SENATOR Francis ‘Kiko’ Pangilinan on Monday called on the government and the private sector to support Filipino scientists, especially student-inventors.

Pangilinan made the call as he lauded student Carvey Ehren Maigue for winning an international sustainability award for his technology that generates renewable energy from crop waste.

“Binabati ko ang Mapua sa pagkapanalo ni Carvey Maigue dahil sa kanyang imbensiyon na medyo malapit sa aking puso, renewable energy brought about by fruit and vegetable waste,” said Pangilinan.

Maigue, 27, won the first Sustainability Award of the James Dyson Award 2020 for his invention called AuREUS: Aurora Renewable Energy and UV Sequestration.

His invention harvests ultraviolet light to generate electricity from crop waste.

Pangilinan said the technology could help farmers mitigate post-calamity losses by upcycling damaged crops.

“Maganda ang potensiyal nitong imbensiyon ni Carvey dahil sa panahong dinaranas natin ang climate change at problema sa basura, kailangan natin ng mga alternatibo, malinis at renewable na pagkukuhanan ng enerhiya at higit sa lahat, makakatulong pa sa mga magsasaka dahil magagamit ang mga nasirang pananim bunsod ng kalamidad,” he said.

Maigue’s invention, which was inspired by the science behind the northern lights, could replace typical window glasses so that a whole building could become vertical solar energy farms.

“World-class ang ating mga siyentista at kapag pinarangalan sila internationally, bitbit nila ang pangalan ng ating bansa. Kaya dapat lamang na bigyan sila ng karampatang suporta para mapaghusay pa lalo ang kanilang mga gawa at pananaliksik di lamang sa ikabubuti ng ating bansa, pati na ng buong mundo,” Pangilinan said.

“Ang ehemplo ni Carvey ang patunay na mitsa ng pagbabago ang ating kabataan. Tulungan natin siyang mapaghusay itong imbensiyon niya,” he added.