NATIONAL SCIENTISTS

OF
LOS BAOS

The Order of National Scientists (Filipino:

Pambansang Alagad ng Agham ng Pilipinas) is the
highest award given to Filipino scientists by the
government of the Philippines. The award was created
on December 16, 1976 by President Ferdinand Marcos through Presidential Decree Nos.
1003 and 1003-A, which also created the National Academy of Science and Technology.
Under the law, a scientist is an individual who has earned a doctoral degree in any field of
the sciences and has demonstrated and earned distinction in independent research or
significant innovative achievement in the basic and applied sciences, including
agricultural, engineering, and medical sciences, in mathematics and in the social sciences
as manifested by published works in recognized scientific and technical journals.

The National Academy of Science and Technology, which is composed of Filipino

scientists, recommends annually to the President of the Philippines not more than 10
scientists for conferment of the rank of National Scientist. The President of the Philippines
makes the final selection based on "distinguished individual or collaborative achievement
in science and technology."
FRANCISCO M. FRONDA
National Scientist 1983
Academician 1979;
Born: 22 December 1896
Died: 17 February 1986
National Scientist Francisco M. Fronda is
recognized for his outstanding contributions to
poultry science and the poultry industry in the
Philippines and is considered the Father of the
Philippine Poultry Industry.

With students and co-workers, Dr. Fronda studied

the effects of different types of plant and animal
proteins and feed sources on egg production,
growth and quality of meat of chicken. He led the
improvement of the Cantonese breed of chicken;
after 15 years, the Los Baos Cantonese had
greater egg production. He conducted several series
of studies on feed materials, egg qualities, protein
supplements, use of cane molasses as supplement,
and physiological studies on the Cantonese fowl. He
also worked on the improvement of ducks and
turkey.

Through his scientific researches published in technical journals, magazines and

newspapers and his personal advocacy, Dr. Fronda promoted the growth of the
poultry industry in the country as well as in other parts of the world. Under the
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Dr. Fronda helped
Thailand build its poultry industry into the level of today as a country exporting
chickens and eggs and which merited his recognition as Father of the Thai Poultry
Industry.

He obtained his BS in Agriculture degree from the University of the Philippines

College of Agriculture (UPCA) in 1919, MS and PhD in Poultry Science degrees
from Cornell University in 1920 and 1922. He joined the UPCA faculty in 1922 and
worked to become Professor. He was appointed as Professor Emeritus on his retirement
in 1963.

Various awards had been bestowed on Dr. Fronda: the Philippine Society of Animal
Science Distinguished Fellow Award, 1970; Outstanding Alumnus in Agriculture,
UP Alumni Association, 1957; PANTAS Award for outstanding leadership in poultry
research spanning five decades, 1978. The Crown Princess of Thailand awarded Dr.
Fronda the degree of Doctor of Science, honoris causa, in recognition of his work as
the Father of the Thai Poultry Industry. The Philippine government had also
recognized Dr. Francisco
M. Fronda with the Presidential Distinguished Service Medal and Diploma of
Honor,
1955

In 1979, Dr. Francisco M. Fronda was elected to the National Academy of Science and
Technology as academician. In 1983 he was conferred the rank and title of National
Scientist by Former President Ferdinand Marcos.
FRANCISCO O. SANTOS
National Scientist, 1983
Academician, 1980;
Born: 03 June 1892
Died: 19 February 1983

Dr. Francisco O. Santos is recognized for his outstanding

pioneering scientific contributions in human nutrition and
agricultural chemistry in the country.

Dr. Santos made a systematic study of the levels of

vitamins B and C in fruits and vegetables from the
Philippines using more accurate analytical tools available
at that time for his PhD dissertation. Among his results
was the observation that vitamin B increased during the
germination of mungbean, showing that the sprout could be
more nutritious than the seed. He studied the chemical
composition and nutritive values of various Philippine fruits, vegetable, and cereals
and other native foods, including the balut and the fish kandule. With colleagues, he
conducted an animal feeding study of Garingan Tapucoy, an unpolished rice variety
Tapucoy which was stored without drying during the rainy season and was thought
to be the cause of the disease lapnus prevalent where this rice was used such as in
Mindoro. His study showed that the Garingan lacked some nutrients which caused the
disease and not because it had some toxins. Dr. Santos conducted several studies to
determine the nutrition level and the foods taken by different Filipino sectors
(students, laborers, rural families) in different locations. These researches trail blazed
the nutrition surveys which the government regularly undertakes to determine the
state of the populations nutrition. He was also instrumental in the publication of
the Chemical Composition of Philippine Food Materials which was the first of its
kind in the country in providing informative science- based information on Philippine
foods necessary for nutrition application.

