This article discussesFilipino inventions and discoveries and details the indigenous arts and techniques,cultural inventions,scientific discoveries and contributions ofthe people of Philippine islands — both ancient and modern state of thePhilippines.
Abarong tagalog placed against the light, showing the translucency of the fabric
Thebarong tagalog (occasionallybaro) is an embroidered formal garment of thePhilippines. The name literally means "aTagalog dress." It is lightweight and worn untucked over an undershirt, similar to acoat/dress shirt. It is usually worn by men during weddings, banquets, and other such formal events. Women wearing the barong tagalog is uncommon, but not unheard of.[1] Thebaro was popularized as formal wear byPhilippine presidentRamon Magsaysay, who wore it to most official and personal affairs, including his inauguration as president.[2]
Thebaro't saya (also known asFilipiniana) is an embroidered dress and is worn by women. The name is a contraction of the Tagalog wordsbarò at saya, meaning "dress (blouse) and skirt".[3][4]
TheHudhud consists of narrative chants, mainly performed by elder Ifugao women during the rice sowing season, at harvesting times, at funeral wakes and rituals.[9]
Thepanabas is a large, forward-curved sword, used by certain ethnic groups in the southern Philippines. Its name is a shortened version of the wordpang-tabas, which means "chopping tool." Its length varies from two to four feet, and can be wielded with one or both hands. It was used as a combat weapon, as an execution tool, and in displays of power. Its use as an agricultural and butchering tool has also been noted.
Thebalisong (also known as abutterfly knife, fan knife orBatangas knife) is a foldingpocket knife with two handles counter-rotating around thetang such that, when closed, the blade is concealed within grooves in the handles.
Thebarong orbarung, is a short sword with a leaf-shaped blade, widely used in the island of Mindanao.
Thekalis is a double-edgedsword, often with a "wavy" section, similar to akeris. Like thekeris, the kalis' double-edged blade can be used for both cutting and thrusting. The wavy portion of the kalis is meant to facilitate easier slashing in battle—since a straight edge tends to get stuck in the opponent's bones, the wavy portion allows a wielder to more easily pull the weapon out of an opponent's body.[11]
Thegunong orpunyál (also known aspuñal de kris orkris knife) is a knife from Mindanao. It is essentially a diminutive form of the kalis or kris. The gunong serves both as a utility knife and as a thrusting weapon used for close quarter fighting. It is most often associated with the ethnic Maranao, among whom the gunong was traditionally carried by both sexes. The weapon is typically tucked into the back of a waist sash.
Akampilan hilt is sometimes wrapped with rattan to improve the grip. The two holes on the crossguard are where the metal "staples" (C- or U-shaped) go, as additional protection for the wielder's hand.
Thekampilan is a type of single-edged longsword, used on the islands ofMindanao, Visayas, andLuzon. The kampilan has a distinct profile, with the tapered blade being much broader and thinner at the point than at its base, sometimes with a protruding spikelet along the flat side of the tip and a bifurcated hilt which is believed to represent a mythical creature's open mouth.Lapulapu (the king of Mactan) and his warriors were notable wielders of the kampilan. The mention of the kampilan in ancientFilipino epics originating from non-Muslim areas such as the Hiligaynon Hinilawod and the IlocanoBiag ni Lam-Ang is possible evidence for the sword's widespread usage throughout the archipelago during pre-Hispanic times.
