It’s also a good time to think about the new things we can invent that will help make our lives – and those of other people around us – easier.
In the past, there have been Filipinos who invented gadgets that made life better. There was Eugenio Quesada who invented an important formula for ink, pharmacist Dr. Zamora who created the formula for United American Tiki Tiki, a dietary supplement for children, and another Filipino scientist who helped develop the lunar buggy. These are but a few things that have made life better for everyone.
Every year there are new gadgets invented. I asked some people what inventions they would like see become a reality.
ANA BAYLE, international model: I’ve always wanted a transporter like the one on Star Trek. So I can go inside it and say, "Beam me up, Scottie!" This way I can avoid Philippine traffic.
TERESA HERRERA, commercial and print model: I would love to see a car that’s environmentally friendly.
JOEL UICHICO, businessman: Windmill that can operate in the Philippines that generates electricity just like the one in San Francisco. And it’s also environmentally friendly.
JOJO GUINGONA, photographer: Nokia 9210i, tri band. I hear they’re finally making something like that. Otherwise, something for my new Kodak Pro 14n camera.
SECRETARY VICKY GARCHITORENA, senior consultant for Poverty Alleviation and Good Governance: A gadget that will clone me.
VICKY VELOSO BARRERA, housewife: Something that can do the endless hours of stirring for me when I make things like pastillas and haleyang ube!
Also, something that can hold my baby so I can sleep while breastfeeding at night.
RICHARD TANN, director/businessman: The gadget I’d like to see in 2004 is an image transferring machine that can paint and automatically scale everything a person imagines at will. Even better is if it can score the appropriate music for those images.
Or a cell phone that has sound or voice recording capabilities like a dictaphone.
MICHAEL SALIENTES, creative director: I hope someone invents a portable stress meter which will be able to monitor the stress and activity levels of a person. This can be measured on a scale of one to 100 An added feature would allow the person to check his or her heart rate, blood pressure, and cholesterol level. This way people would know when to relax, let go and chill at any given time of the day.