Dr. FO Santos successfully worked for the establishment of the Institute of

Nutrition, now the Food and Nutrition Research Institute under the Department
of Science and Technology. He also was instrumental in the creation of the
Philippine Association of Nutrition in 1947.

Dr. Santos completed his AB degree (1912), MS Chemistry (1919) at the University
of the Philippines (UP) College of Agriculture while teaching at his Alma Mater.
He obtained his PhD in Biochemistry in 1922 from Yale University and also took
courses at Universities of Columbia, Minnesota and Cornell in 1920-1922. Upon
his return at UPCA, he resumed teaching, became Professor and head of the
Department of Agricultural Chemistry and led nutrition and chemistry researches
among the faculty and students. He was appointed Professor Emeritus upon his
retirement in 1960.

Dr. Francisco O. Santos was elected to the National Academy of Science and
Technology as academician in 1980 and was conferred the rank and title of
National Scientist in 1983 by President Ferdinand E. Marcos
JULIAN A. BANZON
National Scientist, 1986
Academician, 1981;
Born: 25 March 1908
Died: 14 September 1988

Dr. Julian A. Banzon is recognized for his

outstanding contributions in coconut chemistry and
food science.

His early research at UPCA in the 1930s dealt with

studies on fuels and on his work on local materials
particularly coconut as a renewable source of
chemicals and fuels. With Dr. A.L. Teodoro, a
professor in agricultural engineering, he conducted a
study on gasoline substitutes involving tractor engine
test using gasanol, gastaria, pure kerosene and mixture
of pure kerosene and crude oil as fuel. He conducted a series of studies on the
chemical reactions of coconut oil (pyrolysis, photochemical, ethanolysis etc) to
determine their products and characteristics. With students, he studied the fatty
acid composition of coconut oil from maturing coconut and fatty acid distribution
in coconut oil obtained using different processing methods and from four types of
coconuts to determine their effects on the quality of the cocochemical
products. He further studied the physicochemical properties of coconut milk
and its components and explored various uses of coconut milk. He devised a novel
process of extracting residual coconut oil by chemical rather than by physical
process. Further, he designed a coconut processing technology for village
processing which gave many by-products like coconut skim milk that can be used by
the villagers.

Julian Banzon obtained his BS Agriculture major in Agricultural Chemistry (1930)

from the University of the Philippines College of Agriculture (UPCA) at Los Baos
and PhD Biophysical Chemistry (1940) from Iowa State University. He joined
UPCA faculty upon graduation. In 1956, he went back to the United States on a
training grant to study the use of isotopes in agriculture. In 1960, Dr. Banzon became
the Chief Scientist of the Philippine Atomic Energy Commission and the first Director
of the Philippine Atomic Research Center (now Philippine Nuclear Research
Institute), a position he held for 3 years. Dr. Banzon was Professor and Chair of
UPCAs Department of Chemistry from 1963-1970. He founded and became the first
head of UPCAs Department of Food Science (1970-71), now the premier source of
manpower in this field in the country.

Dr. Banzon was the recipient of numerous awards that include Chemist of the Year
from the Professional Regulatory Commission (1978), Distinguished Achievement
Award, Integrated Chemists of the Philippines (1980), among others.

Dr. Julian Banzon was elected to the National Academy of Science and Technology
in 1981 as academician and was conferred the rank and title of National Scientist
in 1986 by President Ferdinand E. Marcos.
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DIOSCORO L. UMALI
National Scientist, 1986
Academician, 1978;
Born: 17 November 1917
Died: 1 July 1992

Dr. Dioscoro L. Umali is recognized for his significant

scientific contributions to pioneering breeding
researches on abaca, rice, hybrid corn and the
ornamental Mussaenda and his inspiring leadership in
trailblazing agriculture, agrarian reform, and rural
development.

