Filipino Scientists

and their Inventions

• Arturo Alcaraz. Doctor Arturo Alcaraz
is a volcanologist specializing in
geothermal energy development. In
1967, Arturo Alcaraz and team
powered an electric light bulb using
steam-powered electricity. Power
coming from a Volcano near the
town of Tiwi. This was the first
geothermal power generated in the
Philippines. 
• Benjamin Almeda. Benjamin Almeda
designed a food-processing machine. In
1954, Benjamin Almeda founded the
Almeda Cottage Industry (now the
Almeda Food Machineries Corporation)
which manufactured his basic food
processing inventions including his rice
grinder, meat grinder and coconut
grater. 
• Julian Banzon. Filipino chemist, Julian Banzon
researched methods of producing alternative
fuels. Julian Banzon experimented with the
production of ethyl esters fuels from
sugarcane and coconut, and invented a means
of extracting residual coconut oil by a
chemical process rather than a physical
process. BS in Chemistry from the University
of the Philippines - 1930 and Ph.D. in
Biophysical Chemistry from Iowa State
University - 1940. 
• Ramon Barba. Ramon Barba invented practical
flower induction treatments. Filipino scientist,
Ramon Barba is best known for his
advancements in mango farming research and
tropical tree physiology. Ramon Barba
invented techniques to promote crop
flowering using a potassium nitrate spray. The
Philippines is a leading exporter of mangoes
and mango products. B.S. Agronomy (Fruits)
University of the Philippines - 1958 and M. Sci.
Horticulture, University of Georgia - 1962 
• Benjamin Cabrera. Doctor Benjamin Cabrera
has developed innovations in drug treatments
against diseases caused by mosquitoes and
agricultural soil. Doctor Benjamin Cabrera has
written more than a hundred scientific
publications on medical parasitology and
public health - in particle research on filariasis.
1945 - M.D. at the University of the Philippines
and 1950 -M.P.H.in Medical Parasitology and
Public Health at Tulane University 
• Paulo Campos. Filipino scientist, Paulo Campos
built the first radioisotope laboratory in the
Philippines. Doctor Paulo Campos is a
specialist in nuclear medicine and the award
winning writer of over seventy-five scientific
papers including: Observation of Some
Parameter of Insulin Action; Cr-51 Tagged Red
Cell Studies; and The Genetic Factor in
Endemic Goiter 
• Magdalena Cantoria. Magdalena Cantoria is a
noted Filipino botanist who is known for her
research in the morphology, physiology, and
biochemistry of drug plants, in particular agar,
rauwolfia, datura, mint and Piper. 1954 - Edwin
Leigh Newcomb Award in pharmacognosy given
by the American Foundation for Pharmaceutical
Education, 1962 - Edwin Leigh Newcomb Award
(for research on the growth and development of
Daturia strasmodium L.), and 1977 - Most
Outstanding Phi Sigman 
• Josefino Comiso. Filipino Physicist Josefino
Comiso has been warning the world about
global warming. Josefino Comiso is a Filipino
physicist working at the NASA Goddard Space
Flight Center studing global warming in the
Arctic. Josefino Comiso was the first person to
discover a recurring polynya in the Cosmonaut
Sea, south of the Indian Ocean. A polynya is a
semipermanent area of open water in sea ice. 
• Lourdes Cruz. Doctor Lourdes Cruz has made
scientific contributions to the biochemistry field of
conotoxins, in particular the toxins of the venom of
the marine snail Conus geographus. Lourdes Cruz
documented the biochemical characterization of
the homologous highly toxic monomeric peptides
with internal disulfide bonds including: Conotoxin
GI, Conotoxin GIA and Conotoxin GII. Lourdes Cruz
has helped develop conotoxins for the purpose
biochemical probes for examining the activities of
the human brain. Lourdes Cruz - Awards: NAST
Outstanding Young Scientist Award 1981,
• Rolando De La Cruz. Filipino scientist Rolando
De La Cruz invented an anti cancer skin cream.
Rolando de la Cruz invented DeBCC an anti-
cancer skin cream made from cashew nuts
and other local herbs from the Phillipines.
Rolando de la Cruz's cream combats basal cell
carcinoma or skin cancer without causing any
side effects. 
• Emerita De Guzman. Filipino scientist Emerita
De Guzman researched the propagation of pure
makapuno trees. In particular, she studied the
growth and development, in vitro, of the
makapuno coconut embryo. Emerita De Guzman
research led to the faster propagation of pure
macapuno trees and increased makapuno nut
production from 3-5 makapuno nuts to 14-19
nuts. Emerita De Guzman also invented tissue
culture techniques for the rapid propagation of
abaca and banana plants. Emerita De Guzman -
• Fe Del Mundo. Filipino Doctor, Doctor Fe Del
Mundo is credited with studies that lead to
the invention of an improved incubator and a
jaundice relieving device. She has dedicated
her life to the cause of pediatrics in the
Philippines. Fe Del Mundo - Awards: In 1966,
Fe Del Mundo received the Elizabeth Blackwell
Award for "outstanding service to mankind";
In 1977, Fe Del Mundo received the Ramon
Magsaysay Award for outstanding public
service
• Anacleto Del Rosario. Filipino chemist,
Anacleto Del Rosario won the first prize at the
World Fair in Paris in 1881 for his formula for
producing a pure kind of alcohol from tuba of
a nipa palm. His research also led to the
extraction of castor oil from a native plant
called palma christi. 
• Ernesto Del Rosario. Filipino chemist, Ernesto
Del Rosario is best known for his
achievements in biotechnology and applied
physical chemistry. He has invented methods
of alcohol production from cellulosic and
starchy materials, a method of continuous-
flow alcohol fermentation process, and a
method of yeast production from waste
coconut water. 
• Roberto Del Rosario. Filipino Inventor Roberto
del Rosario is the president of the Trebel
Music Corporation and the inventor of the
Karaoke Sing Along System in 1975. Roberto
del Rosario has patented more than twenty
inventions making him one of the most prolific
Filipino inventor. 
• Daniel Dingel. Filipino Inventor. Daniel Dingel
claims to have invented a water-powered car. He
designs cars that run on water. The Philippine Daily
Inquirer reported that Daniel Dingel built a water-
fueled automobile engine as early as 1969. Dingel
has no patents and many members of the science
community feel that his water-powered car is a
hoax. However, Daniel Dingel has demonstrated
his car without any technical papers or explanation
as to how it works. And if it does work, a water-
powered car would be a fantastic invention. 
• Pedro Escuro. Filipino scientist, Pedro Escuro is
best known for his isolation of nine rice
varieties. The Pedro Escuro rice varieties are:
Milpal 4, HBD-2, Azmil 26 and C-22 and C-18,
C4-63, C4-137, C-168 and C-12. 
• Agapito Flores. Filipino Scientist. Agapito
Flores has been acclaimed by some as being
the inventor of the first fluorescent lamp - is
this true? The Agapito Flores controversy
continues - Agapito Flores has been acclaimed
by some as being the inventor of the first
fluorescent lamp. However, the dates are all
wrong for this being possible. The following
points have been taken from "The History of
Fluorescent Lights"