FISH MUCUS AND FOOT FUNGUS
by Gian Dapul
When I was in 6th grade, I hated Mathematics. You would have, too, if you had my teacher. He would drop huge workbooks on our tables and croak, “Thirty problems, fifty minutes.” A lot of these problems seemed unsolvable, so we complained: “Sir, there are no answers to these!” But then he’d reply, “To every question there is an answer, to every problem there is a solution.”
Although I’m only sixteen years old and an incoming 4th year high school student, I know that my country has more problems than any Mathematics book. Strangely enough, the answers to some of our problems are fish mucus and foot fungus. These seemingly improbable items are products of what we call scientific research.
Research turns our guesses into real knowledge, serving as the sifting pan of our hypotheses. It challenges what we assume, because, as they say, if you only learn from what you ASS-UME, you make an “ass” out of”u” and “me”.
In the early 1800s, someone warned that the streets of London would be filled with horse manure due to the uncontrolled use of horse-drawn carriages. Of course, that never happened. Combustion engines,products of research and invention, replaced horses, and the manure piled up in Parliament instead.
While on the subject, few people know that the most expensive coffee in the world is taken from the droppings of the Asian Palm Civet found in the Philippines and Indonesia. The small mammal excretes the coffee berries it eats, and forest trackers recycle the fruity feces to create what is known as Kopi Luwak in Indonesia or Kape Alamid in our country. Research has led to a synthetic process that simulates the droppings’ exotic flavor and quality.
So, who’s had coffee with their breakfast? Well, soon nobody will have had coffee and breakfast if the looming global food crisis worsens.Are you all feeling fine? Well, nobody might be fine for long if some new disease creeps up on us.
Health can be enhanced and life can be extended. The nudibranch, a beautiful, soft-bodied creature unfairly called a “sea slug” — a favorite among underwater photographers for its marvelous colors and shapes — has actually been used in tumor research. Samples of fish mucus have also displayed certain antibacterial properties.
And as the Home Shopping Network would say, “Wait! There’s more.”
Certain types of infectious fungi that coat some of your toes here form beneficial relationships that support plant growth. The International Rice Research Institute based in the Philippines continues to develop ways to improve rice growth and help alleviate the current food crisis.
New challenges are coming, and they will always confront us. What we need is an army of scientific researchers that will help find the solutions in advance. I want to be part of that army that would cross the new frontiers first.
If only we could make science fairs and contests as popular as the thriving “Pop Idol” franchise. Although I’m not sure if Simon Cowell’s sardonic comments will sit well with my peers. But we need the same hard-hitting passion in research and invention.
To conduct research is to be innovative; avant-garde. Researchers are like artists with test tubes and lab gowns instead of paintbrushes and smocks. When I graduate from the Philippine Science High School next year, I want to begin my “masterpiece” and apply for a university degree in Biochemistry.
But sometimes, I am discouraged by those who say that a researcher from a Third-World nation is like a Jesuit adhering to a vow of poverty, or worse, like a Benedictine monk observing the vow of chastity. It is indeed a challenge, but it’s also another frontier to cross, for me and many young people like me.
We Filipinos are well known for their dedication to service, in foreign homes, hospitals and hotels. In the hotel, I found three Filipinos working there. I want to be one of the pioneers that will make the Philippines known for its excellence in scientific research,as part of the driving force that will expand our horizons towards tomorrow. And I intend as a 1to have a lot of fun while doing it.
Going back to my math teacher, I eventually realized that, well, he was right. As he said, “To every question there is an answer, to every problem there is a solution.” We just have to go looking for the right ones. Who knows? Maybe one day we’ll be answering the questions that haven’t been asked yet.
Bookmark at:StumbleUpon | Digg | Del.icio.us | Dzone | Newsvine | Spurl | Simpy | Furl | Reddit | Yahoo! MyWeb
Viewed 10582 times by 4571 viewers
Wow! Gian’s speech boosted my Filipino pride! Galing ng Pinoy!
Wow, nasa France ka? LOL
Yup, it’s a good speech. This was the same speech he delivered during the Philippine qualifiers.
Hello you look like Mr. Hanshin Manuel !!! LoL He’s my Cuzzzin. Serious your cute and Handsome !!! I’m looking forward for your reply . Hehehehehehehe From What School are you ? If you don’t mind.
Thanks!!! =)
You the man Gian! I mean you rock!
I am 8000 miles plus away but I know there is only 3 degrees of separation between me and this kid. My nephew, a PSHS drop out (moved to Cumming GA), might be in same batch.
You make us proud to be Pinoys!!
LOL @ ASSUME.
Nicely done. A good way to introduce researchers as more than ‘nerds’. Go Pisay! Hehe.
LOL @ ASSUME.
Nice speech. A good way to introduce researchers as more than ‘nerds’. Go Pisay!
Nice jab at the Jesuits and the Benedictines, heh.
This speech is so much better than the Patricia Evangelista snorefest.
duh, you can’t compare gian and patricia’s speeches for they made their respective pieces based on the theme they were given..
just be thankful and proud that another filipino won.
I didn’t know Chickens evolved from crabs!
If I’m not mistaken, Gian is also doing his research proposal (since he’s an incoming senior). Perhaps this was his inspiration in making his winning speech.
He has a great future in Biochemistry. I just hope it starts next year when he presents his project to Science Fairs.I was personally disheartened to pursue research when our Research Advisers failed to support us. (Back in high school, the only thing I was good at was research. LOL) We still competed and we did win. LOL But the research paper was left to rot in our library. I hope he doesn’t land the same plight.
I’m really frustrated with how our research project turned out in high school. The concept never excited me one bit.
I wish I had a cooler project like some of my classmates. My research was 90% manual labor – preparing the soil, planting seeds, transplanting seedlings… Jeez.
