By Mar T. Supnad
A boat that can be turned into a cabinet when not in use is being promoted by its inventor for rescue operations.
Coined “bankarador,” the unique sea vessel measures eight feet long and four feet wide and can accommodate eight people, according to marine engineer and naval architect Realito Rubia.
Rubia said the vessel is made of fiberglass and costs cheaper than rescue boats currently used by government.
“The bankarador is designed for humanitarian rescue, it can be easily paddled in deep and shallow waters as this is light and can accommodate of up to eight persons,” Rubia said.
Unlike rescue boats which cost millions, Rubia said the cost of a bankarador “is more or less R300,000.”
What sets bankarador apart is its double function.
“Why should the government buy millions of pesos worth of boats when it is used only during flash floods,” asked Rubia. “After the rainy season, these expensive boats will then be set aside and can no longer be used and will be rotten.”
When not in used for rescue, the boat can be used as a cabinet to store clothes and other things,” Rubia explained.
The bankarador has drawn the attention of a ranking official of the Department of Interior and Local Government who discussed the possibility of mass producing it.
Aside from the bankarador, Rubia also invented the unsinkable speed boat that can be used by the Philippine Coast Guard and Philippine Navy.