The scientific contributions of Dr. Umali include the

development of different varieties of the Mussaenda
philipica, popularly known as Doas. In 1949, he started
the
of hybrid corn adapted to Philippine conditions. By 1958, this program had
produced 14 outstanding rice varieties and five outstanding corn hybrids. In the 1950s,
with co-workers and students, Dr. Umali studied the classification of Philippine Musae
including those of abaca and its relatives. They identified relatives of abaca such as
Pacol as sources of resistance to major diseases abaca bunchy top and mosaic viruses.
They successfully made F1 hybrids of varying resistance against the diseases from
crosses between the abaca and their relatives. These bunchytop virus resistant abaca
hybrids remain important as starting materials for the countrys current abaca
breeding program. With students, he also conducted basic studies on rice to
elucidate the nature of lodging and dormancy of the seed. Dr. Umali had correctly
predicted that makapuno coconut could be grown by culturing its embryo on
nutrient medium and that it would grow to bear 100% makapuno nuts.

He obtained his BS Agriculture from the University of the Philippines College of

Agriculture (UPCA) in 1939 and his PhD in Genetics and Plant Breeding from
Cornell University in 1949. He joined UPCA after his graduation in 1939 and rose
from the ranks to Professor and Dean.

An institution builder, he built the interdisciplinary plant breeding team of UP CA

which attracted the best students and huge research grants that funded rice and
corn research program of the country. Under his leadership as dean for ten years, he
led the massive infrastructure building, upgrading of facilities and faculty with a
US$6 million educational loan from the World Bank and transformed UPCA to
become truly a premier college of agriculture not only in the country but in Southeast
Asia as well. While dean, Dr. Umali also served as Vice President for Agriculture and
Forestry Affairs and later Vice President for UP Los Baos. He later became
Undersecretary of the Department of Agriculture. In 1971, he was appointed as
Assistant Director General and Regional Representative for Asia-Pacific of the United
Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). National Scientist Umali served as
second president of NAST in 1989 to 1992.

Dr. Dioscoro L. Umali was selected as one of the first academicians of the
National Academy of Science and Technology in 1978 and was conferred the rank
and title of National Scientist in 1986 by President Ferdinand E. Marcos.
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PEDRO B. ESCURO
National Scientist, 1994
Academician, 1979;
Born: 02 August 1923
Died: 8 September 2000

Dr. Pedro B. Escuro is recognized for his

outstanding contributions to rice breeding in the
Philippines.

Dr. Escuro developed rice varieties that were

acceptable to the farmer, adapted to existing
conditions, with high stable yield, and similar in
growth duration with farmers commercial varieties,
with resistance to insect pests and diseases, good
seedling vigor and
tolerance to drought, excessive moisture and lodging. On his return from his studies
in
Minnesota, he started a rice breeding program by screening about 2,500 varieties and
lines from the US Department of Agriculture and more than 1000 varieties of the
UP CA. Under his leadership, the C- and UPL- series of rice varieties (C4-63, C4-137,
C-168, C22,
UPL Ri5) were developed. Later other rice varieties were developed by Dr. Escuro in
the Philippine Rice Research Institute.

The C4-63 rice variety which was released commercially in 1968 gave a national
yield average of 43.4 cavans per hectare compared with the national yield of 34.5. In
1972, C4-63 was grown to 450,000 hectares in the country; this comprised 25% of the
total area planted to high-yielding varieties. The C-series of rice varieties were
widely adopted not only in the Philippines but also in Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam,
Southern India and other Asian countries as well as in West African countries and
Pacific Island.

He obtained his BS in Agriculture magna cum laude (1952) from the University of
the Philippines College of Agriculture (UP CA), his MS in Plant Breeding (1954) and
PhD in Plant Breeding and Genetics (1959) from the University of Minnesota. He
joined the UPCA in 1952 and became Professor in 1968.

In 1975, Prof. Escuro joined the Food and Agriculture Organization and was
assigned in Burma for ten years. In 1986, he joined the International Rice
Research Institute and later, became a consultant in the breeding program of the
Philippine Rice Research Institute.

Among his many awards are: Rizal Pro Patria Award, 1968; UP Distinguished
Profesorial Award in Agriculture, 1973; the Ayala Award in Agricultural Science,
1974; IBM Science and technology Award and Diploma of Honor, 1993.

