brief history, milestones and chronology of the

Brief History, Milestones and Chronology of the InventSchool | PART TWO

by Rafael Nelson M. Aboganda | February 8, 2021

Milestones and Chronology

A chronological look at the growth and development of the InventSchool™ over the past 50 years.

Short courses and seminar-workshops on creativity and innovation, scientific and technological

creativity, social invention and community innovation, and creative arts and literature have been conducted by the InventSchool in the Philippines and the Samahar Roving School, its forerunner, for more than 50 years. A short episodic chronicle of the InventSchool with some details is presented in the “milestones and chronology” below.

Prelude to the InventSchool|1967-1972

Before the InventSchool was established, there was a ‘roving school’ which conducted seminars on creativity in arts and design. Thereafter, the creativeness and inventiveness development program started “creative thinking” seminars for aspiring young inventors. The founders of the InventSchool thought that there should be a more comprehensive training program for identifying and developing new breed of Filipino inventors. Here’s how the InventSchool began:

The beginnings of the InventSchool: The idea of InventSchool began in 1967 when a small group of young college graduates and students, conducted short courses and seminars on creativity in arts and design, photography, journalism and tourism for college students, through a travelling (mobile) school in the so-called “university belt” of Manila, Philippines.

1967-68 – The Art Newsmag, a tabloid-magazine, was published in June 1967

by the graduates of the Philippine School of Journalism (PSJ). An on-the-spot painting contest was held on October 14, 1967 at the National University (NU) in Manila sponsored by the NU Society of Architecture & Arts Students (SAAS). The PSJ graduates and SAAS members conceived the idea of an education and research group for creativity in architecture & arts and science & technology. July 7, 1968, the Samahang Maharlika (Samahar), an association dedicated to the promotion of creativity in arts-and-literature and science-and-technology was organized. Samahar, which conducted seminars on creativity in arts and design at NU, became the germ of the idea of what we now call the InventSchool.

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1969 – Samahar was incorporated as Samahang Maharlika, Isp. at the Securities and Exchange

Commission (SEC) in Manila and launched the Samahar Roving School (SRS), the only mobile school that moves around the university belt in Manila conducting short courses on creativity in arts and design, photography, journalism, and tourism for college students.

1970 – May 11, the Philippine Inventors Commission (PIC) and

Filipino Inventors Society (FIS) agreed to implement the provisions of Republic Act 3850 (otherwise known as the Philippine Inventors

Incentives Act of 1964) particularly creativity training for students, organization of “creative societies” (student inventors’ associations), and publication/dissemination of inventive activities. June 24, PIC jointly with FIS launched two projects, namely: Project I – Creativeness and Inventiveness Development Program (CDIP) to promote inventive creativity among students, teachers and talented professionals through creativity training and seminar-workshops focusing on the development of local inventions; and Project II – Publication and Dissemination of Inventive Activities (PS) to promote the development of local inventions and their manufacture―through the mass media. The two projects enlisted the organizers and principal lecturers of Samahar-SRS.

1971 – May 2, the first seminar on “creative thinking” under the PIC creativeness program was held at

St. Louis University in Baguio City participated by teachers attending the summer training in science teaching sponsored by the National Science Development Board (NSDB).

1972 – Creativeness and inventiveness development program continued

conducting seminar-workshops on “creative thinking and invention development.” October 1972, the first working paper on “creatology” entitled “Towards a Positive Understanding of Creativity—Creatology, the Science of Creativity” co-authored by Rafael Nelson M. Aboganda and Ricardo S. Cortez was published by the Publication Staff, Creativeness Development Division, Philippine Inventors Commission (PIC). Creatology became a special topic of the PIC creativity training courses. [“Creatology” was derived from Latin creat- the past participle stem of creare. “to bring forth, produce,” and Gr. creatus, “creative” + Latin logus, “study” and Gr. logos, “reason, study”.] (Watch “What is Creatology?” | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IhUOIfx5lQc)

Early years of the InventSchoolTM |1973-1989

In the early years, the InventSchool™ upholds the idea that “creativity and inventiveness” can be developed through proper training and actual experience. Here are the highlights of our early years:

1973 – In the third-year implementation of Projects I and II, the idea of a mobile “school for young

inventors” gradually evolved among its project leaders Rafael Nelson M. Aboganda and Ricardo S. Cortez. February, “Likhaan Institute for Creative Studies and Technological Innovations,” a proposed schoolxxx


roving school for young inventors (school-to-school, house-to-house), was conceptualized. May, Likhaan Institute was organized but renamed Imbensyon Pilipino (IP) and registered as a single proprietorship at the Philippine Bureau of Commerce on June 15 with registry No. 45258. Soon enough, Aboganda and Cortez proposed the basic concept of the InventSchoolTM and the organization of InventClubs. Cesar C. Villariba, Jr. (creativity trainer in lateral thinking), Fernando Ubaldo, Jr. (creative researcher, inventor of Ovulonics Watch), and Jose Marte R. Torres (PIC patent examiner), all part-owners of Imbensyon Pilipino, supported these ideas. July 7, The InventSchool was organized as the training unit of Imbensyon Pilipino (IP). August 5, 12, 19 & 26, first orientation seminar entitled “Creative Dynamics” was held in a makeshift classroom at the residence of Ubaldo in Quezon City.

1974 – “Special Report on Creatology” was submitted in

January to Gen. Florencio Medina, then Secretary of Science & Technology. [Gen. Medina was all praises about the report. He said, “This was the best thing that ever happened to PIC.”]

Seminars on “creative thinking and problem-solving” under the PIC creativeness program were conducted in major cities in the Philippines. Creatology was presented in the seminars utilizing fundamental observations from initial ‘creatological’ studies. Aboganda left PIC and continued the InventSchool seminar-workshops.

1975 – Imbensyon Pilipino was transformed into the Creativity Research and Development Foundation,

Inc. (CRADFI) and carried out the seminars on creativity and invention development under the InventSchool program.

1976 – PIC and CRADFI, individually and/or jointly, conducted seminars on creativity, creative thinking

and invention development.

1977 – PIC with CRADFI continued undertaking seminars on creativity and invention development. By

mid-year, however, PIC concluded its creativity training program.

1978 – May, a new foundation named “Likhaan Institute for Technological Innovations” was proposed

by staff-members of the Community Resource Management & Development Department (CRMDD) of the Development Academy of the Philippines (DAP) to uplift the quality of life of rural poor, transfer appropriate technologies to the countryside, and help “nationalize” technology in the Philippines by developing and making use of Filipino inventions. June 28, Likhaan Institute was organized in a meeting held at the Philippine Columbian on Taft Ave., Manila. The organization was however renamed Technology for Human Development Foundation, Inc. (THDF). PIC and THDF jointly conducted a special creativity training course for the agricultural officers of the Ministry of Agriculture and Food in Leyte Province. From then on, THDF continued the InventSchool training program.

1979 – January 16, Techud (new acronym of THDF) was incorporated at SEC with Reg. No. 83952—it

retained The InventSchool as its primary training program. With some travel funds provided by PIC, Techud continued undertaking seminars on creativity and invention development, particularly for teachers and students of the University of the Philippines College Baguio in Baguio City and other schools in Benguet Province. October, Techud submitted to PIC a proposal to reactivate the creativeness and inventiveness program; unfortunately, no action was taken.


1980 – May, another letter-proposal for the revival of creativeness development program was presented

by Techud to PIC; again, no action was taken. October 3, Techud again proposed the revival of the creativeness and inventiveness program to PIC to be called “The InventSchool Program.” November 30, Likhaan Institute Foundation was organized by Aboganda with Ernesto A. Forcadilla, Renato A. Forcadilla, Mario P. Pantoja, and Alexander A. Azucena, primarily to continue The InventSchool. Research studies on Creatology as a new science of creativity and innovation was set in motion.

1981 – January 6, Techud-LIFI once again submitted an updated proposal to revive the creativeness

program, which provided details about its operations and training courses to PIC. January 15, PIC and Techud-LIFI agreed to revive the creativity training program; a memorandum of agreement between PIC and LIFI was signed on February 4, formally reviving the creativeness development program based on The InventSchool Concept. March 16, a transitory advisory board of the Philippine InventSchoolTM Program was constituted with representatives from PIC, Techud-LIFI, Filipino Inventors Society (FIS), Ministry of Education and Culture (MEC), National Science Development Board (NSDB), and Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI). April 21-22, The InventSchool Concept and Program Framework was presented in a workshop sponsored by PIC, during the celebration of 1981 Inventors’ Week at Philtrade Audio-Visual Hall in Manila. April 27-29, a trainer’s course for PIDI training staff was conducted by LIFI at PIC conference room in Bicutan, Taguig and the University of Life (UL) in Pasig. June to October, PIC staff—as part of their training—prepared course designs and instructional materials under the direction and guidance of Techud-LIFI. October 12, Likhaan Institute Foundation, Inc. (LIFI) was formally organized as a separate foundation and incorporated on October 18 at the SEC with Reg. No. 0101452. December 9-11, PIC-Likhaan started the “Seminar-Workshop on Creativity & Invention Development (SWCID)” for students, and December 12-13, the SWCID for faculty members―both held at NSDB’s J. Faustino Garcia Hall, Taft Ave., Manila. SWCID participants were organized into school-base InventGroup, later to be called InventClub.