Thelantaka (also known askanyon inTagalog) were a type ofbronzeswivel gun mounted onmerchant vessels travelling the waterways of Malay Archipelago. Its use was greatest in precolonialSouth East Asia especially inMalaysia, thePhilippines, andIndonesia. The guns were used to defend againstpirates demanding tribute for the local chief, or potentate. Although most lantaka weighed under two hundred pounds, and many only a few pounds, the largest ones exceeded a thousand pounds, and some weighed over a ton. Many of these guns were mounted onswivels and were known asswivel guns. The smaller ones could be mounted almost anywhere including in therigging. Medium-sized cannon were frequently used in reinforced sockets on the vessel's rails and were sometimes referred to as rail guns. The heaviest swivel guns were mounted on modifiedgun carriages to make them more portable.[12] High quality metal casting,artillery, and other metal works had been traditions throughout the ancient Philippines. The metal smith, orpanday piray ofPampanga was skilled at making weapons, and many individuals with the surnames Viray and Piray are said to be descendants of people who were once members of the guild of smiths who followed the tradition of thepanday pira.[13] Ancient peoples used smallarquebuses, or portable cannons made up ofbronze. Larger cannons, on the other hand, were made of iron and resembling culverins provided heavier firepower. The iron cannon atRajah Sulaiman III's house was about 17 feet long and was made from clay and wax moulds.[13][unreliable source?]
Igorots built forts made of stone walls that averaged several meters in width and about two to three times the width in height around 2000 BC.[14]
TheIdjang is triangular hil-tocitadel of the Ivatan people of the northern islands of Batanes, these idjangs are built fortifications to protect themselves during times of war. They built their so-calledidjangs on hills and elevated areas.[15] These fortifications were likened to European castles because of their purpose. Usually, the only entrance to the castles would be via a rope ladder that would only be lowered for the villagers and could be kept away when invaders arrived.[15]
Torogan is a traditional ancestral house built by theMaranao people ofLanao,Mindanao,Philippines for the nobility, serving as a home to asultan ordatu in the Maranao community. They are massive structures built entirely without using nails - instead using fitted joints and fiber lashings - and areelevated from the ground on large wooden columns. They are usually the biggest structure in a village. A torogan was a symbol of high social status.
A lute orKutiyapi fromMindanao bearing Ukkil motifsA five-key bamboo version regularly used in performances byKontra-Gapi, a modern ethnic music ensemble from the Philippines
OPM include musical performance arts in the Philippines or by Filipinos composed in various genres and styles. The compositions are often a mixture of different Asian,Spanish,Latin American, American, andindigenous influences.[16][17]
TheKudyapi is a Philippine two-stringed, fretted boat-lute. It is the only stringed instrument among the people ofVisayas andMindanao, and one of several among other groups such as theMaranao andManobo. It is four to six feet long with ninefrets made of hardenedbeeswax. The instrument is carved out of solid soft wood such as that from thejackfruit tree. The kudyapi has been found among groups such as theVisayans whose prevalence just like the kubing and other musical instruments are and/or were found in other parts of thePhilippines.[18][19][20][21][22][23]
Palendag, also calledPulalu (Manobo[24] andMansaka),Palandag (Bagobo),[25]Pulala (Bukidnon) andLumundeg (Banuwaen) is a type of Philippine bambooflute, the largest one used by theMaguindanao. A smaller version of this instrument is called the Hulakteb (Bukidnon).[26] Alip-valley flute, it is considered the toughest of the three bamboo flutes (the others being thetumpong and thesuling) to use because of the way one must shape one's lips against its tip to make a sound.[27] The construction of the mouthpiece is such that the lower end is cut diagonally to accommodate the lower lip and the second diagonal cut is make for the blowing edge. Among the Bukidnon, a similar instrument with the same construction except that it is three-fourths the length of the palendag, is called the hulakteb.[26]
Gambang, properly called agambang kayu ('wooden gambang') is axylophone-like instrument used among peoples ofIndonesia and the southern Philippines ingamelan andkulintang, with wooden bars as opposed to the metallic ones of the more typicalmetallophones in a gamelan. A largely obsolete instrument, thegambang gangsa, is a similar instrument made with metal bars.[28][29]
Gandingan is a Philippine set of four large, hanginggongs used by theMaguindanao as part of theirkulintang ensemble. When integrated into the ensemble, it functions as a secondary melodic instrument after the main melodic instrument, thekulintang. When played solo, the gandingan allows fellow Maguindanao to communicate with each other, allowing them to send messages or warnings via long distances. This ability to imitate tones of theMaguindanao language using this instrument has given the gandingan connotation: the “talking gongs.”[30]
Thebalangay replica docked at CCP Harbor Manila after its South East Asian expedition
Thebalangay was the first wooden marine vessel ever excavated inSoutheast Asia. It is also known as theButuan boat, as nine specimens of these boats, dating back to pre-Hispanic times (the earliest being in 320 CE), were discovered in 1976, Butuan, Mindanao. It is believed that the Austronesians migrated to the Philippine archipelago, riding the balangay. When the firstSpaniards arrived in the 16th century, they found the Filipinos living in well-organized independent villages called "baranggáy". The name barangay originated from balangay, theAustronesian word for "sailboat".
