Mother of Philippine herbal medicine wins SIDI award
Manila, Philippines - Dr. Nelia Cortes-Maramba, founding member of the National Integrated Research Program on Medicinal Plants (NIRPROMP) and known to many as the “Mother of Philippine Herbal Medicine,” garnered another recognition for the Philippine herbal Industry at the Scientific Inventions, Discoveries & Innovations (SIDI) Awards last June 21. The SIDI Awards is a joint project of the Rotary Club of Manila, Department of Science and Technology, and Intellectual Property Office Philippines that aims to recognize and provide incentives to Filipino scientists and inventors. Dr. Maramba was nominated by NIRPROMP’s long-time collaborator, Pascual Laboratories (PascualLab).
PascualLab has remained strong in its support of the Philippine herbal industry for many years now. Not only was it the first pharmaceutical company to partner with NIRPROMP, PascualLab has also brought the benefits of natural remedies to the Filipino masses throughout its long history of collaboration with NIRPROMP. It was also the first pharmaceutical company to commercialize herbal medicines such as lagundi and sambong.
For her work and immense contribution to alternative medicine and the Philippine herbal industry, it comes as no surprise that Dr. Maramba won in the Scientific Inventions category of the SIDI Awards. She received a trophy and P100,000 but, more importantly, has brought focus anew to the burgeoning industry of phytomedicine.
Garnering another accolade will no doubt serve to boost the Philippine herbal industry, and strengthen the credibility and patronage of natural remedies such as lagundi. PascualLab sees the growth firsthand, with the continued success of its Ascof brand. Having already received a citation at the Salon International de Inventions at Geneva in 1997, Ascof not only paved the way for the commercial success of lagundi as a cough remedy but remains one of the company’s strongest brands in large part due to its use of 100-percent organically-grown leaves and the number of improvements it has made from the initial technology transfer.
Like the remedies it champions, the Philippine herbal industry will continue to thrive through natural partnerships between NIRPROMP and companies like PascualLab. By cultivating strong ties and collaborations, more Filipinos will benefit from these effective, natural alternatives.
Ascof is a product of Pascual Consumer Healthcare Corporation, a subsidiary of Pascual Laboratories, Inc. For more information, visit ascof.com.ph.
