DAVAO CITY – A school principal in San Jose, General Santos City won an international award for inventing an energy system which has been providing electricity and potable water to the community since 2011.
Principal William Moraca of Datal Salvan Elementary School was one of the 11 teachers in Southeast Asia who were given the Princess Maha Chakri Award on October 2 in Bangkok, Thailand during the birthday of Thailand Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn.
Moraca’s inventions include a functional portable windmill, modified solar panels and a magnetic field-run water system which were able to provide 24/7 electricity and potable water to the residents of Sitios Datal Salvan and Klolang since 2011.
Moraca narrated that when he was first assigned during the school, he saw that the villagers need to walk for a few kilometers to fetch water from the river.
He said he was able to make water reach the upper area of the village by using magnetic field force.
With a background in Electronics, Moraca also observed that the community’s solar panel for electricity could not adequately charge batteries.
“The natural charging of a solar panel will take about a day for a full battery. I converted the solar panel for shorter charging time,” said Moraca.
The Department of Education (DepEd) lauded not only the beneficial contribution of Moraca but also his exemplary service as a teacher and a school head.
In a Philippine Information Agency dispatch, Undersecretary for Legal and Legislative Affairs Alberto T. Muyot said that Moraca innovated and converted low cost materials for hands-on and participative teaching materials for Mathematics, Science and Social Studies. He also developed an ecotourism area which provides livelihood in the community of Sitio Datal Salvan. (davaotoday.com)