1982 – NSDB was reorganized as the National Science and Technology Authority (NSTA) and PIC was

renamed Philippine Invention Development Institute (PIDI). The SWCID training courses for faculty and students (renamed Technological Creativity & Invention Development, TCID for short) were conducted on January 8-10 for students and January 16-17 for faculty. Subsequently, from January 22 until February 20 seminar-workshops were continued in different schools in Metro Manila, Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. During the February 1982 Inventors’ Week, the 1st National Conference on Technological Creativity & Invention Development featuring the 1st National Congress of InventClubs was held. February 25, the InventOrganization of the Philippines (IOP) was organized. TCID textbook prepared. Starting April, TCID series of seminars were held in different schools, colleges and universities throughout the country. Regular TCID course offerings were also conducted at the seminar room of PIDI. By November, school-base InventSchools and InventClubs have been organized in 25 colleges and universities in Metro Manila. December, PIDI Commissioner Fidelino Adriano visited the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) in Geneva Switzerland and submitted a proposal prepared by Likhaan for the full implementation of The InventSchool Program. WIPO suggested transforming The InventSchool into a regional training program “in substance and orientation” so that it can avail of financial assistance from the UN system. Thus, The Asia-Pacific InventSchool was conceived.

1983 – The Asia-Pacific InventSchool (TAPI) was launched through an audio-visual presentation

during the celebration of the 17th National Inventors Week, dubbed as Philippine Inventions Expo ’83, held on February 20-26. The 2nd National Conference on Technological Creativity & Invention Development highlighted by the 2nd National Congress of IOP (InventClubs) was held on February 21-23.Abogandaxxx


23. Aboganda presented a paper entitled “The Filipino Inventors and Their Inventions: A Perspective” on February 22 where the need for the InventSchool was given emphasis. Likhaan designed The InventSchool Training and Development Systems: Organizational structures, operational system, education and training systems for PIDI. The IDEA BANK for Technological Inventions was set-up by LIFI for The InventSchool. August, at the instance of PIDI, the Philippine Invention Development Foundation, Inc. (PIDFI) was established and took over LIFI’s role in the InventSchool. Likhaan concentrated on developing course manuals and training guides for the InventSchool as well as preparing for the upcoming implementation of TAPI, which was conceived as part of the international InventSchool system.

1984 –The 3rd National Conference on Technological Creativity

& Invention Development was held on February 21-22, during the 18th Inventors’ Week. February 22, IOP was renamed InventClub Federation of the Philippines (ICF). TCID training courses continued to be conducted in different schools, colleges and universities throughout the country. Mid-1984, PIDI started offering basic and primary TCID courses to business and industry sector beginning initially with Budget/Finance Secretary Salvador M. Enriquez, Jr., Dr. Serafin D. Talisayon and RNM Aboganda as principal lecturers. LIFI continued the preparation of training methodologies, techniques and learning strategies. Likhaan also started putting into concrete terms the establishment of The InventSchool International for developing countries.

1985 – January, LIFI formulated the general institutional scheme of The InventSchoolTM International.

Meanwhile, PIDI published an InventSchoolTM textbook on TCID combining basic and primary courses edited by Dr. Serafin D. Talisayon and Zinnia P. Teruel. Majority of the materials in the textbook came from LIFI written by Aboganda, EA Forcadilla, and RA Forcadilla. The textbook was later used in the

Regional Workshop on Invention Development and Innovation held on November 25 to December 6 in Manila under the sponsorship of PIDI-NSTA and PIDFI, with financial assistance from WIPO-UNDP.

1986 – Prepared lecture-workshop guide on TCID Intermediate course.

August 18-20, the first and only TCID Intermediate course of The InventSchool was conducted by RNM Aboganda at the training school of Telestar Industries in Davao City. October, Aboganda proposed a program of action for PIDI in an article titled “What Should and Can Be Done to Promote the Development of Philippine Inventions and their Manufacture” citing the need to strengthen The InventSchool. NSTA was reorganized as the Department of Science and Technology (DOST).