TheKarakoa was an ancientwarship in the Philippines by theVisayan andKapampangan people built out of plank fastened with stakes, fitted with accoutrements necessary for searading (mangayaw), slaves and occasional bride.[31] Pedro Chirino, a Spanish friar and a historian, said on his book Relacion de las Islas Filipinas that Karakoa was three times faster than a Spanish Galleon, in the book detailed how friar Francisco Alcina a keen shipwright admired the efficiency of the vessels crafted by the native Visayans, There were 2,000 Kapampangan belligerents in the Battle of Bangkusay who boarded on 40 Karakoas.[31]
Thevinta (locally known as lepa-lepa or sakayan) is a traditional boat, made by ethnicBajau andTausūg, living in Mindanao, the Sulu archipelago,North Kalimantan (Indonesia), andSabah (Malaysia). These boats, sporting a single, colorful sail, are used for inter-island transport of people and goods. Zamboanga City is known for these vessels.
TheJeepney, a modified military jeep, is the most common form of transportation in the country today. After independence from the United States was declared in 1946, there was a surplus of American military jeeps in the country. Filipinos then modified these vehicles to serve as makeshift buses. Since then, this ubiquitous vehicle has faced a lot of innovative transformations until the modern “E-Jeepney” was finally introduced in Metro Manila and Bacolod.
Adobo (meaning "marinade," "sauce" or "seasoning") is a popular dish and cooking process inPhilippine cuisine. In its base form,meat,seafood, orvegetables are first browned inoil, and then marinated and simmered invinegar,salt and/orsoy sauce, andgarlic. The cooking method is indigenous to the Philippines, despite itsSpanish naming. Dishes prepared in this manner eventually came to be known by this name, with the original term for the dish now lost to history.[32][33]
Sinigang
Sinigang is a Filipino soup or stew characterized by its sour and savory flavor most often associated with tamarind (sampalok). It is one of the popular dishes in Philippine cuisine.
Banana catsup is aPhilippinefruit ketchup condiment made frombanana,sugar,vinegar, andspices.Maria Orosa y Ylagan is credited with inventing it. Orosa also experimented with foods native to the Philippines and formulated food products like calamansi nip, a desiccated and powdered form of calamansi that could be used to make calamansi juice, and a powdered preparation of soya-beans called Soyalac, a "magic food" preparation which helped save the lives of thousands of Filipinos, Americans, and other nationals who were held prisoner in different Japanese concentration camps.