For his outstanding contributions to rice breeding, Dr. Escuro was elected to the
National Academy of Science and Technology as Academician in 1979. In 1994,
President Fidel V. Ramos conferred upon Academician Pedro B. Escuro the rank
and title of National Scientist.
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DOLORES A. RAMIREZ
National Scientist, 1997
Academician, 1987;
Born: 20 September 1931

Dr. Dolores A. Ramirez is recognized for her significant

and outstanding contributions in cytogenetics research, her
pioneering work in biochemical genetics, and development
of genetics in the country.

Her pioneering and comprehensive work on the cytogenetics of Philippine bananas

and other endemic fruit crops, ornamental crops, interspecific and intergeneric hybrids
of crops such as corn, rice, eggplant, mungbean and their wild relatives and factors
that affect compatibility and sterility is well documented. Dr. Ramirez pioneered in
biochemical genetics in the country and the use of molecular markers related to
specific traits like disease resistance which breeders can use for screening at early
stage. She also led a series of studies on the elucidation of the genetic basis of the
makapuno mutant coconut.

She obtained her BS Agriculture magna cum laude from the University of the
Philippines College of Agriculture (UP CA) in 1956, MS in Cytogenetics from the
University of Minnesota in 1958 and PhD in Biochemical Genetics from Purdue
University in 1963. Upon her return to UPCA in 1963, she modernized the teaching
of genetics to include, in addition to basic traditional genetics, biochemical and
molecular genetics. She led the institution of MS and PhD in Genetics and
mentored genetics students who have also guided and mentored many more in the
field. As Dean of the UPLB Graduate School from 1979 to 1989, Dr. Ramirez
strengthened and streamlined the operations of the graduate school. She was a prime
organizer in the consortium of graduate studies in Southeast Asia which enabled
graduate students to take courses in different universities with the required expertise.

Dr. DA Ramirez was elevated to University Professor in 1995, the highest academic
rank in UP, and appointed as University Professor Emeritus on her retirement in
1996. She is co-chairman of the National Committee on Biosafety in the
Philippines and has retained the same position in the Department of Science and
Technology Biosafety Committee. She is a member of the Board of Trustees of the
International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center in Mexico from 1991 to 1997.
She is editor-in-chief of the Philippine Agriculturist (1964-1974), Philippine Journal
of Crop Science (1976-1980) and Philippine Journal of Science (2005- 2006)

Among her many awards are as follows: Rizal Pro Patria Award for Outstanding
Achievements in Science, and UP Professional Achievement in Agriculture, UP
Alumni Association, 1985.

Dr. Dolores A. Ramirez was elected to the National Academy of Science and
Technology as academician in 1987 and was conferred the Order of National Scientist
in 1997 by President Fidel V. Ramos.
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JOSE R. VELASCO
National Scientist, 1998
Academician, 1983;
Born: 04 February 1916
Died: 26 January 2007

Dr. Jose R. Velasco is recognized for his

outstanding contributions in plant physiology,
especially on rice plant photoperiodism, weed
control and understanding an important coconut
disease.

Dr. Velascos pioneering work on rice

photoperiodism revolved on the response of rice
varieties to lighting periods including why a
variety which is considered period-bound
would exhibit varying age of flowering when
planted at different times of the year. His study
using 46
varieties which were subjected to 3 treatments of day length showed that the period
from flower induction to flower emergence is 25 to 30 days and that the percentage of
strongly photoperiodic varieties increase with lateness in flowering. They also observed
that neutral varieties could be found in the tropics and temperate zone with almost
equal likelihood. He also conducted a series of studies on the fertilizer management
of rice on soil and in
culture. In 1954, Dr. Velasco, as chair of the Department of Botany, initiated the
development of weed science as a discipline. Under his mentorship, he formed the
first core group of faculty members and students who would be devoted to weed
science research. With students he pioneered studies on weed control in upland rice.
He demonstrated tenacity in his attempt to explain that the causative factor of cadang
cadang disease of coconut was due to soil constituents which he later focused on
rare earths especially lanthanum.

He obtained his Bachelor of Science in Agriculture degree, cum laude, major in

Agricultural Chemistry, in 1940 from the University of the Philippines College of
Agriculture (UPCA) at Los Baos and PhD in Plant Physiology (1947) at the
University of California Berkeley. He returned to Los Baos in 1949 and served
UPCA as research professor, director of research, director of instruction, chairman
of the Department of Botany, and editor of the Philippine Agriculturist (1956-1960).