1987 – January 30, PIDI was abolished and replaced by the Technology Application and Promotion

Institute (TAPI); TCID training, however, continued up to middle of the year. Likhaan Institute took over The InventSchool during the second semester. ICF was divided into two associations, the InventClub Federation (ICF) composed of student InventClubs, and the InventSchool Faculty Organization (ISFO) composed of faculty members involved in the TISI program, both maintain their original founding dates. Likhaan upgraded TCID training courses into the Scientific & Technological Creativity (SciTeC) course program.


1988 – First quarter of the year, Likhaan called for the revival of

the celebration of Philippine Inventors’ Week and proposed the holding of a Festival of Filipino Inventions. Atty. Art Borjal, columnist of Philippine Star (a national newspaper) headed the fund campaign for the event, while Inventech Management Corporation (IMC) provided managerial support. September 21, The InventSchool International, Inc. (TISI) was repositioned as a corporate institution of Likhaan and registered with SEC, Reg. No. 155808 issued on September 29. Started the improved SciTeC Course Program―basic and primary courses at Mapua Institute of Technology (MIT) [now Mapua University] and Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP) both in Manila. In September, social invention was included in the educational programs of The InventSchool.

1989 – February 19-26, LIFI in association with FIS, supported by the

Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), the 3rd Festival of Filipino Inventions* was celebrated at the Ninoy Aquino Nature’s Park in Quezon City featuring: 1) An invention contest with a ₱50,000 top prize [the highest cash award ever given at that time], 2) A workshop on strengthening technological capacities of developing countries through inventive activities, and 3) A half-day conference on The InventClub and The InventSchool Program, organized by LIFI and WIPO with Mr. Farag Mousa, head of WIPO’s section for relations with international organizations and promotion of innovation in developing countries, as special guest speaker. The conference was attended by students and faculty representatives from MapuaTech (MIT) and Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP) InventClub, the only active club at that time. May 11-13, the “1st Summer Institute on Scientific & Technological Creativity” for teachers was held at the Mapua Institute of Technology (MIT), Manila. The three-day institute was attended by faculty members of several colleges and universities in Metro-Manila, Laguna and Aklan provinces. In September, training courses and seminar-workshops on social inventions were included in the educational programs of The InventSchool. LIFI established on 24 October 1989 the Social Inventions & Community Innovations, Inc. (SICI) and registered it with SEC on 26 December 1989 with Registration No. 171797.

The Middle Years of the InventSchoolTM |1990-2005

As the InventSchool embarked on upgrading and standardization of course programs, conducting summer institutes and expanded its training programs to include social inventions and other related seminars. Here are the highlights of our middle years:

1990 – The InventSchool and Likhaan Institute continued conducting SciTeC course program―basic

and primary courses―at irregular intervals. The IDEA FACTORY for Social Inventions was set-up by LIFI and the SICI. TISI continued developing the intermediate and advanced SciTeC course designs and training materials.

1991 – LIFI-InventSchool continued developing Intermediate SciTeC course design, training materials

and SciTeC textbooks.

* The first Festival of Filipino Inventions was proposed and conceptualized by RNM Aboganda. It was

implemented through the efforts of PIC Commissioner Felipe Ll. Santillan and Atty. Fidelino Adriano with the

support of Former Secretary Horacio R. Morales, then executive vice president of the Development Academy

of the Philippines (DAP). The 1st Festival was held on 12-18 April 1978 at Philcite in Manila, while the 2nd

Festival was held on 13-19 April 1980 at Philtrade in Pasay City at the request of WIPO.


1992 – LIFI-InventSchool continued updating the Intermediate SciTeC course materials. Soon after,

the intermediate course was divided into two: Intermediate and Advanced courses. Started developing Advanced SciTeC course design and training materials. July to September, coordinators for the Regional InventSchools were designated. One each for the National Capital Region and Northern-Southern Tagalog (Metro-Manila, Northern-Southern Tagalog & nearby areas), North Luzon (Northern and Central Luzon), Bicol Region, Visayan Region, and Mindanao. However, the regional operations were not pursued for lack of funds. The regional coordinators, instead, were tapped in the implementation of other LIFI funded-projects such as the UNEP-UNDP-DENR Training Program on Ozone Depleting Substances held in Baguio City, Quezon City, Legaspi City, Cebu City and Davao City.

1993 – August, “1st Orientation Seminar Workshop on Thinking, Creativity and Creative Teaching for

Teachers and Educators (OSW)” at Lourdes School of Quezon City. Continued holding SciTeC courses―basic and primary―for students on limited scale at MIT and PUP. Despite lack of funds, the InventClubTM at MIT and PUP, coordinated by Atty. Mario Pantoja and Dr. Pedro Yunzal, respectively, organized annual school-based invention contests until 1996.

