcohol-powered airplane engine to a solar-
powered water heater, stove, and battery in the 1960’s. Zara also invented wooden aircraft propellers,
propeller-cutting machine and also the earth induction compass; designed a microscope with a collapsible
stage; helped in designing the robot Marex X-10, which could walk, talk, and respond to commands; and
invented the vapor chamber used to visualize radioactive elements.

JULIAN A. BANZON

Dr. Julian Arca Banzon was a Filipino biochemist and a National Scientist of the Philippines credited
for his research in alternative fuel. He developed a work on the fermentative utilization of cassava. He was
among the first to elucidate the products that could be derived from the starchy crop, including ethanol,
butanol, and acetone. Dr. Banzon’s lifework of study began on the use of indigenous crops as renewable
sources of fuels and chemicals. He continued to research on the production of ethyl ester fuels from coconut
and sugarcane. Dr. Banzon developed new methods for processing chemical properties of coconut, including
the chemical extraction of its oils other vegetable oils.
MANUEL S. GUERRERO

Manuel S. Guerrero was a Filipino medical doctor who studied beriberi in infants in the Philippines. He
was also a writer for the publications "La Republica Filipina, La Independencia, and La Patria" in addition he
was a staff member of the Revista Filipina de Medicina y Farmacia. Guerrero was also a member of the
Colegio Medico-Farmaceutico, Asamblea de Medicos y Farmaceuticos de Filipinas, and the Sanggunian ng
Kalusagan. He was also one of the founders of La Infancia and Gota de Leche. Guerrero was also conferred
with a silver medal at the Louisiana Purchase Exposition and the Panama Pacific Exhibition.

IGNACIO MERCADO

Father Ignacio Mercado is a Filipino botanist who catalogued over more than 200 plants that thrived in
the country at that time. No one knew the names or benefits of plants and his works greatly contributed to
discovery of plant species. It is not known that Father Ignacio Mercado was actually the first Filipino botanist
who did a systematic study of indigenous Philippine plants. He was forgotten because his original manuscripts
and paintings were lost but had been found recently at the Convento de los Agustinos Filipinos in Valladolid at
Spain. Father Mercado’s dedication is such that he would perform experiments on himself to find out the
effects of the different plants.

TRINIDAD PARDO DE TAVERA

Trinidad Hermenegildo José María Juan Francisco Pardo de Tavera y Gorricho was a Filipino
physician, historian and politician of Spanish and Portuguese descent. Trinidad, also known as T. H. Pardo de
Tavera was known for his writings about different aspects of Philippine culture. Tavera himself wrote at least
two of his major and enduring contributions for the study of Philippine history at the time when he was deeply
immersed in the task of nation-building or ''nation-saving", by helping establish civil government for the country
to replace the Military Regime under the Americans. He contributed greatly toward the Filipinization of the
government established by the Americans. At that time the Americans were abysmally ignorant of the
Philippines and his people; and they were wise enough to seek the cooperation of educated Filipinos. Thus,
through his recommendation many competent Filipinos were appointed to government posts.

RAMON CABANOS BARBA

Ramon Cabanos Barba is a well-known Filipino inventor and a National Scientist in the Philippines for
his distinguished achievements in the field of plant physiology, focusing on induction of flowering of mango
and on micro propagation of important crop species. He was best known for inventing a way to induce more
flowers in mango trees using Etherel and potassium nitrate contributing towards advancements in the mango
industry. Barba developed a process that caused the flowering and fruiting of mango trees thrice instead on
once a year; the fruits were 15% smaller, but the mangoes were of good quality, therefore improving yields.
This technology has also been successfully applied on other fruit trees including cashew.

Barba also developed a tissue culture procedure for banana plant and sugar cane which enabled the
rapid production of large quantities of planting materials that were robust and disease-free.
AGAPITO FLORES

In the early 1900s, Heinrich Geissler found a way to generate a glow from gas inside of a tube - this
glow had a unique blue tinge. Geissler used an induction coil to create this chemical reaction. In 1893, a
World's Fair was held in Chicago, Illinois, USA - at this event, famous scientist Nikola Tesla unveiled his new
fluorescent lights for lucky attendees.

In the 1930s, Agapito Flores was believed to have sold a France-based patent for the fluorescent light
bulb to General Electric. Flores is not regarded as the inventor of fluorescence, which clearly preceded the
invention of a light bulb (using that scientific process). He was not the originator of the fluorescent light bulb.
However, he may have managed to secure a French patent that made it seem as though he was the creator of
this useful new light source. In truth, little proof of this claim to Flores' fame really exists.

JUAN SALCEDO JR.

Dr. Juan Salcedo contributed immeasurably to the areas of biochemistry, nutrition, and physiology as
a scientist. He has published 265 works and studies in the Philippine and foreign science journals. And as
science administrator, he helps execute science policy improvement, science endorsement and scientific
manpower improvement.

Beriberi is a disease brought by the deficiency of thiamine or vitamin. It was widely spread among
regions whose staple food was polished rice. Dr. Juan S. Salcedo Jr. is concerned with the elimination of
beriberi in the Philippines. He implemented the “enriched rice experiment” which fortified rice with Vitamin B
which became the staple food of those affected by beriberi, eliminating the problem.

Malaria causes chills and fever. Tuberculosis is a chronic and contagious disease of the lungs caused
by various strains of mycobacteria. Both diseases are known as killers and are easily transmitted, Dr. Salcedo
mounted a nationwide vaccination among children and systematized teams that would eradicate mosquitos.
He also provided preventive measures to the people and established rural health center network that would
bring services to urban and remote areas in the Philippines.

References:
https://www.slideshare.net/mobile/lezeejariahc/famous-technovators
https://www.revolvy.com/page/Francisco-Quisumbing
https://www.flipscience.ph/news/features-news/features/national-scientist-julian-banzon
https://www.philstar.com/lifestyle/arts-and-culture/across-botanical-universe-classic-flora-de-filipinas-enters-
contemporary-age
https://www.nast.ph/images/pdf
https://www.famousscientists.org/ramon-barba/
https://gineersnow.com/industries/lighting/theres-no-truth-agapito-flores-inventor-fluorescent-lamp
http://www.famousfilipino.com/content/view/
Bellis, Mary. July 2, 2019. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/gregorio-zara-filipino-scientist