Augustine Doronila, ‘Yob’ to his friends, was a young teen when his family migrated to Australia. His father Amando Doronila, a well-respected journalist was forced to flee the Philippines during the Marcos regime.
While in Melbourne, his parents played the role of foster parents to Filipino students and young Filipino families. Their family has never lost its connection to the Filipino community and the Philippines.
Highlights
- Dr Augustine Doronila has tirelessly worked with rehabilitation of mined lands
- He helped formulate a cinnamon-based hand sanitizer in the Philippines
- Cinnamon grows in the Philippines and was considered as valuable as gold during the Spanish era
Love for science
As a young boy, his interest for science was sparked by his late mother, Lourdes who was one of the first trained analytical chemists in the Philippines. His curiosity was always fed by his mother in the garden or in the kitchen.
"I was able to learn how to make yogurt or nata de coco because my mother was always curious, and my mother did that anyway and I was always there to help her."
He is currently a senior analyst at The University of Melbourne with the Technology Platform - Trace Analysis for Chemical, Earth and Environmental Sciences. Most of his research has been devoted to post mining land rehabilitation.
A visit to Manila opened opportunities for paying it forward
It was in 2008 that his collaboration with Philippine based scientists became formalised through his scholastic roots, The Ateneo de Manila.
"I was invited to do a talk on the type of work that I do."
As a scientist, I work as an ecologist and an environmental chemist. The thing I was most interested in was looking at the impact of heavy metals on ecosystems. I shared this with the scientists at The Ateneo and they invited me to participate in the 'balik scientist' program through the Department of Science and Technology.
With permission from The University of Melbourne, he was able to spend time in the Philippines to lecture and collaborate with other Filipino scientists.
The short stint in the Philippines resulted in three programs funded by Australia Aid for training ‘we were able to do training on improving environmental performance on the mining industry, ecosystems recovery and fund a PhD project for a young Filipina student in Melbourne.
We also did a lot of programs with a lot of indigenous communities with indigenous knowledge to improve the environment after mining.’ collaborations that continue to this day.
A second chance
His interest in mining has led him to discovering a plant eating metal that gives mined land riddled with toxins a second chance at productivity.
"In Cagayan de Oro we found the paco plant eats arsenic. While the paco plant isn’t safe for consumption, it eats up all the heavy metals which makes the land tillable again."
Finding gold
His most recent collaboration is with a Bacolod-based NGO, Plantsville Health focusing on cinnamon.
"It was before the COVID pandemic when a young entrepreneur with a social enterprise began exploring cinnamon-based products. I introduced her, November Canieso-Yeo to a Filipino botanist who is an expert on Philippine cinnamon Dr Jay Picardal but our collaboration at Plantsville Health started when she was formulating cinnamon based hand sanitizers during the pandemic."
He was able to assist with his knowledge in Chemistry in producing a 99% alcohol cinnamon-based hand sanitizer. For Dr Doronila collaborations with Filipino scientists are very important.
"This is what we call capacity building, because we know that highly industrialised nations have more investments in science."
This, he says are opportunities for Filipino scientists to grow. His latest work was a collaboration on writing a children’s book on Philippine trees.
"The curiosity of children needs to be triggered, if we help the children grow in their fascination, they will also grow to value and take care of our environment," says the Melbourne-based Filipino scientist.
Apart from his works in the scientific field, as a family, the Doronila’s continue to be active members of the Filipino community both in Australia and the Philippines.
Yob with his late mother Lourdes, his sister Noonee and father Amando Doronila Source: Augustine Doronila Facebook page
His sister Maria Lourdes Doronila was awarded the Order of Australia Medal for her devotion and efforts in social work. His father has continued his work as a journalist while in Australia.
He says no matter what or where we are we always go back to our roots. "Our life’s journey is based on memories, I was born there my acquired culture is in the Philippines."
The COVID pandemic, he adds, has proved that bayanihan can work even across oceans.
"There are so many good Filipino scientists all around the world that have been contributing. They say we give what we have because we have learned to be good global citizens by being in a very nurturing environment of the Filipino culture."
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