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Dado Banatao

1946 – 2025

Filipino businessman and engineer

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About Dado Banatao

Lived 1946 – 2025 (aged 79). Dado Banatao was a Filipino businessperson and CEO, known for Chips and Technologies and PHY.

Career After college, he turned down several job offers, including one from Meralco. He joined Philippine Airlines as a trainee pilot, and later joined Boeing. At Boeing, he worked as a design engineer for the company's new commercial airliner and cargo transport aircraft, Boeing 747, in the United States. With the opportunity to stay in the United States, he then took his Master of Science in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at Stanford University and finished in 1972. Banatao also joined the Homebrew Computer Club, where he met Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak.

After finishing his master's degree, Banatao worked with different technology companies such as the National Semiconductor, Intersil, and Commodore International. He designed the first single chip, 16-bit microprocessor-based calculator. In 1981, he developed the first 10-Mbit Ethernet CMOS with silicon coupler data-link control and transceiver chip while working in Seeq Technology. He was also credited with the first system logic chipset for IBM's PC/XT and PC/AT, the local bus concept, and one of the first GUI accelerator chips for personal computers.

In 1984, Banatao and his business partner Francis Siu founded the motherboard manufacturing company, Mostron, with US$500,000 in start-up capital; they also hired Ron Yara of Intel as a company executive. After Banatao developed a five-chip chipset compatible with IBM's PC/AT, he co-founded Chips and Technologies (C&T) in 1985. The company developed chipsets compatible with IBM's Personal Computer family, including the PC/AT and the PC/XT. C&T generated $12 million in revenue in its first four months. After 22 months, the company went public. In 1989, Banatao launched his third start-up company, S3 Graphics, with Yara in Santa Clara, California. S3 developed GUI accelerators that enhanced the capabilities of personal computers in rendering graphical user interfaces (GUIs). Dado was also part of SiRF, one of the first companies to commercialize the GPS after it had been declassified by the United States government.

Philanthropy In the Philippines, Banatao through his Dado Banatao Educational Foundation, annually awards five educational scholarships to intelligent Filipino students who have bright futures in the field of engineering and technology. He also chaired the Philippine Development Foundation, which helps send brilliant young Filipinos to school to help them reach their full potential. PhilDev was spun off from Ayala Foundation's program. Through his Banatao Filipino American Fund, he assisted Californian high school students of Filipino heritage in their pursuit of college education in engineering. He also built a computer center at his grade school in his hometown of Iguig, making it the only public school with the most modern computer network in the Philippines.

Accolades Awards received by Diosdado Banatao Year Awarded by Award Category Result Source 1993 Asian Business League of San Francisco Asian Leadership Award 2018JCI Manila and PHINMA Corporation with DLSU RVR College of Business and Asian Institute of ManagementRamon V. Del Rosario AwardNation Building Recognitions received by Diosdado Banatao Year Organization Recognition Source 1993 National Ethnic Coalition of Organizations, Inc. (NECO) Ellis Island Medal of Honor 1994 2002 The Forbes Midas List Rank 49 out of 100 2003 Rank 68 out of 100 2004 Rank 58 out of 100 2005 Rank 42 out of 100 2006 Rank 91 out of 100 2009 Mindanao State University - Iligan Institute of Technology Doctor of Technology (honoris causa)

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Important facts

Birth century
Occupation
Nationality
Known for
Chips and Technologies, PHY
Education
Stanford University, Mapúa University, Ateneo de Tuguegarao, Mapúa Institute of Technology
Awards
Asia's Most Influential Philippines

People in Dado Banatao's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Dado Banatao's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Dado Banatao?

Filipino businessman and engineer (1946–2025)

When was Dado Banatao born?

Dado Banatao was born on 23 May 1946 in Iguig.

When did Dado Banatao die?

Dado Banatao died on 25 December 2025.

What was Dado Banatao's occupation?

Dado Banatao was a businessperson and CEO.

What was Dado Banatao known for?

Dado Banatao was known for Chips and Technologies and PHY.

What nationality was Dado Banatao?

Dado Banatao was Filipino.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Dado Banatao

· Wikidata: Q5208098

· DBpedia: Dado Banatao

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Dado Banatao. https://biography.guide/dado-banatao/

MLA: "Dado Banatao." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/dado-banatao/.

Chicago: "Dado Banatao." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/dado-banatao/.

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