Pinoy engineer crafting AUVs for marine protected areas

MANILA, Philippines — After devising military drones for Botswana, a Filipino engineer-academician is now in the country helping two state universities and colleges (SUCs) design and build autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) to survey and monitor rivers and deep open seas.

Rodrigo Jamisola Jr., an associate professor at Botswana International University of Science and Technology (BIUST), has worked with engineering faculty of Rizal Technological University (RTU) and Batangas State University under the Balik Scientist Program (BSP) of the Department of Science and Technology, to draw up research and development proposals for funding by DOST.

Under the plan, RTU, located in Mandaluyong City, will design and build an AUV that can conduct ocean surveys on the Philippine Rise and in Pasig River.

BatSU, on the other hand, will develop an AUV that can be deployed to conduct surveys in Verde Island Passage and explore the rich marine biodiversity.

“It can be done,” Jamisola told The STAR. “We will develop it from scratch.”

He said the task will entail a lot of research.

For the required technical skills, Jamisola expressed confidence that the engineering faculty and students of the SUCs are up to the task. He will be in charge of the research.

Jamisola is leading a team of BIUST researchers in developing military drones for the Botswana Defense Force.

As a professor at De La Salle University-Manila years ago, he had made a similar proposal to the Department of National Defense and Armed Forces of the Philippines to develop military drones, but there were no takers.

Jamisola has been teaching in Botswana for four years. He had applied for the teaching post after learning of the job opportunity while completing post-doctoral studies at the Italian Institute of Technology in Genoa.

In his presentation at the DOSTkusyon forum, Jamisola said Botswana is one of the more progressive African states, enjoying the fruits of the 10-year administration of Festus Mogae who won the Ibrahim Prize for Achievement in African Leadership when he stepped down as president in 2008. The prize gave Mogae $5 million paid out over a 10-year period, and $200,000 a year thereafter.

Botswana,  Jamisola said, is rich in natural resources, with one of its diamond mines being the source of the world’s second largest gem quality diamond.

Science Secretary Fortunato dela Peña said that as balik scientist, Jamisola’s input in crafting a research proposal is crucial.

This exemplifies the importance of the Balik Scientist Program, Dela Peña said in the media forum at Sulo Riviera Hotel in Quezon City recently.

The DOST chief said that from 40 balik scientists last year, the department hopes to get at least 60 overseas-based scientists to come back this year.