50 YEARS AND COUNTING…
The story of PIPAC is a testament to the effective collaboration of Academe-Government-Industry to serve the needs of the country. Its commitment to produce fast, accurate and reliable results at reasonable cost earned for PIPAC its solid reputation as the “go-to” laboratory for projects requiring international standards and methods.
In 1972, the PHILIPPINE INSTITUTE OF INDUSTRIAL CHEMISTRY was founded as a non-stock, non-profit scientific institution at a small laboratory in the Department of Chemistry, Ateneo de Manila University through a substantial grant of scientific equipment from Alexander von Humboldt Foundation in tandem with the Ministry for Economic Cooperation of the Federal Republic of Germany. This grant was obtained through the efforts of Dr. Modesto T. Chua, who became the first Institute Director. PIIC was registered in the SEC in 1973.
In 1975, the institute was renamed as the PHILIPPINE INSTITUTE OF PURE AND APPLIED CHEMISTRY (PIPAC) to convey the full scope of its burgeoning operation.
In 1982, JICA approved a grant for a new building. Using Japanese design, technology, materials and labor, the present impressive building of PIPAC was inaugurated in 1984.
In 2017, the torch of leadership was passed on from Dr Modesto T. Chua, who retired as Institute Director after 43 years of service, to Dr Armando M. Guidote, Jr, Professor of Department of Chemistry, Ateneo de Manila University. The reorganization rationalized and strengthened the various services–analytical, training, research, quality assurance, and operations.
To conform to the new Chemistry Law (RA 10657), Chemists and Chemical Technologists of PIPAC took the licensure examinations in October 2017. PIPAC services heads including the Institute Director, who are all Chemistry professors, prepared them through in-house review sessions. The examinees obtained 100% passing rate, making PIPAC’s laboratory analysts all licensed, registered professionals.
2018 marked a new milestone as the microbiological laboratory began operation after accreditation by the Department of Health.
In celebration of its 50th year, PIPAC brought together the Board of Directors, management, professionals and staff in an exercise of revisiting PIPAC’s past, reassessing its present, and renewing the communal commitment to EXCELLENCE, INTEGRITY AND SERVICE.
As it gears up for another 50 years (and more), PIPAC renews its resolve to deliver only quality results through QUALITY PEOPLE, QUALITY PROCESSES, QUALITY EQUIPMENT.