Halo-halo (Tagalog:[haluˈhaloʔ], "mixed together") is a popular Filipino dessert with mixtures ofshaved ice andevaporated milk to which are added various ingredients, including boiled sweet beans, coconut,sago,gulaman (agar jelly), tubers and fruits. There are claims that halo-halo is derived fromJapanese kakigori class of desserts from Japan brought by Japanese immigrants in the 1920s and 1930s.[34][unreliable fringe source?][35][unreliable source] It is served in a tall glass or bowl.[36] The similarVisayan dessertbinignit is also referred to asginataang halo-halo inTagalog ("halo-halo incoconut milk"), commonly shortened toginataan. It is made with mostly the same ingredients, although the latter is usually served hot.[37][38]
Palitaw (fromlitaw, the Tagalog word for "float" or "rise") is a small, flat, sweetrice cake eaten in thePhilippines. They are made from washed, soaked, and groundmalagkit (sticky rice). After excess water is let out from the grinding process, scoops of the batter are rolled and flattened to a circular shape and cooked by dropping into boiling water; floating to the surface is an indication that they're done. Before serving, they are dipped in gratedcoconut, and presented with a separate mix ofsugar and toastedsesame seeds.[39]
Otap (sometimes spelledutap) is an oval-shaped[40]puff pastry in thePhilippines, especially common inCebu where it originated.[41] It usually consists of a combination offlour,shortening,coconut, andsugar. In order to achieve the texture of the pastry, it must undergo an eleven-stage baking process.
Bibingka is a type ofrice cake from the Philippines usually eaten during theChristmas season. It is traditionally cooked in clay pots lined with banana leaves.Bibingka is also used as a general term for desserts made withflour and baked in the same manner. The term can be loosely translated to "[rice] cake".[42]
Puto is a type ofsteamedrice cake usually served as snack or as accompaniment to savory dishes such asdinuguan orpancit inPhilippine cuisine and believed is to be derived from theKerala dishputtu. It is eaten as is or with cheese and/or grated freshcoconut, or as an accompaniment to a number of savouryviands (most notably,dinuguan). The most common shape of theputuhán or steamer used in makingputo is round, rangingfrom 30 to 60 centimetres (12 to 24 in) in diameter and between 2 and 5 centimetres (0.79 and 1.97 in) deep. These steamers are rings made of eithersolderedsheet metal built around a perforated pan, or of thin strips of bentbamboo enclosing a flat basket of split bamboo slats (similar to adim sum steamer basket). The cover is almost always conical to allow the condensing steam to drip along the perimeter instead of on the cakes.[43][44][45]
Kutsinta is a type ofsteamedrice cake (puto) found throughout the Philippines. It is made from a mixture ofrice flour,brown sugar andlye, enhanced with yellowfood coloring orannatto extract, and steamed in small ramekins. The cooked cakes are topped with fresh grated meat from maturecoconut.[46] It is consumed year-round as amerienda or snack, and is frequently sold along withputo. Unlike its counterpart, which has a doughy texture,kutsina has a jelly-like, chewy consistency. It can be also enhanced by addinglatik for a sweeter taste.
Nata de coco was originally invented in 1949 by Teodula K. Kalaw as an alternative to the traditional Filipinonata de piña which is made from pineapples.
Macapuno was first cultivated commercially in the Philippines after the development of the "embryo rescue"in vitro culture technology in the 1960s by Emerita V. De Guzman.
