A book recognizing eight Filipino inventors as part of the book series entitled "Towards Attainment of Progress through Innovation” is set to be released this month, the Department of Science and Technology (DOST-TAPI) said on Tuesday, Aug. 9.
In a statement, DOST-TAPI said that through its Applied Communications Unit for Inventors (ACU-i), it will be distributing the first edition of the book series. After its soft launching during the TAPI Anniversary held on May 13, the agency targets to conduct physical and virtual launching and distribute printed copies of the book.
According to DOST-TAPI, the book provides real stories of real people towards the journey of innovation. “Tanaw” features eight up-and-coming and veteran Filipino inventors: Ms. Catherine “CK” Santos, Mr. Jeremy De Leon, Ms. Miriam Banlawe, Mr. James Bryan Camacho, Mr. Rodrigo Duque, Mr. Jericho Castro, Mr. Maridinio Azores, and Mr. Junior De Jesus.
"Despite having different backgrounds and career paths, these innovators were able to provide solutions through their inventions to the pressing problems in their community and the country," DOST-TAPI said.
The featured Filipino inventors willingly participated and shared their life stories that served as inspiration and filled the main pages of the series’ first edition titled, “Tanaw”.
“Tanaw,” is part of the Humans of TAPI campaign which highlights the different movers and shakers and their different perspectives in the innovation ecosystem. The book is a tribute to the Filipino science community as it features the life stories of Filipino inventors who are beneficiaries of DOST-TAPI’s invention-related programs. The storytelling approach adopts a first-person perspective, wherein featured inventors recount life events and personal ideals that propelled their inventions and innovations into reality.
Former DOST Secretary Fortunato Dela Peña said that the book aims “to recognize not just the masterpiece of our inventors, but most importantly shed light on their stories of success as well as their stories of struggles and failures.” “Our hope is to take people into the journey of exploration and breakthroughs through the unique narratives of our inventors,” he said.
“Now more than ever, we play a key role in recognizing the talent, perseverance, and knowledge of such inventors to spearhead the encouragement of aspiring innovators and inventors in the country,” he added.
DOST-TAPI Director Atty. Marion Ivy Decena, who gave the greenlight for the development of the book series, said that “having a creative or inventive mind is not merely measured by social class, educational background, or disposition in life as ultimately anyone can become an inventor or innovator.” The book also emphasizes the critical role that government agencies, such as DOST-TAPI, play in each of the inventors’ invention journeys. Atty. Decena hopes that through “Tanaw”, DOST-TAPI could reach out to more aspiring Filipino inventors and help them gain access to the different invention-related government programs that will help them actualize their innovative ideas.
The DOST-TAPI promotes a portfolio of technical and financial programs, which were highlighted in the book, namely: Concept Prototyping Program, Industry-Based Invention Development (iBID) Program, Invention-Based Enterprise Development (iBED) Program, Intellectual Property Rights Assistance Program (iPRAP), and Invention Testing and Laboratory Analyses Assistance Program.