In 1965, he transferred to the UP campus in Diliman, Quezon City where he was

Professor of Botany and served as manager of the UP Land Grant. Dr. Velasco
became Commissioner of the National Institute of Science and Technology (NIST)
(1967-1977). In 1985, he retired and was appointed Professor Emeritus. Among the
awards Dr. Velasco received are the UP Alumnus Award, 1967 and UP Alumni
Association Distinguished Alumnus Award, 1971; Planters Production Achievement
award for crop science teaching, 1974; and PCCP Distinguished award on pest
management, 1974.

Dr. Jose R. Velasco was elected to the National Academy of Science and Technology
as academician in 1983 and was conferred the highest rank and honor of National
Scientist in 1998 by President Joseph E. Estrada.
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GELIA T. CASTILLO
National Scientist, 1999
Academician, 1983;
Born: 3 March 1928

Dr. Gelia T. Castillo is recognized for her outstanding

contributions to agricultural social science resulting in
a body of knowledge about Philippine rural society
which has enabled the Filipino to better understand the
social conditions and dynamics of agricultural and rural
development.

Her research on leaders and leadership patterns

brought her to barrios at different stages of
urbanization in Laguna, and she learned about the
Filipino family
their composition, number of children and how they are spaced, working wives
and
support help, conformity to the norm of husband superiority, their exposure to
printed media, and others. Her report revealed that the Filipino farmer was receptive to
technology and that he was interested not only in yield per hectare but in the cost of
labor and inputs. Her research on the Filipino family revealed that the nuclear family
was the predominant pattern although close interactions with extended family
members are maintained through exchange of work, gifts, loans, moral support and
the like. She likewise studied the Filipino woman her role in the family and society,
and analyzed the Green Revolution. She wrote the following scholarly books All in
a Grain of Rice, Beyond Manila: Philippine Rural Problems in Perspective, and How
Participatory is Participatory Development?, now considered standard references in
rural Philippine sociology.

Dr. Castillo obtained her AB Psychology degree magna cum laude from the
University of the Philippines (UP) (1953), MS in Rural Sociology (1953) from the
Pennsylvania State University and PhD Rural Sociology (1960) from Cornell
University. She joined the Department of Agricultural Education of UP College of
Agriculture at Los Baos as instructor. She became Professor in 1972 and
University Professor in 1988. Professor Castillo developed and taught graduate
courses in rural sociology, research design, social and cultural change, sociology of
development, social psychology, and rural institutions for more than 35 years at
UPLB and mentored many PhDs and MS students from the Philippines and other
countries. Upon her retirement in 1993, she was appointed as University Professor
Emeritus.

Among of the many awards of Dr. Castillo are: Jose Rizal Pro Patria (1966); Ten
Outstanding Women in the Philippines (1968); honorary doctorates Doctor of
Agricultural Sciences from the Agricultural University, Wageningen, Netherlands and
Doctor of Science Degree from Ateneo de Manila University; national social
scientist, Philippine Social Science Research Council (1993).

Dr. Gelia T. Castillo was elected as academician in 1983 conferred the rank and title
of National Scientist in 1999 by President Joseph E. Estrada.
 1
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BIENVENIDO O. JULIANO
National Scientist, 2000
Academician, 1979;
Born: 15 August 1936

National Scientist Bienvenido O. Juliano is recognized

for his outstanding contributions to the chemistry and
technology of rice and rice food products.

Dr. Bienvenido O. Juliano, in the past fifty years, has

contributed significantly to basic knowledge on the
grain quality of rice. With co-workers, he elucidated
the physicochemical and biochemical properties of rice
which form the basis of understanding the acceptability
and
nutritional qualities of rice. His researches cover the starch, proteins and lipids of
rice
their composition, physicochemical properties and metabolism in the developing
and mature rice and also on rice varietal resistance to insect pests. Among his research
accomplishments which have made the most impact in rice chemistry and industry are
the following: (1) development of the gel consistency test which has been a major
tool in selecting and improving soft textured rice; (2) negative correlation between
amylose content and texture (cohesiveness and softness) of tropical rice; (3) the
protein body
nature of milled rice protein and (4) the effect of protein content on nutritional
value increasing protein content in rice increases its nutritional quality by
increasing available protein. However, protein content is not simply inherited and is
highly affected by the environment particularly growth duration. His work on rice
starch extended to the elucidation of varietal differences in the rate of
retrogradation of amylopectin which results in the staling of cooked rice.

