Piloting the biotech aircraft

He dreamed of soaring and did — in a largely different way, that is. He may have not ended up fulfilling his childhood dream of becoming an aircraft pilot but Danilo Manayaga did ascend from being a sales agent of biotechnology equipment to become one of the most respected figures in the industry.

The path Manayaga had to take to the top was not just a typical rags-to-riches type. His was a remarkable journey that was marked by hard work and an unrelenting determination to succeed.  

Graduating from the Cebu Institute of Technology (CIT) with a bachelor’s degree in chemistry, he went to Manila to take the Philippine Air Force Flying School examination. Although he passed the entrance examinations, he was not able to meet the 20/20 vision required for pilots.

Even with a painful reality that shattered his dream to pieces, this later on proved to be a blessing in sheer disguise as this heartbreak led him to take an entirely different but largely promising path.

Gaining experience from various companies involved in trading and distributing biotechnology products and equipment, Manayaga then became obsessed with biotechnology.

When the World Bank expressed its interest to upgrade the BioTech laboratories in the country, he saw the need to produce more equipment for the country. As the demand indeed increased, he decided to put up his own company which later on became known as GE Health Care Bio-sciences.

As a strategy to make the Filipinos support biotechnology more, Manayaga set up Secura International Corp. In 2000, he established Secura Plant Genetics Corp. to explore agri-biotechnology, as well as to promote the manufacturing of enzymes, essential oils and plant extracts. This company became one of the major suppliers of papain in the herbal soap industry.

From producing equipment to manufacturing products out of natural resources, Manayaga has definitely brought the biotechnology industry to a higher level. But more than being the president of his company, he is a prime advocate of the sector, promoting the usage of its products not only to make profit from it but also to help the contemporary man realize that nature is still the best resource for daily living.

Because Manayaga has set an ineffaceable trend in industry, he’ll be among the Ten Inspiring Technopreneurs that will be recognized by the Philippine Center for Entrepreneurship (PCE) during its biggest ever technology entrepreneurship expo, the "TechnoNegosyo," slated on Sept. 14-15 at the World Trade Center.