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| Dinah Dumlao, Science teacher of the PNHS |
By Leilanie G. Adriano
Staff Reporter
Piddig, Ilocos Norte—Student-researchers at the Piddig National High School in Ilocos Norte are being taught to become innovative by applying science and technology-based concepts into practical inventions to make lives easier for the people.
According to Dinah Dumlao, Science teacher of the PNHS, she said their students in junior high school are currently engaged in investigatory projects as part of their Science classes, to prepare them to a higher concept of scientific skills.
“Learning Science has never been easy. Students learn in their Science classes to explain principles, theories, and concepts behind inventions,” said Ms. Dumlao.
In preparation for the annual conduct of the Regional Invention Contest and Exhibit hosted by the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), the school launched the so-called “Innovate, Create and Collaborate” (ICreCo) program to prepare their students.
Under this program, Grade 12 students under the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) strand are guided to make various experiments to solve specific problems in the community.
For now, Ms. Dumlao said they take pride in their student-inventors like Neil Bryant I. Lucas, Brian V. Alberto and Jayferson R. Manuel who invented the BRYSON portable leaves shredder.
This machine was made to help maintain and promote cleanliness in the school through waste segregation. Collected leaves are shredded to decompose easily which students in agri-crops production use in vermiculture.
On the other hand, to help farmers in eradicating siam weed commonly known as “Martial Law” plant in the locality, Justin John A. Gacad, Kristal May E. Pablo and Angelito M. Portillo made use of siam weed (Chromolaena odorata) as a lotion.
Siam weed contains anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties. The availability of paragis(Eleusine indica) made the researchers decide to come up with “paragis soap”. Paragis is declared to have protein and its leaves have silicon monoxide, calcium oxide, and chlorine compounds.
Other student-researchers like Jennifer C. Yabes, Alliyah Winnette G. Gaoaten and Mia Fhanny S. Dorotan were also inspired to utilized locally abundant sambong (Blumea balsamifera) and ginger (Zingiber officinale) as herbal cream because study shows it has expectorant, antispasmodic and antidiarrheal benefits.
Meanwhile, Roxanne V. Tumaliuan, Noela Jane P. Baliclic and Aslei Joyce C. Baniaga also invented a portable multi-purpose “pulverizer” to make bread and pastry products.
Backed by the local government unit of Piddig, Ms. Dumlao shared the students’ inventions have great potentials in solving problems of the community.
“The inventions of the students maybe just simple but their self-motivation in helping others is a fulfilling experience and a source of joy thus, promoting happy school movement in PNHS,” said Ms. Dumlao citing the school gives priority to this program in support of the students’ future as stated under Republic Act No. 7459 known as “Inventors and Invention Incentives Act of the Philippines”, a state policy to focus on invention and utilization of the country’s available resources to promote common good.