A bamboo splitting machine developed at MMSU rammed five other entries to capture the first place in the competition for “Outstanding Utility Model” in the 2012 National Invention Contest and Exhibits (NICE) organized by the Department of Science and Technology-Technology Application and Promotion Institute (DOST-TAPI), July 10-14, at the SMX Convention Center, Mall of Asia, Pasay City.  

Winner of the 2011 Region I Invention Contest and Exhibits, the machine with patent registration number 2-2010-000198 was developed by Dr. Stanley C. Malab, director of the Ilocos Agriculture and Resources Research and Development Consortium and former MMSU vice president for research and extension, and engineer Jose A. Zafaralla, education program specialist.  

The award is given to a model of an implement or tool of any industrial product which is of practical utility by reason of its form, configuration, construction or composition.

The bamboo splitting machine is just one of the outcomes of researchers’ continuous efforts to further improve the bamboo industry not only in Region I but also in the whole country. This is used to process raw materials for the fabrication of engineered bamboo or E-kawayan products which have also won various regional and national awards such as: Outstanding Likha in 2004 for “Kawayan Tiles and Laminates”; Best Industry and Energy Research for Luzon Cluster in 2006 by the Philippine Council for Industry and Energy Development; Best Likha Luzon Cluster in 2010 for the “E-Kawayan School Desk”; and second runner-up for Region I for the “Kawayan Charcoal Briquette”. E-kawayan products were also featured as component of the MMSU Bamboo Program that won as third Best HEI Research Program in 2006-2007.

Zafaralla received the P100,000 cash award plus trophy and certificate of recognition. Another trophy was given by the World Intellectual Property Office.

The NICE was held simultaneously with the National Science and Technology Week conducted annually by DOST.  It has six competing categories: invention, utility model, industrial design, creative research, and student creative research. The entries in the national contest have earlier won in their respective regional or cluster competitions.