5 Famous Filipino Chemists and Their Significant Contributions

Filipino had been always known for their great contributions

and achievements throughout the world in all sort of fields,
be it in sports, arts, theater, architecture and science. These
fellowmen had brought pride and dignity to our country. And
in this article, we’re going to name some of the famous
Filipino scientist in the field of chemistry, their contributions
and research that made an impact to the world of science.

Alfredo Santos – is a National Scientist born on August

15, 1900, who devoted his life and career on the study of
chemistry of natural harvest and the properties of Philippine
medicinal plants. He has finished a lot of work in the
isolation and elucidation of the phaeantharine and other
alkaloids from Philippine medical plants. Due to his
researches, he received outstanding awards including
President Magsaysay’s Distinguished Service Star in 1954
and Outstanding Pharmacist Researcher of the Philippine
Pharmaceutical Association in the year 1953. He finished
his BS degree on Pharmaceutical Chemistry in the
University of the Philippines and his doctorate degree in
Pharmacy in the University of Santo Tomas in the year
1925.
Jose O. Juliano – is a famous Filipino scientist born on
October 16, 1932, who became famous for his researches
in nuclear chemistry and physics. A chemist by profession,
he was in charge of grain quality research at the
International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) from the year
1961 to 1993. He was also one of the receivers of the The
Outstanding Young Men (TOYM) award in the year 1959 for
his involvement in Nuclear Science and became an affiliate
of the American Nuclear Society, American Physical
Society and American Chemical Society. He completed his
B.S.A., major in Agriculture Chemistry and Mathematics, in
the University of the Philippines, his M.S. major in
Electrochemistry and Chemical Engineering in the
Louisiana State University and his Ph.D. in Nuclear
Chemistry and Physics in the University of California in the
year 1957.

Julian A. Banzon – is a Filipino chemist born in Balanga,

Bataan on March 25, 1908, who researched methods of
producing alternative fuels from coconut and sugarcanes.
He experimented with the production of ethyl esters fuels
from coconut and sugarcanes, and invented a means of
extracting residual coconut oil by a chemical process. He
finished his B.S. in Chemistry from the University of the
Philippines in the year 1930 and his Ph.D. in Biophysical
Chemistry from Iowa State University in the year 1940. He
became a National Scientist in the year 1986 and received
notable awards such as the Distinguished Service Award
from the Integrated Chemist of the Philippines Inc. in the
year 1980 and Chemist of the Year Award from the
Professional Regulation Commission in the year 1978.
Amando Kapauan – is a Filipino chemist and researcher born on
July 4, 1931. He was one of the scientist who initiated
investigations in the 1970s on heavy metal analysis in our
environment and among one of those who first look into the
problem of mercury in the environment, and designed the
appropriate equipment for mercury analysis in water, fish and soil.
He also linked with international groups and taught one of the first
environmental chemistry courses in the country. He graduated
magna cum laude from the University of the Philippines in the
year 1952 with a bachelor’s degree in Chemistry and obtained his
doctorate degree from the University of Southern California. He
was also one of the founders of the Philippine Institute of Pure
and Applied Chemistry.

Anacleto del Rosario – was a leading chemist during the

Spanish period and was called as the “Father of Laboratory
Science” in the Philippines. As a chemist, Del Rosario partly built
the commercial names of the manufacturers of the Ayala distillery
where he was successful in producing alcohol from nipa tuba
(wine) that was absolutely free of characteristic odor. They
exhibited the alcohol at the World’s Fair in Paris in 1881 and won
first prize. He also worked as a chemist in the La Rosario distillery
and was appointed as a pharmacist member of the Sanitary
Commission in the 8th district of Manila in the year 1882. He
received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Ateneo Municipal de
Manila and then enrolled in the University of Santo Tomas and
took a course in pharmacy.