MANILA, Philippines – Iloilo professor Alexis Belonio is the first Filipino to win the prestigious Rolex Award for inventing a stove that converts rice husks into environmentally friendly cooking gas.

Founded in 1976, the Rolex Award is given to “visionaries” who have undertaken groundbreaking projects.

As an Associate Laureate, Belonio received $50,000 and a steel and gold Rolex chronometer at the awarding ceremony.

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By Anna Valmero
INQUIRER.net

PASAY City, Philippines — Green colors local inventions and research in this year’s National Inventors’ Week, which happens every third week of November.

“Going green is not a choice,” said Jean Lao, chief operating officer of Chemrez Technologies, which launched an award that will identify scientists, inventors, professionals, industry practitioners and members of the academe who have developed eco-friendly products and processes.

“Normally in the country they use green products if it is less costly and does what it promises. But today we are seeing more informed consumers who are beginning to see the benefits of green products and are ready to pay the premium for it,” Lao said.

The Chemrez Green Chemistry Awards aims to highlight Filipino inventions — product or process — that can help reduce or eliminate the use or generation of substances that are hazardous to the environment.

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MANILA — Filipino Physicist Caesar Saloma and Singaporean virologist Lisa F.P. Ng didn’t see themselves as heroes when they were younger.

They were only interested in pursuing their interests. Saloma liked how light works while Ng had a keen sense on biology. Their work bordered on laboratory science that very few knew would have an impact on industries and society.

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By Alex Villafania
INQUIRER.net

GRACE Christian High School won a gold medal at the 6th World Robot Olympiad held on Nov. 18 in Taiwan. The team’s project called Operation Security Guaranteed is composed of a city diorama that has a group of security-based robots that fight fire, catch criminals and ensure building protection from would-be terrorist attacks.

The Grace Christian High School team is composed of Bryan Lao, Alyssa Sheena Tan and Mark Ian Tan. They won the gold medal in the Open Category for the Junior Level.

The team also presented their winning entry at the newly opened Science Discovery Center at the SM Mall of Asia.

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By Alex Villafania
INQUIRER.net

THE FILIPINO delegation to the 3rd International Mathematics Invitational Competition has garnered the most number of medals and awards in all the math competitions joined by the Philippines this year.

Forty-four out of 59 Filipino elementary and high school students won a total of 11 gold, 12 silver, 21 bronze and 15 merit awards at the 3rd IMC held in Singapore on August 18.

The Philippine team, trained by the Mathematics Trainers’ Guild Philippines (MTG), competed against China, India, Malaysia and Singapore. The names and details regarding the 3rd IMC can be seen on the MTG website.

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