©Icaro
In the face of hardships such as poverty, sickness, and loss, it is common to quit, but for this scientist, these did not hinder him from fulfilling his dreams. His passion and perseverance helped him soar to greater heights and earn a place in the hall of fame among distinguished Filipino scientists.
In light of September—science month, let us take the time to honor the legacy of one of the pioneers of science in the Philippines, Anacleto del Rosario. He is a leading Filipino pharmacist and chemist during the Spanish period who was renowned around the world as the Father of Philippine Science and Laboratory.
On July 13, 1860, Anacleto del Rosario y Sales was born to Eugenio and Casimira del Rosario. After his father died, Anacleto had a hard childhood as the sixth child out of 11 with a single mother. He had to sell fruits and vegetables to help his family. They lived on the streets of Calle Quiotan, now named Sales Street, after his mother’s family name. Nevertheless, young Anacleto was gentle, sweet, religious, and intelligent—qualities that led him to garner many academic achievements.
He undertook his primary and secondary education at a private school under the guardianship of his stern relatives. In exchange, Anacleto washed the bottles in his aunt’s drugstore. He then enrolled in Ateneo de Manila University, where he earned his Bachelor of Arts degree on April 1, 1876, with the highest honors, at age 15. While he was there, he sold electric bells, household fixtures, and toys to earn money and became the president of the Congregacion Mariana, a religious organization that only consists of students of high moral and academic standing. At age 16, he enrolled in the University of Santo Tomas, along with Jose Rizal. He took up degrees in land surveying, which he used to earn a decent amount of money, and pharmacy, in which he earned the highest honors. With his savings from land surveying, he bought books from Spain and a microscope for his scientific studies. As a student, Anacleto was always respected by his classmates because of his diligence, which he carried into his career.
In his early career, he was an apprentice, and he later partnered with his peers in the pharmaceutical industry. He then started his own pharmacy in Binondo called Farmacia A. del Rosario. In 1882, he was assigned by the Governor General to be part of a sanitary commission stationed at the Lazareto de Mariveles to monitor the cholera outbreak in the region. This led to his interest and extensive research on the bacteria responsible for cholera. Four years later, he became the director of the Laboratorio Municipal de la Ciudad de Manila (Municipal Laboratory of the City of Manila) in 1887. He studied the medical waters in Luzon and investigated over a hundred springs for his two published research works. Anacleto also worked as a chemist for the Ayala distillery where he made discoveries, such as how to make nipa wine taste like Spanish wine, extract castor oil from a nipa palm, and formulate and purify alcohol from tuba or coconut wine, which won him the first prize at the world fair in Paris in 1881. In 1892, Anacleto first discovered the active principles of chaulmoogra oil in the treatment of leprosy but used this to help people rather than to be publicized as the one who discovered it, which then was reported by English and American scientists about 20 years later. Del Rosario died of tuberculosis on May 2, 1895, leaving behind his wife, Valeriana Valdezco, and their three children—Jose, who also became a chemist; Luis, who became archbishop of Zamboanga; and Rosa.
During his 35 years of life, he has proved how far dedication, diligence, and passion can take us even through the hardest of times. His curiosity, enthusiasm, and devotion to Science and nature led him to many triumphs even during his short span of life as he became one of the most influential chemists and pharmacists in the country in the 19th century. Anacleto del Rosario was also one of the earliest Asians to delve into sciences that were still in their beginnings as he applied his knowledge in pharmacy and biochemistry for local problems. Although he was not fortunate enough to study abroad like other Filipino scholars during his time, del Rosario showed his love and service for our country with the test tube and the pen, rightly garnering him the title “Father of Philippine Science and Laboratory.”
WRITERS' PROFILE
JASMINE ATHENA CHUATOCO
Science Associate Editor
Grade 10
Other Organizations: Honors Society
BIANCA ISABELLE R. ICARO
Graphic Arts Staffer
Grade 12 STEM
MAXINE P. RECOMENDABLE
Copyreading Staffer
Grade 12 STEM
Other Organizations: Grade 12 Council, Honors Society, and Augustinian Dance Troupe
MARIA ERIKA ANNE S. TAGOMATA
Layout Staffer
Grade 12 STEM
Other Organizations: Grade 12 Council, Student Affairs Committee, and Honors Society