1994 – Continued preparation of Continuing/Specialized SciTeC course designs and training materials.

August 19, LIFI-InventSchool—with the recommendation of then Budget Secretary Salvador M. Enriquez, Jr.—sought financial support from the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) and endorsement from the Department of Education, Culture & Sports (DECS) for the organization of InventClubs and the preparation of training manuals for the SciTeC courses (basic, primary, intermediate and advanced) and its testing in five regional centers. In a meeting with DECS Secretary Ricardo Gloria, he told LIFI-InventSchool officers to proceed to DOST for assistance. DOST Secretary William Padolina endorsed the Likhaan-InventSchool proposal to the Technology Application & Promotion Institute (TAPI). LIFI-InventSchool officials explained The InventSchool and InventClubTM program to Dr. Maripaz Perez, director of TAPI, in a meeting in September. However, Director Perez, in her letter of October 7, informed Likhaan that the project is not in line with their program. She noted that the proposal has “close resemblance... to the science club, science fairs and summer camp programs of the Science Education Institute (SEI).” Forthwith, the TAPI Director endorsed the proposal to SEI for appropriate action. Despite continuous follow-up, DOST and all its agencies disregarded the InventSchool program.

1995 – August, the Institute for Social Invention (ISI) in London, UK cited The InventSchool in its

publication, Best Ideas - A Compendium of Social Innovations and the ‘Global Ideas Bank’ on the Internet. Updated the regular SciTeC courses. By late 1995, after several follow-ups on The InventSchool project proposal, DOST, TAPI and SEI have not provided any assistance to the training program of The InventSchool and the organization of InventClubs. LIFI considered the proposal has been rejected.

1996 – Continued preparation of SciTeC course program manuals and initial course outline for social

inventions. Continual literature research and educational studies on creativity and invention, and updated the training materials on creativity, technological innovations and social inventions. Started writing the trainers’ guidebook and students’ workbook for SciTeC courses.

1997 – Preparation of SciTeC course program training manuals and teachers’ guide continued. July,

The InventSchool developed a new educational program parallel to SciTeC courses called the “Creativity in Social Inventions and Community Innovations” or the SinCom Course Program. Accordingly, the educational program of TISI was reorganized into two (2) major course programs: 1) Technological Inventions Division (TID) and 2) Social Inventions Division (SID). Developed two SinCom training courses adopting SciTeC 1 and SciTeC 2. Started preparation of other SinCom course designs and training materials.


1998 – Continued literature research, educational studies and preparation of SciTeC and SinCom

course programs, training materials and teaching guides. Developed two additional SinCom training courses adapting SciTeC 3 and SciTeC 4.

1999 – Started upgrading and standardization of SciTeC and SinCom course programs instructional

materials, training manuals and teaching guides. Continuing courses and special courses added.

2000 – May 17-19, conducted the “2nd Summer Institute on Scientific & Technological Creativity” at

Quezon City Academy (QCA), Quezon City. July, introduced Creativity in Business Entrepreneurship to MBA students in the Graduate School of De La Salle Uni-versity at Greenhills, San Juan City. Developed additional SciTeC and SinCom continuing and special courses.

2001 – November 28-29, “2nd

Orientation Seminar Workshop on Thinking, Creativity and Creative Teaching for Teachers and Educators (OSW)” at Quezon City Academy, Quezon City. Completed The InventSchoolTM comprehensive regular educational program with set of courses, program of studies, curricular content (outline), and learning set-up. Several SciTeC courses in abbreviated forms were also conducted in several educational institutions and government instrumentalities.

2002 – April, developed course design on “Stimulating Creativity and Inventiveness of Students” and

worked on course materials for SinCom (social inventions) courses with the support of LIFI. New training courses added to the comprehensive educational program such as: Entrepreneurial Creativity & Venture Management (EnCVM), New Products & Innovation Management (NuPIM), Social Invention Workshops (SIW), and Social Entrepreneurship & Community Management (SECM).

2003 – Developed lateral training courses and content outline under the comprehensive educational

program, curricular structure and course outline.

2004 – Started reactivating the Local InventSchool at MapuaTech (MIT) in Manila. Formulated special

training courses under the comprehensive educational program, curricular structure and course outline.

2005 – Designed programs for InventSchool annual institutes, conferences and workshops under the

comprehensive educational program. Core structure and program plans formulated.

