DOST to unveil tallest 3D printed Rizal monument

MANILA, Philippines — The tallest ever 3D monument of Dr. Jose Rizal, a futuristic printed statue of the national hero, will be unveiled by the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) during Rizal Day celebrations on Dec. 30.?Science Secretary Fortunato dela Peña said the monument would depict Rizal as a scientist.

“It will be the first monument statue, 12.5 feet high, to be done by 3D printing,” Dela Peña told The STAR.

He said the statue was designed by artist professor Jose Manuel Sicat of the University of the Philippines College of Fine Arts. It is being made at the DOST Advanced Manufacturing Center of the Metals Industry Research and Development Center and will stand at the DOST Plaza.

Dela Peña explained the monument would not be a replica or just be a design variation on the Rizal monument in Rizal Park, Manila but would be entirely new.

The DOST had earlier proposed the theme “Jose Rizal: Filipino scientist” in 3D to the National Historical Commission for the 125th year of the hero’s martyrdom, which was approved by the commission.

The department said the design was inspired by studies and works of scientists, historians and artists of the DOST-National Research Council of the Philippines, depicting the national hero as a medical scientist, an engineer/surveyor, agriculturist and naturalist-environmentalist.

The monument was printed in acrylonitrile styrene acrylate (ASA), a material known for its high mechanical properties that can withstand impact and high temperature, UV and has chemical resistant quality.

The structure is further reinforced using steel inside the monument that is designed to withstand winds of 330 kilometers per hour and a seven-magnitude earthquake, the DOST said.

“We are paying tribute to the many works of Dr. Jose P. Rizal, especially in the field of science. We believe that this project is a good inspiration to our youth of today to maximize their capabilities and capacity to learning. Like Dr. Rizal, there is no circumstance that could stop us from learning,” Dela Peña said.

The project also showcases the capabilities of local engineers in creating a massive, complex structure using additive manufacturing technology.

Although not always highlighted in various academic discussions, Rizal had inclinations on natural science, engineering, medical science and agriculture.

During his incarceration in Fort Santiago and exile in Dapitan, he engaged in the study of nature. His studies focused on a number of species of various classes such as insects, butterflies, amphibians, reptiles, snakes, shells and plants.

The specimens he found were then sent to the Dresden Museum of Ethnology in Germany for further identification.

Rizal is credited with the discovery of Draco rizal, a small lizard known as a flying dragon, specimens of which he sent to Europe, believing that this was a new species of reptile.

Aside from this, he also collected other specimens of insects and animal species that were eventually named after him. Among them was Apogonia rizali, a rare beetle that has five horns, and Rhacophorus rizali, a frog species.

Rizal also made a mark in engineering by creating a waterworks system to supply the community in Dapitan with potable water.

On the other hand, his medical practice as an ophthalmologist benefitted the people as he gave free medical consultations. Rizal’s first patient was his mother who had failing eyesight.