He obtained his BS in Agriculture major in Chemistry magna cum laude from the
University of the Philippines (UP) College of Agriculture in 1955 and his MS and
PhD degrees in Organic Chemistry from the Ohio University in 1959. From 1961 to
1993, he worked at the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) as chemist in
charge of cereal chemistry research. From 1993todate, he has been a senior
consultant of the Rice Chemistry and Food Science Division of the Philippine
Rice Research Institute and professorial lecturer of UP Los Baos.

Among the many prestigious honors and awards which Dr. Juliano has received are:
Ten Outstanding Young Men (TOYM) award for science, Philippine Jaycees, 1974;
Jose Rizal Pro Patria Presidential Award, 1976; Achievement Award in Cereal
Chemistry, 1989 and National Researcher Award in Physical Sciences, 1993, both
from National Research Council of the Philippines (NRCP); Medal of Merit,
Japanese Society of Starch Science, 1982; Thomas Burr Osborne medal award,
American Association of Cereal Chemists (AACC), 1988.

In 1979, Dr. Bienvenido O. Juliano was elected to the National Academy of

Science and Technology Philippines as academician. Acd. Bienvenido O. Juliano
was conferred the the rank and title of National Scientist in 2000 by President Joseph E.
Estrada.
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BENITO S. VERGARA
National Scientist, 2001
Academician, 1987;
Born: 23 June 1934

Dr. Benito S. Vergara is recognized for his

outstanding contributions to scientific knowledge on
rice
its flowering response to photoperiod, deepwater
physiology, flood tolerance, cold tolerance, ratooning,
growth and development, rice herbage, UV-B and
yield potential. His extensive researches on the
physiology of the rice plant built the scientific
knowledge on various aspects of rice physiology and
formed the basis for rice breeding and production
management strategies.

His first comprehensive research at the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI)
provided a definitive understanding of the basic principles of the flowering response
of the rice plant to photoperiod which has been utilized in the varietal improvement
of rice for general and location specific adaptability. His researches also led to
understanding the basis and mechanisms of adaptation for deepwater, flood and cold
tolerance in rice. His group developed the rapid generation advance (RGA)
technique which allowed shorter growth cycle for generation advancement and the
RGA methods are now used in many national breeding institutes. Dr. Vergara and
his team conceptualized the new plant type model for higher yielding rice based on
high density grains and low tillering habit. Dr. Vergara and his group pioneered
research on the possible effects of ozone depletion in the atmosphere on the growth,
development and yield of rice.

In addition to his 100-plus scientific publications, he wrote the book A Farmer's

Primer on Growing Rice which has seen more than 50 editions and 50 translations!
As Visiting Professor at UP Los Baos, he mentored 17 MS and 14 PhD students in
agronomy and botany as well as trained many scholars from rice growing countries
all over the world.

He obtained his BS Botany from the University of the Philippines (UP) (1955) at
Diliman, MS Botany (1959) from the University of Hawaii and PhD Plant
Physiology (1960) from the University of Chicago. In 1961, he joined UP at Los
Baos as Assistant Professor but immediately he was recruited to join the newly
established International Rice Research Institute as Associate Plant Physiologist. He
became Plant Physiologist in 1970 and Head Plant Physiologist in 1984.

Among the most important awards Dr. Vergara has received are: Pro Patria Award,
Philippine Government, 1980; American Society of Agronomy Fellow, 1986;
Honorary Fellow, Crop Science Society of the Philippine, 1981; and Honorary
Scientist, Republic of Korea, 1998.

For his outstanding scientific contributions, Dr. Benito S. Vergara was elected to the
National Academy of Science and Technology as academician in 1987. In 2001, he
was conferred the rank and title of National Scientist by President Joseph E. Estrada.
 1
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RICARDO M. LANTICAN
National Scientist, 2005
Academician, 1987;
Born: 8 January 1933

Dr. Ricardo M. Lantican is recognized for his

outstanding scientific contributions in the varietal
improvement of leguminous crops such as
mungbean, soybean and peanut resulting in improved
plant architecture, resistance to biotic and abiotic
stresses and higher yield.