Rescue 72, a combination life vest and survival kit, invented by Danvic Briones. This device allows the user to store survival supplies (food, water, medications, etc.) into watertight compartments within the life vest, allowing the wearer to survive up to 72 hours, the period of time it might take rescuers to reach remote locations after a disaster.[48]
Diosdado Banatao developed the first single-chipgraphical user interface (GUI) accelerator that made computers work much faster. This invention has allowed computer users to use graphics for commands and not the usual typed commands in older computers. It has allowed data processing to be a little faster using very little space, with small chips instead of large boards. credited with having developed the first 10-MbitEthernet CMOS with silicon coupler data-link control and transreceiver chip, the firstsystem logic chip set forIBM'sPC-XT and thePC-AT, and the local bus concept and the firstWindows Graphicsaccelerator chip forpersonal computers.[49] A three-time start-up veteran, he co-founded Mostron,Chips and Technologies, andS3 Graphics.[50] Sitting together on analog circuits and DSP circuits (digital signal processing) on the same silicon and make them work together demonstrated the invention of this one-chip video camera in CMOS. Banatao has received numerous awards, he has co-authored 13 papers and holds six U.S. patents. He has Ph.D. degree from Stanford University in mixed-signal CMOS IC design.[51]
Eco-G NanoTechnology developed the Eco-G3000, a low-cost and low-maintenance fuel-emission reduction device. It is designed to reduce vehicular gas consumption and toxic emission.[52]
TheVazbuilt Modular Housing System, an invention of Edgardo Vazquez, is a concept of a prefabricated or ready-to-build housing system. an easy to build and less time to construct Walls, floors, columns, window panels, and tied beams, with additional implementation which can potentially solved the country housing backlog.[54]
Marc Loinaz invented theOne Chip Video Camera,[51] Ho-hum materials from a personal computer was the beginning of one-chip video camera created by the team of Loinaz at Lucent Technologies. It is small, a size of cigarette lighter, low power and cheap and can be integrated into everything from wristwatches to cars.[citation needed] Contrary to CCDs (charge-coupled devices), which are relatively large, consume large power and are complicated to design, this one chip is also based on silicon chip found on microprocessors and memory devices.
Bobby Murphy, a Filipino-American, co-founded Snap Inc. (formerly Snapchat Inc.), a technology and camera company. The company has 4 main products:Snapchat,Spectacles,Bitmoji, and Zenly.
Game of the Generals, a military-themed board game invented by Sofronio H. Pasola, Jr. The goal of this game is to capture the opponent's flag, or maneuver one's own flag at the end of the board while evading the opponent's soldiers and spies.
Thespike is a volleyball technique developed by Filipino players in the first half of the 20th century and was known as the "Manila Bomb".[55]
TheEskrima,Arnis,[56] andKali are umbrella terms for the traditionalmartial arts of thePhilippines ("Filipino Martial Arts," or FMA) that emphasizeweapon-based fighting withsticks,knives and otherbladed weapons, and various improvised weapons. It is also known asEstoque (Spanish forrapier),Estocada (Spanish for thrust or stab) andGarrote (Spanish for club). InLuzon they may go by the name ofArnis de Mano,Pananandata (use of weapons),Sinawali (Pampanga, "to weave"),Sitbatan (Pangasinan),Didya andKabaroan (Ilocos region). In theVisayas andMindanao, these martial arts have been referred to asEskrima,Kali,Kaliradman,Pagaradman andKalirongan.Kuntaw andSilat are separate martial arts that have been practiced in the islands. It also includeshand-to-hand combat,joint locks,grappling, and weapon disarming techniques. Although in general, emphasis is put on weapons for these arts, some systems put empty hands as the primary focus and some old school systems do not teach weapons at all.[57]
For all intents and purposes, Eskrima, Arnis and Kali all refer to the same family of Filipino weapon-based martial arts and fighting systemsn fons.
In the 1940s, a method to formulateerythromycin was discovered by Dr.Abelardo Aguilar. A doctor from Iloilo, Aguilar worked for the pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly and Company as a researcher.[58] Then in 1949, he submitted samples of his work to the company's research team who in 1952 declared the discovery of a new kind of antibiotic. According to the team, the new drug was capable of treating several kinds of infections minus the common side-effects of antibiotics, and could be given to those who were allergic to penicillin.[59]
In 1966,Rodolfo Aquino isolated nine specific breeds of rice for the International Rice Research Institute. His discoveries helped prevent famine in much of Asia.