The Recent Years of the InventSchoolTM |2006-2016

In year 2006, as the InventSchool started to mature, it embarked on upgrading and standardization of all course programs, conducting summer institutes and expanded its training programs to include social inventions and other related seminars. Here are the highlights of our recent years:

2006 – June, course manual on “Creative Problem-Solving and Decision-Making (CPSDM)” revised in

coordination with Likhaan Institute. Prepared training guide on the “Operational Mechanism of Creativity and Thinking (OMCaT),” a specialized 16-week course (one semester) for college students. July 7, Likhaan was reorganized and re-incorporated as The Likhaan Group, Inc. (TLG) on December 18 with SEC Reg. No. CN200619363. The InventSchool, aside from conducting seminar-workshops on creativityinnovation


creativity and innovation, was assigned to coordinate the human creativity, social productivity, and technological innovation programs and projects for TLG. The InventSchool reviewed and updated its course program, training designs, course materials, textbooks and workbooks.

2007 – The year was limited to continual preparation and improvement of The InventSchool’s SciTeC

and SinCom course program designs, course materials, textbooks and workbooks, including the preparation of post-baccalaureate certificate-diploma courses.

2008 – First quarter of the year: Evaluation of The InventSchool plans/programs and updating of

institutional development plans for incorporation in the new TLG Strategic Development Plan (SDP). March 23, TLG reorganized its Children and Youth Action Network (CYAN) by splitting it into two groups: Likhaan Children’s Action Network (LCAN) and Likhaan Youth Action Network (LYAN). LYAN, a community-based youth organization was organized in Barangay Escopa III in Project 4, Quezon City—the InventSchool provided creativity training to its members. July 18, Likhaan Institute launched its website – www.likhaan.com – which incorporated a section on The InventSchool.

2009 – The InventSchool continued its creativity and innovation training courses in several schools

and colleges in Quezon City.

2010 – October 27 and 29, Wheldon Curzon-Hobson, a freelance author from New Zealand, visited

and held meetings with LYAN-Escopa; its members presented a waste management project which they developed with the support of The InventSchool.

2011 – February to March, Likhaan, through the InventSchool, conducted the training of trainers of

the Invent School Program of the Technology Application and Promotion Institute (TAPI) held in three regional clusters, Metro-Manila (in Bicutan, Taguig City), Visayas (Lahug, Cebu City) and Mindanao (Bajada, Davao City).

2012 – First quarter, the InventSchool reviewed and evaluated its on-going plans/programs and

updated the institutional development plans in preparation for the celebration of Likhaan's 40th anniversary. TLG Board of Directors decided to dissolve and replaced it with the new Likhaan proposed to be called “Likhaan Institute for Creativity and Innovation” later to become Likhaan Institute of Creatology and Innovation, or LICI for short, in line with evolving global trends. The InventSchool continued its creativity and innovation training courses in several schools and colleges in Quezon City.

2013 – January-February, meetings with National Economic Protectionism Association (NEPA) on joint

promotion of creativity and innovations in colleges and universities in Metro Manila in line with the national industrialization campaign (this was later temporarily shelved for lack of funds but is expected to restart in later years).

2014 – Reorganization meetings of Likhaan and The InventSchool. Formulation of new organizational

framework, programs and projects as an education, research and community development institute. Updating of education programs/courses, preparation of new courses and course manuals for trainers. Revisions/updating of books. The InventSchool continued its creativity and innovation training courses in several schools and colleges in Metro Manila.


2015 – First quarter, The InventSchool

reviewed and evaluated its on-going educational programs and courses. July, The InventSchool assisted the Quezon City Polytechnic University (QCPU) in the conceptualization and setting-up of a “School of Innovation (SoInn).” [SoInn is proposed to be an affiliate, autonomous college of QCPU. It is a creative education and innovation research-and-develop-ment institute dedicated to the devel-opment of creativity and innovation, promotion of inventive activities, and development of economic, social and cultural enterprises. It stimulates the creation of technical and social inventions (new products, processes and services), development of innovative enterprises, and improvement of industrial product-ivity. The primary purpose of the School of Innovation is to educate the students, i.e. teaching them to open their minds, to be creative and innovative.] October 22, the working paper of Solnn was completed, unfortunately the proposed school was not implemented. December 2015, after the SoInn was neglected by QCPU, Aboganda and EA Forcadilla considered the possibility of InventSchool International in Canada.

