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Filipino inventors appeal to gov’t for financial aid

By Ben Cal

August 31, 2018, 5:17 pm

MANILA – The Filipino Inventors Society (FIS) on Thursday appealed to the government for financial support to assist many outstanding Filipino inventions to propel the country towards economic development and prosperity.

The FIS through its president, Manuel Dono made the clarion call during a press conference at the newly-built Seda Hotel in Quezon City.

Dono said that despite the fact that there is a law passed by Congress in 1992 called Republic Act 7459 that provides incentives to Filipino investors, expanding the functions of technology application and promotion, and appropriating fund amounting to PHP10 million annually, Filipino inventors are still left behind because of lack of government support.

Through the years, enterprising Filipino inventors have come up with outstanding inventions, but due to lack of financial support these inventions found their way in foreign countries that massively produced them.

George de Guzman, the inventor of the famous power-up, the anti-pollution gadget, said it is about time the government extends full support to poor and struggling Filipino inventors now not later to help the Philippines towards economic development.

“In fact, there are plenty of Filipino inventors asking for government assistance to mass produce their inventions such as the fuel-less power plant run by water and air, human drone, unsinkable boats, the three-burst fire of the M-16 assault rifle, the wireless anti-carnapping device, to name a few,” de Guzman said.

He said he invented and manufactured his power-up gadget without help from the government or the private sector.

De Guzman recalled that the fluorescent lamp was invented by a Filipino many decades ago, but it was patented and mass produced in America since there was no Filipino company that took the risk of manufacturing it in the Philippines.

Another outstanding invention was the moon-wrecker vehicle that was used by American astronauts during their moon landing.

The appeal of Dono and de Guzman for immediate government support was echoed by two other famous inventors – Dr. Antonio F. Mateo and Dr. Jess Alburo.

Meanwhile, Richard Burgos, director of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), who was present during the press conference, assured the FIS of government support to Filipino inventors.

Burgos was sent by DOST Secretary Fortunato de la Peňa to represent him at the press briefing because he (Peňa) had other official function to fulfill. (PNA)

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