Technological University of the Philippines (TUP) College of Electronic Engineering Technology third year students presented a prototype that would give clean drinking water and lightning system with the use of solar energy in evacuation centers during calamities.

TUP students Raisa Masangkay, Bernadette Bangat, Joyce Ann Bughaw, Paul Bensan and Gregorio Pamicog III have created a prototype that would facilitate clean water and electricity.

“There are no clean potable water and electricity in evacuation centers, so we came up with an invention that could address these problems,” Masangkay told the BusinessMirror.

She said they have created a water filter, which works through solar energy. The ceramic-made filter has three features: it filters dirt and dust; lessens the acidity content; and filters water through the UV light.

This filter can produce clean water even if the source comes from flood water or any contaminated water.

Another invention was a lighting system that emits 0.47 watts of electricity. The source comes from solar energy.

“This can also be used in the household, that can reduce the costs of electricity,” Bangat said, adding that they advocate the “green energy.”

Adamson University’s entry was a “wheelchair and rollator in one.”

The group said their invention is not only for people with disability, but also for patients undergoing therapy.

Students from Rizal High School, meanwhile, have created a lotion to repel dengue-carrying mosquitoes.

Marvin Joy Robin said 25 percent of her “vanillin” component is more effective in keeping away at least 44 Aedes aegypti mosquitoes from sucking blood and infecting individuals, depending on how often the lotion is used.

Vanillin lotion can protect individuals from 10 minutes to 45 minutes.

Science Undersecretary Carol Yorobe said in an interview that these young inventors have potentials to create a kind of research that can be useful for further research and can be produced for the market.

“We inculcate among high-school and college students in science and technology the usefulness and the importance of science and technology,” Yorobe told the BusinessMirror in an interview.

The event held at TUP was a three-day exhibit of young and professional Filipino inventors. The participants came from different schools and universities in the National Capital Region.

TUP President Dr. Olympio Caparas said this annual event provides young scientists and inventors the opportunity to prove themselves as valuable participants in the world’s continuing quest for new inventions.

He, however, admitted in an interview that the inventors lack full support and acknowledgement from the government.

“Filipinos are inventive. However, despite the big number of inventions I notice that government support is lacking in making the inventions reach the market. But I still salute Filipino inventors,” he said.

Caparas said he hopes the exhibit will become a stepping stone for Filipino inventors to be recognized not only domestically but also internationally.

Yorobe explained that the government is giving assistance deserving inventors in the country. However, she admitted that the budget is not enough to assists all potential scientists.

“But we have tried and we are still trying our best to be able to give them more assistance,” she said.

DOST-NCR director Dr. Teresita Fortuna said that they give an assistance to those deserving innovators, ranging from P5,000 to P500,000.