2016 – January 2016, Aboganda and EA Forcadilla discussed the setting-up of InventSchoolTM in

Canada. August, a simplified version of the proposed QCPU School of Innovation (SoInn) was implemented with a new name, “Innovation Institute (InI).” Likhaan-InventSchool assisted in the

preparation of course designs and training materials of QCPU-InI.

The Contemporary Years of the InventSchoolTM |2017-2021

In 2017, Likhaan Institute, the mother organization of the InventSchool, was consolidated into a single education-and-research institution and reinvigorated the InventSchool’s course programs, started developing formal courses including post-graduate certificate and diploma courses in creativity and innovation. The main features of our contemporary years are the following:

2017 – Likhaan was renamed “Likhaan Institute of Creatology and Innovation.” The Institute as a newly

consolidated organization continued to carry on creative education and innovation research programs―offering creativity, social productivity and technology innovation training for professionals, engineers, entrepreneurs, teachers, students, youth and even children. The InventSchool reinvigorated its course programs, social inventions and community innovation projects and specialized education, training and development programs. EA Forcadilla and Aboganda continued discussions on the possibility of setting-up the InventSchool in Toronto, Canada for its international operations under the auspices of the Creatology Corporation.

2018 – The Likhaan-InventSchool started developing post-graduate certificate and diploma courses

as well as a one-year post-graduate bachelor’s degree course in creativity and innovation in cooperation with the Quezon City Polytechnic University (QCPU) [renamed Quezon City University (QCU)]. It also assistedxxx


assisted QCU in developing three (3) new 3-unit courses, these are: 1) Lifemanship (Philosophy of Life), 2) Fundamentals of Creativity and Innovation, and 3) Creative Practice: Thinking Tools, Methods and Techniques – Uses and Applications. The three courses are now offered to all first/second year college students. The founders of the InventSchool decided to organize the InventSchool in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. August, opening a website for InventSchool Canada was suggested by EA Forcadilla to start promoting its educational programs/courses, introduce the OvuGuard fertility diagnostics [fertility monitoring device], as well as to house the MnemoGame for Cli-mate Change. Septem-ber, final design of the logo of the Invent-School Canada was completed.

2019 – March 30, the company name

of InventSchool was reserved at the Federal government of Canada (CD 12690771). April, the InventSchool Canada website (inventschool.ca) went online.

2020 – The InventSchool Philippines

continued to operate under the auspices of Likhaan Institute in coordination with The InventSchool Canada; however, its activities are limited to the preparation of course designs and training materials due to Covid-19 pandemic.

2021 – The InventSchool today: A new chapter in the history of the InventSchool is taking place.

The InventSchool Philippines is making a new start by reviewing and evaluating its training programs and is seeking to reactivate its 25 learning centers in different schools, colleges and universities in Metro Manila. Meanwhile, InventSchool Canada is currently preparing the setting up of its headquarters in Toronto, Ontario, Canada as well as planning its international operations―together with the full activation of its website which will have the following component sections: internet-based Creativity Training Hub, “How-To’s” information desk, “Inventors, Patents & Inventions” exchange and retrieval box, networking tool, and inspirational guide to aspiring inventors. Arrangements for establishing a Regional InventSchool for the Middle East either in the Sultanate of Oman in cooperation with Oman’s patent office and the chamber of commerce and industry or in the United Arab Emirates. In Metro-Manila, re-establishing the InventSchool for Asia as an initial step towards the setting up of regional InventSchool centers. Epilogue. Since its establishment in the Philippines, the InventSchool and the Samahar Roving School, its forerunner, have conducted seminar-workshops on creativity and innovation, scientific and technological creativity, and social invention and community innovation, and creative arts and literature for more than 50 years. A new episode in the history of the InventSchool in now unfolding. The roadmap towards its future is already shaping up.

INVENTSCHOOL LOGO is the graphic representation of our slogan: Creativity is a science (brain), Invention is an Enterprise (lightbulb). Sun (chrome yellow) powers the universe without which life will not exist. Tilted light bulb symbol means a creative person thinks outside the box. InventSchool logo reflects the balance of critical and creative thinking, the balancing of the right and left lobes of the brain in our consciousness. The meaning of the InventSchool LOGO: 1. Brain - Information processor taking in inputs from the world and transforming them into models of the world and instructions to the motor systems that control our bodies and our consciousness. Most of the body parts can now be transplanted except the brain because it is a biochemical and bioelectricity. The brain cells are made of 85+ billion neurons. 2. Lightbulb - The graphic symbol of ideas. Edison and his team of researchers in Edison's laboratory in Menlo Park, N.J., tested more than 3,000 designs for bulbs between 1878 and 1880. In November 1879, Edison filed a patent for an electric lamp with a carbon filament. 3. Chrome yellow - The colour of the sun. Nature runs on sunlight. Both InventSchool and Cre8tology Corporation logos use chrome yellow for the lightbulb and small letter L as an exclamation point for AHAL


