As a tribute to the martyrdom of Jose Rizal, the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) unveiled the first and largest 3D-printed monument at its compound in Bicutan, Taguig on Thursday.
In a dialogue during the unveiling, DOST Secretary Fortunato de la Peña said he appreciates Rizal’s way of sharing knowledge and compared this to what the agency has been doing.
“My grandfather taught inside the house. He was teaching ‘3Rs’ (reading, writing, rithmetic). So imagine Rizal teaching biology without the tools that we have now. He asked his students to find species, and I could relate that to what we have been doing — teaching science through experience,” he said.
The DOST chief said Rizal was also a scientist, adding that the national hero spent his youth collecting various specimens of plants and animals, and sent these to reputable institutions in Europe. Some of the species he collected were even named after him, according to de la Peña.
In collaboration with the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP), the DOST created that monument using acrylonitrile styrene acrylate, a strong polymer material. It was also reinforced with an internal steel structure.
“It was designed to withstand 330 kph (kilometer per hour) winds and a magnitude 7 earthquake,” De la Peña said.
The monument is 12.5 feet tall, and was made from a material that could withstand impact and high temperature, ultraviolet rays, and has chemical resistant quality.
