Caloocan barber is now prize-winning inventor

This Filipino has gone the distance, from a working-student barber, to inventor to multi award-winning entrepreneur.

Rolando Cayanan de la Cruz used to work as a barber in Bagong Barrio, Caloocan City to make both ends meet. Now he is an award-winning inventor whose product provides a non-invasive treatment for skin cancer.

"I was in second year high school when I started to work as a barber to support my studies," De la Cruz recalled. "I was so small then, the barber’s chair was bigger than I was."

It was during his work as a barber that he became familiar with various skin problems suffered by his clientele: "Many of the people who came to me for haircuts suffered fungal infections and other skin diseases. That’s when I began thinking about how I could help treat their ailments.

"With good intentions and the all-out support of my family, God answered my prayers," De la Cruz said with a wide smile. He recently bagged the gold medal at the prestigious International Inventor’s Forum (IENA) held in Nuremberg, Germany.

His invention is a skin cream called DeBCC, which is used for the treatment of basal cell carcinoma (BCC), the most common type of skin cancer. The cream contains a formulation of cashew nut extracts and other Philippine herbs.

"By mere application of the cream, with no radical and unacceptable surgeries or procedures, 14 patients with skin cancer were cured in 16 weeks. No recurrences were reported," De la Cruz said.

IENA took note of De la Cruz’s achievement in presenting him with the gold medal for his invention. IENA is a prestigious international organization based in Germany that seeks out outstanding inventions in various scientific fields. De la Cruz’ invention bested 54 other inventions and "DeBCC" was adjudged the most significant invention for the year 2005 beating more than 1,500 other entries.

"I was able to show to the world ang galing ng Pilipino (the worth of the Filipino)," a proud De la Cruz said when he met with reporters to present his gold medal. "I share this with the Filipino people."

De la Cruz made a direct reference to people’s boxing champion and world featherweight title-holder Manny Pacquiao: "This award makes me feel humble. I almost feel like I’m Manny Pacquiao. I was able to show to the world how great Filipinos are."

De la Cruz now heads the RCC Group of Companies — which includes RCC Amazing Touch International Inc., Wartasia International Inc., and Lelalee Pharmaceutical Laboratories Inc.

Invention by accident

De la Cruz said he discovered the health properties of DeBCC through an "accident."

"I was a young boy then and I was eating cashew seeds when I felt a burning sensation. In tears, I ran to my mother, who told me in Kapampangan that ‘it is the cashew seeds’ I had chewed that had burnt me," De la Cruz said with a smile as he recalled how his mother taught him that cashew nuts produce heat.

In high school, De la Cruz said he had a classmate who underwent treatment for warts on the neck: "My classmate told me he could not stand the pain of the wart-removal treatment which involved heat. He said it was painful even with anesthesia. It was then that I recalled the cashew incident."

His innovation was to develop a cream from cashew nut extracts to treat patients with the skin condition. Using the cashew cream, De la Cruz said, a patient barely feels pain: "Parang kagat lang ng langgam (it is just like an ant bite)."

With the support of his wife Lydia and five children Richard, Rommel, Lorena, Lelalee and Jennifer, De la Cruz realized his dreams after 25 years of study, research and experience and they set up RCC Amazing Touch International Inc.

"We resigned from our respective jobs to support my father in his invention," De la Cruz’s eldest son, Richard, said. "It was a risk but we believe in our father. Love and support were the key factor in the success of our father and our company."

Each member of the Dela Cruz family plays a vital role in the company. De la Cruz is president and chief executive officer, his wife Lydia is the executive vice president, Richard is vice president for marketing and Rommel works as vice president for operations.

Lorena is the vice president for finance, while Jennifer is vice president for personnel and Lelalee is the company auditor and pharmacist.

Besides DeBCC, De la Cruz’s magic touch was acknowledged for his Amazing Touch product, which offers natural, non-surgical removal of warts, moles and other skin growths using cashew nut extracts.

RCC Amazing Touch International Inc. was established in March 1997 as a one-stop shop for skin and hair care treatment.

"Proven to be safe and effective with no side effects, it is relatively painless, bloodless and scar-less, and requires no anesthesia," De la Cruz said of his products.

He also introduced Aminah Mama to journalists. Mama is a woman who had BCC on the left side of her nose and said DeBCC cured her skin cancer.

De la Cruz’ invention is supported by surgeons from the University of the Philippines and the Philippine General Hospital (PGH) led by Dr. Eric Talens, who conducted the first clinical trials on DeBCC and submitted his findings to the IENA.

BCC is the most common type of skin cancer in the world. In the Philippines, 60 percent of Filipinos have skin cancer, Talens said.

Talens said the country’s BCC morbidity rate is lower than the number of cases recorded in United States: "They are white-skinned and they don’t have (much) melanin, the dark brown or black pigment that is naturally present in varying degrees in the skin." Melanin is the skin’s natural protection against the sun’s harmful rays.

‘Perseverance, determination and resolve’

In the wake of his victory, De la Cruz encouraged each Filipino to pursue his or her dreams: "All it takes is perseverance, determination and resolve to achieve your dreams. Of course, you need the support of your family."

De la Cruz’ cashew extract invention has also reaped other accolades. It was acclaimed by the Likha award as the most outstanding invention for BCC; received the silver medal at the World Genius Inventions Exposition in Tokyo, Japan in November 2001; the INPEX XVII 2001 Gold Medal Award at America’s Largest Invention Show in Pittsburgh in May 2001; I-TEX 2000 Gold Medal Award in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in 2000; the 15th Golden Shell Award’s Rising Star Citation for Excellence in Exports from the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) in 2000; and bagged the bronze medal in the 27th International Exhibition of Invention for New Techniques and Products in Switzerland 1999.

RCC was awarded the Tuklas Award for Most Outstanding Invention by the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) in 1998.