In the 1980s, recurringpolynya were discovered byJosefino Comiso, a Filipino physicist working at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center studying global warming in the Arctic. Comiso located the recurringpolynya in theCosmonauts Sea, south of the Indian Ocean. A polynya is a semi-permanent area of open water in sea ice.[60]
In 2007,Jayme Navarro of Bacolod discovered a method of converting plastic bags into fuel. It starts by melting the plastics and then taking out the polymers to mix with a catalyst. Pyrolysis will occur soon after to producehydrocarbon gases. After several processes of purification, the final output will then be compressed and stored. On average, 5,000 kilos of plastic bags can produce 400 liters of diesel. The discovery was assessed by the DOE and DOST which both attested that the resulting fuel is lower in sulfur and environment-friendly. The invention was finally patented in November 2008.[48]
There are urban legends in the Philippines purporting supposed inventions by Filipinos. These assertions are presented as facts in some academic textbooks in history and science used by Filipino students, as well as social media, to promote Filipinoexceptionalism.[61]
Fluorescent lamp, said to be invented by a certain Agapito Flores. The name of the invention supposedly comes from the surname of the purported inventor, "Flores", sounding similar to the termfluorescent.[61]
Yoyo, alleged to have been invented by Filipinos. Some believe that the toy could have been used as a weapon. Nestor Castro of the Department of Anthropology ofUP Diliman said that the yoyo was indeed invented as a toy but said that he was uncertain where did the idea of the yoyo as a weapon originated. He pointed out that there are no credible sources stating that the yoyo was invented or not invented by Filipinos.[61]
Lunar Roving Vehicle used by theApollo missions15,16,17 was allegedly designed by a certain FilipinoNASA engineer by the name of Eduardo San Juan. This has long been proven a hoax, as NASA has declassified its Apollo Mission papers.[62]
^Scott, William Henry (1994).Barangay: Sixteenth Century Philippine Culture and Society. Quezon City: Ateneo de Manila University Press.ISBN978-971-550-135-4.
^Attributed to Tagalog, Kapampangan (1900)."Philippine hat, ca. 1900".Accessed on RISD Museum, February 16, 2022 Copied without revision. Providence RI Courtesy of Rhode Island School of Design Museum. RetrievedMay 4, 2024.
^* Clewley, John. "Pinoy Rockers". in the year 2000. In Broughton, Simon and Ellingham, Mark with McConnachie, James and Duane, Orla (Ed.),World Music, Vol. 2: Latin & North America, Caribbean, India, Asia and Pacific, pp 213–217. Rough Guides Ltd, Penguin Books.ISBN1-85828-636-0.
^Canave-Dioquino, Corazon (2006)."Philippine Music Instruments".National Commission For Culture And The Arts. Archived fromthe original on January 17, 2006. RetrievedJune 12, 2006.
^de Jager, Fekke (2006)."Kudyapi".Music instruments from the Philippines. RetrievedJune 12, 2006.
^Mantle Hood.The Nuclear Theme as a Determinant of Pathet in Javanese Music. New York: Da Capo, 1977. Page 240-242 is a discussion of the gambang gangsa
^del Mundo, Angelita M. "Emerging Versions of Some Traditional Philippine Rice Food Products."Disappearing Foods: Studies in Foods and Dishes at Risk: Proceedings of the Oxford Symposium on Food and Cookery. 1994
^Filipino Warrior Arts Research Society Macachor, Celestino S., Macachor met old practitioners who put emphasis or practiced only empty-hands forms when he was learning FMA and during research for his book with Dr. Ned Nepangue, "Cebu Eskrima: Beyond the Myth".
^Hibionada, F. Remembering the battle of Dr. Abelardo Aguilar: Cure for millions, deprived of millions. The News Today. Retrieved September 22, 2015
^abFrancisco, Mikael Angelo (September 3, 2018)."4 Fake #PinoyPride stories you grew up believing".FlipScience – Top Philippine science news and features for the inquisitive Filipino. FlipScience. RetrievedMay 6, 2020.
Quintos, Paul. “Balangay.” 101 Filipino Icons. Manila: Adarna House, Inc. and Bench, 2007.
Casal, Gabriel S.,et al. "The Ingenious Filipino Boat."Kasaysayan Volume II: The Earliest Filipinos. Philippines: Asia Publishing Company Limited, 1998.
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