Summary
Highlights
Gregorio Zara, a Filipino physicist and engineer, invented the two-way video phone in 1955, laying the foundation for modern video conferencing. He also held 30 patents for devices like an induction compass, solar water heater, and an alcohol-fueled airplane engine, and discovered the 'Zara effect'.
While karaoke itself is a Japanese concept, Filipino inventor Roberto del Rosario patented the karaoke sing-along machine in 1975, making the beloved activity accessible as we know it today.
Pioneering pediatrician Fe del Mundo designed the bamboo incubator in 1941 to help rural communities without electricity. This makeshift incubator used wicker baskets, hot water bottles, and oxygen to regulate infant temperatures.
Dr. Abelardo B. Aguilar, a Filipino researcher working for Eli Lilly and Company, discovered the antibiotic erythromycin in 1949. Although it was branded as Ilosone, Aguilar sadly never received proper credit or royalties for his significant contribution.
Filipino Dado Banatao, a self-made technologist, invented the PC chipset and the Windows graphics accelerator chip, which are still integral to computers today. He also founded three successful tech companies, including one that became a leading graphics chip market.
Aling Tentay (Ruperta David) founded Patis, a popular Filipino fish sauce, after the Japanese occupation. Her invention, registered in 1949, utilized fish fragments and influenced Vietnamese and Thai fish sauces.
Leonardo Salvador Sarao Sr., founder of Sarao Motors, redesigned surplus US Army jeeps after World War II into the iconic Jeepney. He extended their bodies and added features to accommodate more passengers and cargo, revolutionizing mass transportation in the Philippines.
Filipino chemist Francisco Quisumbing is rumored to have invented Quink quick-drying, water-resistant ink. This innovative ink, further developed with Parker Pens, did not clog or blot and became one of the best-selling inks for fountain pens.
Edgardo Vasquez created the Vazbuilt modular housing system, a prefabricated housing solution designed to address the country's housing backlog. It was easy, fast, and cost-effective to build, and was rumored to withstand strong typhoons and earthquakes.
In 1916, Filipinos demonstrated the famous offensive volleyball spike (setting and spiking) during a game. This effective technique of passing and striking the ball in a high trajectory was unofficially introduced and has been a staple in volleyball ever since.