Yo, Benj. My Net connection’s been busted these past coupla days. I type from a Net cafe. Surprised and glad to see you at Filvoices.com.
And yer right. This guy’s going to UP Manila. LOL
Awwww.;( That’s sad. High school research sucked bigtime for most of the people I know. So I guess you’re not alone. LOL
Aww.. I miss my high school days..
Ooops, i thought gian is not a filipino. ayos sa banat. kewl!
he makes me proud of my motherland. ^_^
Benj, have you seen the video of Gian Dapul’s speech?
Thanks for the heads up, Earl.
Kicks ass. Nice.
i’m more inspired to know dat at ur age, u were able to have a desire and passion in researches Gian. I hope for more Filipino individuals to pursue on bio researches especially those wth a great economic impact.
Gian, if i were your English, I’d be very proud of you for making it to the top!
I was once a declaimer, a contestant in college, and winning the second place in my elementary days and none in college…
but you… you are truly one Filipino who our fellowmen should be proud of and our Filipino youth should emulate…
KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK!!! =)
Reality tv shows for research
People have ways to sensationalize everything now. It`s highly possible so as long as there are people willing to invest in it.
But, then again, unlike artist, people never venture into research for fame to begin with. We certainly need more speeches like this to motivate young people to pursue this field.
awesome speech Gian.
Good speech. Though it would have been a lot better had you been a believer. Lol.
THIS does not happen every day so I want to join the cyber Pinoys in celebrating Gian’s win.
Good job, Gian, and may your inspiring speech breed more reasons for all of us to become proud (at least in this seemingly age of diaspora) Filipinos!
Congratulations Gian….You rock…
Gian! I know a lot of Filipinos are now becoming proud of their identity – and i am one of them. Research endeavors entail a lot of rigid time and money, but as i assess your eagerness, you will make research an inspiring element for us Filipinos to become on TOP again… “ASSUME” heheheh. After research, divert your interest on POLITICS, becuase i have never witnesseD a CLEAN GAME OF POLITICS in the country. MABUHAY PINOYS!
You made me proud to be a FILIPINO. Congrats….
superb! go go Pinoy
Perfect! Better than Patricia Evangelista’s speech.
Gian, the Philippine Science High School Community is asking if you could deliver that speech again on June 2, first day of class during the Flag Ceremony.
i’m proud to be a filipino! good job gian…..
lam moh Gian assignment nmn yan……… ok lng!!!!! bilib aq sau!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! more power to ur career!!!! tnx! itaguyod mo ang pinoy!!!! hakhak
sa mga classm8 q n gumgwa ng reaxon paper about this!!!!! 4xeNon aq s imus institute go!!!!!! do ur ass nd q p xa mxadong naintndhan!!!!! bshin q uleh heehee joke lng simple lng x eh!!!! aira gwapo kya yang Gian n yan???/// hakhak
black3_sha@yahoo.com frend n tau ha!!!
hahaha,,, pti bah i2 gawing assignment ng teacher namin,,
Pag malaki mo ang galing ng mga pinoy….
saNa maging kasing galing kita kasi mababa lang ang mga grades ko ehhh…..peo gagayahin kita magsiskap ako ng mabuti…salamat..jason from cavite
Taga imus INSTITUTE din AKO anu kaya pede Reaksyon D2?????
_.. so beli dandah poh..
_.. nagustuhan coh ung speech..
hahaha kahit mEjUi mAhiwAp
inTindiHin,qXeh eNgLish..
hAhAhA..aAhM sNa mAy iBa pAnG
sTorY LikE diZ..
_.. DaTz oL..
aus speech moh.gling!!
assignment dn namin toh eh.hehe!
tricia.kilala ata kita??
tga IMUS INSTITUTE din ako.
pinapahirapan niyo nanay ko
pati siya nag-research….
ala kasi kami computer sa bahay, search pa kami sa ofis nila!!!!
ano po reaction niyo sa speech niya? reply ASAP
taga Imus Institute din po ako…..tnx
aw kamu pud diay???!!!kami pud dri sa bukidnon gpa.assignment me ug rxn paper…nkaxabut mo?hehe..
Ure speech was used in our science research subject and we were asked to write a reaction…but all i could say was, it was awesome…hey, cmuans…taronga ug buhat ang inyong papers and gud luck xa atong science reasaerch..harhar!
hey!! nice talaga the speech…hahai…gpa assignment ni sa amua ai.. ano daw ang reaction namin about the speech?? we wil have also our science congress..required kasi eh.. sana makagawa kami… hindi talaga mapantayan ang galing ng PINOY!!
well done gian! iba tlga ang pinoy!
niiice. I like the home shopping network joke.
Gling mo po!!
Proud lht ng Pinoy sayo,,
Wow!! gling nia sa speech..
Alam nio po? Favorite q ung“ In every question, there is an answer, In every problem, there is a solution“
Un po tlga ang “striking!“
Paulit- ulit q nga po keong pinapanood eh!
KAmukha nio po c kuya Kevin sa amin, JRU, Mandaluyong City..
0po, gwapo mo rin!!
Gagayahin q po kau..
Ur my “IDOL“
hEhE,.
xgeeee po!
Nagmamahal,
cÜ hii3.o12 xD
pS: g0 g0 g0! Filipin0S…
very moving speech!
kudos! galing talaga natin!
he’s really good, he’s one of our speakers in the leadership training.hmmm, may dagdag panga ung line na ginamit nya eh… siguro binago nya..=)
“In every problem,there’s an answer,in every answer,there’s a solution, so don’t complain..”
nice one…
Ang galing talaga ng Pinoy! ang galing talaga ng Pisay! – PSHS ‘82