Footnotes to the History of The InventSchool

Founding date. In most papers and documents issued or published in 1980s and early 1990s, the complete

founding date of The InventSchool was never specified. The Likhaan Newsletter, Vol. 1, No.1, dated October

1986 cited, “In mid-1973, the initial concept of The InventSchool and organization of the InventClubs was

proposed by Imbensyon Pilipino (IP),” a business organization organized on 15 June 1973 by this writer together

with Ricardo S. Cortez [head, publication staff and regional coordinator for invention, Philippine Inventors

Commission (PIC)], Jose Marte R. Torres (PIC patent examiner), Cesar C. Villariba, Jr. (trainer, De Bono’s lateral

thinking, board director, Philippine Coconut Authority) and Fernando Ubaldo, Jr. (creative researcher, inventor of

Ovulonics Watch). We scrutinized IP, CRADFI, Techud and Likhaan documents, and discovered that the actual

founding date of The InventSchool was 7 July 1973.

The ‘other’ Inventschool. In late 1997, this writer met Inventor James Reamon at the Davao International Airport

in Davao City. Mr. Reamon informed me that his creativity training program has already started. He also mentioned

that the training courses are somewhat related to the courses offered by The InventSchool. Unfortunately, Mr.

Reamon failed to inform me that his training program is promoted under the so-called “Inventschool II.” This was

confirmed later by Mr. Reverencio Orig of DOST Region 11. (Mr. Orig, is also serving as a volunteer coordinator

of Likhaan-InventSchool in Davao City and Region 11 since late 1992.)

In April 1999 at a Glorietta Mall invention exhibit in Ayala Center, Makati City, Philippines, this writer saw a book

distributed by Goodwill Bookstore entitled “INVENTIONS & INNOVATIONS: A Glimpse of the Filipino Legacy” by

Dr. Billy Malang. The book confirmed that the group of Mr. Reamon uses the “Inventschool.” It also implied that

the “old” InventSchool, dubbed “Inventschool I,” is dead and the new “Inventschool II” of Mr. Reamon and

company is the active organization since 1996. In his book, Dr. Malang states that he is a professor of the

Inventschool, Reamon’s of course, not The InventSchool International, Inc. of Likhaan Institute.

After many months, I was able to meet Dr. Malang personally in November 1999 at the FIMCOOP exhibit at

Harrison Plaza in Manila through the effort of Inventor Carlos Casas. This writer pointed out to Dr. Malang the

“erroneous” information in his book. I emphasized that there is only one “InventSchool,” which means there is

no “Inventschool II.” I told him that “The InventSchool,” did not stop operations; it only postponed conducting

training courses in late 1990s because we are conducting a thorough review and updating of our training designs

and course materials. At the end of our brief meeting, Dr. Malang promised to correct the inaccurate information

in his book.

In December 1999 when we met Dr. Malang again together with his wife, Mr. Casas and Mr. Alexander Azucena

of Likhaan-InventSchool, I was very emphatic in telling him that “InventSchool” is our “social invention,” and

we reserve the right to its name. In fact, “The InventSchool International, Inc. (TISI)” is a registered non-stock

education and research corporation. I requested both Mr. Casas and Dr. Malang to arrange a meeting between Mr.

Reamon and the officials of Likhaan-InventSchool. Unfortunately, the meeting never occurred to this date.

When the Technology Application and Promotion Institute (TAPI) replaced PIDI in 1987, it continued the

“InventSchool” but less than a year after, TAPI changed the name to “Invent School Program” (ISP).

In this regard, The InventSchool and Likhaan Institute of Creatology and Innovation (formerly Likhaan Institute

Foundation, Inc. and The Likhaan Group, Inc.) would like to inform everyone that there is no other

“InventSchool.” THERE IS ONLY ONE InventSchool that is “The InventSchool International (TISI) Program”

under Likhaan Institute, and the InventSchool in Toronto, Ontario, Canada).

‒ RAFAEL NELSON M. ABOGANDA

President, Likhaan Institute of Creatology and Innovation [formerly Likhaan Institute Foundation, Inc. and The Likhaan Group, Inc.]

brief history, milestones and chronology of the

Documents