Renowned Filipino engineer and Silicon Valley microchip developer Diosdado “Dado” Banatao died on Dec. 25 at the age of 79, his family announced.
Banatao, who was five months away from his 80th birthday, died from complications related to a neurological disorder.
The Cagayan Valley native is credited with developing several foundational technologies for the modern personal computer. His innovations included the first 10-Mbit Ethernet CMOS chip, system logic chipsets for the IBM PC-XT and PC-AT, the first graphics accelerator chip and pioneering local bus architecture.
During his career, Banatao co-founded influential Silicon Valley firms Mostron, Chips & Technologies and S3 Graphics. He later established Tallwood Venture Capital to support high-level technological innovation.
Former Department of Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima described Banatao as a brilliant engineer and visionary entrepreneur who rose from humble beginnings to become a global success story. Purisima noted that Banatao once walked barefoot to school in rural Philippines before moving to the United States to shape the semiconductor industry.
Beyond his technical achievements, Banatao was a prominent philanthropist. Along with his wife, Maria, he established the PhilDev Foundation and the Dado Banatao Educational Foundation. The organizations focus on providing scholarships and increasing access to STEM education for Filipino students.
The couple also funded the Banatao Institute at the University of California, Berkeley. The research center focuses on information technology solutions designed to provide societal and economic benefits.
Banatao often emphasized that Filipino talent was abundant but lacked access to world-class resources. Through his foundations, he built modern computer centers and worked to create global opportunities for young innovators.
Funeral arrangements have not yet been announced. The family expressed gratitude for the messages of support and prayers received during the Christmas season.