Among his researches, Dr. Lantican is best known for

his creation of a new plant architecture in mungbean,
from a viny plant with extended flowering and
maturity
periods that require harvesting 3 or more times, to a bushy type plant with early
and
uniform maturity, more and larger pods in the plant, and more and larger seeds in
the pod. With this new plant type, mechanical harvesting became possible. The Pag-
asa (meaning hope) series of mungbean varieties developed under the leadership of
Dr. Lantican have been widely cultivated in Southeast Asia, South Asia and China,
and in Australia and utilized as parental in mungbean breeding programs. Dr.
Lantican with co-
workers at UPLB and Nestle Philippines, also developed high-yielding tropical
varieties of soybeans (the Tiwala, meaning trust, series) with resistance against rust
disease and flavor traits acceptable for food manufacturing. His efforts in peanut
breeding with co-workers produced several varieties (Biyaya, meaning blessing,
series) which were high yielding and exhibited resistance to selected pests and abiotic
stresses. He and students and co-workers discovered the cytoplasmic control of the
susceptibility to Helminthosporium leaf spot in corn.

He obtained his BS in Agriculture from the University of the Philippines (UP)

College of Agriculture (CA) based in Los Baos (1954), MS major in Crop Science
(1956) from the North Carolina State College and PhD in Plant Breeding and
Genetics (1961) from Iowa State University. After graduation with a BS degree, he
was immediately taken as instructor at UPCA and became Professor in 1972. Dr.
Lantican held various positions in the University and government. He served as
Director of the Institute of Plant Breeding at UP Los Baos, CA (1979-1984),
Director of Research, UPLB (1970-1973; 1984-1987); Undersecretary for R & D,
Department of Science and Technology (1988- 1992). Dr. Lantican retired in 1998
and thereupon appointed as Professor Emeritus.

Among his many awards are: Ten Outstanding Young Men (TOYM) (1999); Jose
Rizal Pro Patria Presidential Award, Republic of the Philippines (1976); First IBM
Awardee on Science and Technology (1983); and Fellow, Third World Academy of
Sciences (TWAS) (1999).

Dr. Ricardo M. Lantican was elected to the National Academy of Science and
Technology Philippines as academician in 1988 and was conferred the Order of
National Scientist in 2005 by President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.
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RAMON C. BARBA
National Scientist, 2014
Academician, 2004
Born: 31 August 1939

Dr. Ramon C. Barba is recognized for his outstanding

scientific and technological contributions to Philippine
agriculture. He developed the mango flowering
induction technology using potassium nitrate which
made the year-round production of mango possible
and triggered the phenomenal growth of the mango
industry. Further, he pioneered the tissue culture of
sugarcane and bananas for micro-propagation which are utilized by industry
worldwide. Dr. Barba also mentored students and staff who in turn have
successfully developed tissue culture technologies for other crops such as cassava,
garlic, bamboo, rattan and others.

Dr. Barba obtained his BS Agriculture (1958) from the University of the Philippines (UP)
College of Agriculture, MS Horticulture (1962) from the University of Georgia and PhD
Horticulture (1967) University of Hawaii. He joined the faculty of UPCA and became
Professor of Horticulture (1981-1982) and Program Leader of the Tissue Culture
Laboratory, Institute of Plant Breeding (1975-1988). He held positions in different private
organizations such as: Consultant, Quimara Farms, on mango production (1969-1985);
Project Director, CORE Foundation (1984-1988), and Project Director, Plantek
International, Singapore (1985-1988).

Among the awards Dr. Barba has received are the following: The Outstanding
Young Men of the Philippines (TOYM) for Agriculture, Philippine Jaycees, 1974; Rizal
Pro Patria Presidential Award for Tissue Culture, 1980; National Research Council of the
Philippines (NRCP) Achievement Award for Research, 1986; IBM/DOST Science and
Technology Award, 1989; DL Umali Achievement Award in Agricultural Development,
2011, SEARCA, NAST and DLU Foundation.

Dr. Ramon C. Barba was elected to the National Academy of Science and Technology as
academician in 2003, and in 2014 he was conferred the Order of National Scientist by
President Benigno S. Aquino III.
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

The Office of the Municipal Mayor of Los Baos, Laguna wishes to extend its
grateful appreciation for the materials provided by the National Academy of
Science and Technology on the National Scientists and Academicians of Los
Baos through Acd. William G. Padolina,

CESAR P. PEREZ
Mayor