Marcelo Blando
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A career military officer turned gentleman farmer. Retired Brigadier General Marcelo C. Blando, graduated from the Philippine Military Academy in 1960. He commanded the Philippines’ famed 1st Scout Ranger Regiment and the Philippine Army’s 7th Infantry Division. A classic “Arms-to-Farms” story, in the late 80’s Blando was a leading Reform the Armed Forces Movement (RAM) figure involved in the failed 1989 coup d’etat that almost toppled the administration of then President Corazon Aquino. After 3 years of incarceration, Blando was granted amnesty by the Philippine government and officially retired from the Armed Forces of the Philippines in 1991.
After his military service, Blando ventured into farming and is now fostering a new revolutionary struggle, which he brands as the “Reform the Agriculture Movement.” Its main agenda is to reduce poverty and eradicate hunger by advocating modern agricultural practice in the countryside and farmer empowerment thru institutional development.
Highlights of Gen. Blando’s activities include Founding Chairman of the Paitan multi-purpose cooperative, and then later served as the Chairman of the much larger Pangasinan Farmers Cooperative. He was also Founding President of the Mango Industry Network. From 1996-2004, he served as Chairman of the Pangasinan Provincial Agriculture and Fisheries Council and was later elected Chair of the Regional Agriculture and Fisheries Council in 2004 to present, representing Region 1, composed of 4 provinces (Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, Pangasinan and La Union).
Other significant activities include: Selected as “Farmer Scientist” on mango by Philippine Council for Agriculture Research Resources Development (PCARRD), Department of Science and Technology (DOST); Active participant in Community Based Participatory Action Research under the Bureau of Agricultural Research, Department of Agriculture (Philippines); Agriculture Representative for Region I Association of Non-Government Organizations; Agriculture Representative (farmer) Region I Development Council - San Fernando, La Union; Co-operator in Field Trials of BT, RR and Stack Trait Corn conducted by Monsanto - Philippines; Member of National Biosafety Committee under Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI); Involved in the development of Information and Communication Technology (K-Agri Net) to be adapted by farmers.
Marcelo Blando is married to the former Nelia Tidor of Balungao, Pangasinan and is father to four children.
