Gov’t formally unveils 12.5-ft 3D-printed Rizal statue as scientist

To showcase the country’s 3D prowess, the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) officially unveiled on Thursday, Dec. 30, a 3D-printed statue of national hero Dr. Jose Rizal in front of the DOST central office building in Bicutan, Taguig City.

The unveiling ceremony, which was attended by local and national officials, was made to coincide with the 125^th anniversary of the martyrdom of Rizal. This is also the reason why the 3D icon is 12.5 feet in height.

The 3D-printed monument shows Rizal as a rural scientist accompanied by two children and a lady during his exile in Dapitan in Mindanao. It was made over a two-month period at an estimated cost of P12 million.

The statue, fabricated by the DOST’s Advanced Manufacturing Center or AMCen, is made of Acrylonitrile Styrene Acrylate (ASA), a material known for its high mechanical properties that can withstand impact, temperature, and UV, and has chemical-resistant quality.

It is also reinforced with steel bars, making it more disaster-resilient capable of withstanding strong winds of up to 330 kph and a 7.0 magnitude earthquake.

During his speech at the launch, DOST secretary Fortunato “Boy” dela Pena said the humongous monument will serve as a lasting tribute to the memory of Rizal, this time as a scientist, and also to showcase the 3D capability of the government through the AMCen facility.

Dela Pena mentioned that it was Richard Burgos, director of the DOST’s Science and Technology Information Institute (STII), who broached the idea of putting up a 3D image to commemorate the 125^th Rizal Day after seeing online the largest 3D-printed statue named “Scout” in Las Vegas, which was erected to honor women in the construction industry.

Jose Manuel “Manolo” Sicat, chair of the Department of Visual Communication at the College of Fine Arts in University of the Philippines Diliman, designed the clay model that was scanned and 3D-printed at the AMCen.

Sicat also designed the DOST-National Research Council of the Philippines sculpture “Malayang Isip” that was unveiled in March 2021 in celebration of the agency’s 85th founding anniversary.

DOST undersecretary Rowen Cristina Guevarra said that after showcasing the 3D capability of the government through the new Rizal statue, the agency is hoping to tap the technology for disaster response and resilience, particularly those recently affected by Typhoon Odette.