National Scientist of the Philippines

Order of National Scientists
Awarded by  Philippines
Type Order
Awarded for See Nomination and selection
Status Currently constituted
Sovereign President of the Philippines
First induction 1978
Last induction 2014
Precedence
Next (higher) Order of Gabriela Silang
Next (lower) Gawad Mabini
Same Order of National Artists, Order of National Social Scientists, Gawad sa Manlilikha ng Bayan, Order of Lakandula - Special Class of Champion for Life
Ribbon bar of the order

The rank and title of National Scientist of the Philippines (Filipino: Pambansang Alagad ng Agham ng Pilipinas) or the Order of National Scientists is the highest award accorded to Filipino scientists by the Philippine government.

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. For the purposes of the law, a scientist is defined as “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.” [1] It was elevated to the Order of National Scientists in 2003.[2]

Nomination and selection

It is the task of the National Academy of Science and Technology which is composed of Filipino scientists to recommend not more than 10 scientists annually to the President of the Philippines for conferment of the rank of National Scientist. It is the President of the Philippines who makes the ultimate selection, which is based on "distinguished individual or collaborative achievement in science and technology."[3]

Benefits

Awardees are conferred the rank and title of “National Scientist”, with an accompanying medallion and citation. They are also given a financial gratuity with the amount determined by the National Academy.[3] In addition, they are entitled to the same privileges enjoyed by National Artists of the Philippines, which include a monthly life pension, medical and hospitalization benefits, and a place of honor, in line with protocular precedence, at national state functions. They are likewise by law entitled upon death to a state funeral conducted by the National Academy and the Armed Forces of the Philippines,[4] befitting their recognized status as heroes of the Philippines.[5]

List of National Scientists

Since 1978, there have been 41 men and women have been designated as National Scientist in the roster where 17 of them are currently living. The most recent conferment was made to honor Angel Alcala, Ramon Barba, Gavino Trono and Edgardo Gomez.[6] Honorees such as the Ramon Magsaysay Award-winning pediatrician Fé del Mundo, have garnered international recognition as well.

As of July 2014, the National Scientists of the Philippines are:

Year National Scientist Field
1978 Juan Salcedo, Jr. Nutrition and Public Health
Alfredo Santos† Physical Chemistry
Gregorio Y. Zara Engineering and Inventions
1980 Fe Del Mundo† Pediatrics
Eduardo Quisumbing Plant Taxonomy, Systematics, and Morphology
1982 Geminiano de Ocampo† Ophthalmology
Casimito del Rosario† Physics, Astronomy, and Meteorology
Gregorio Velasquez† Phycology
1983 Francisco Fronda† Animal Husbandry
Francisco Santos† Human Nutrition and Agricultural Chemistry
Carmen Velasquez Parasitology
1985 Teodoro Agoncillo[lower-alpha 1] Philippine History
Encarnacion Alzona Philippine History
Hilario Lara† Public Health
1986 Julian Banzon Chemistry
Dioscoro L. Umali Agriculture and Rural Development
1987 Jose Encarnacion, Jr. Economics
Luz Oliveros-Belardo† Phytochemistry
1988 Alfredo Lagmay Experimental Psychology
1989 Paulo Campos Nuclear Medicine
1994 Pedro Escuro† Genetics and Plant Breeding
Clara Lim-Sylianco Biochemistry and Organic Chemistry
1998 Dolores Ramirez Biochemical Genetics & Cytogenetics
Jose R. Velasco Plant Physiology
1999 Gelia T. Castillo Rural Sociology
2000 Bienvenido Juliano Biochemistry
2001 Clare Baltazar Systematic Entomology
Benito Vergara Plant Physiology
2004 Onofre Corpuz Political Economics and Government
2005 Ricardo Lantican Plant Breeding
2006 Lourdes Cruz Biochemistry
2008 Teodulo Topacio, Jr. Veterinary Medicine
2010 Mercedes Concepcion Demography
Ernesto Domingo Internal Medicine/ Gastroenterology
Perla Dizon Santos Ocampo†[7] Pediatrics
2011 Raul V. Fabella[8] Economics
Bienvenido Nebres, S.J.[9] Mathematics
2014[6] Angel Alcala Biological science
Ramon Barba Horticulture
Edgardo Gomez Marine Biology
Gavino Trono, Jr. Marine Biology

Notes:

  1. Posthumous award

References

  1. Section 2, Pres. Decree No. 1003-A
  2. Executive Order No. 236, s. 2003 Official Gazette of the Republic of the Philippines. Retrieved 14 April 2013.
  3. 3.0 3.1 Section 8, Pres. Decree No. 1003-A
  4. Section 3, Executive Order No. 131 (26 October 1993)
  5. First Whereas Clause, Executive Order No. 131 (26 October 1993)
  6. 6.0 6.1 Sabillo, Kristine Angelli (August 12, 2014). "Who are the 4 new National Scientists of PH". Retrieved August 25, 2014.
  7. PNoy confers National Scientist Award to Dr. Santos-Ocampo. Abs-cbnnews.com (2010-06-23). Retrieved on 2012-06-30.
  8. Aquino names economist ‘national scientist’ | Inquirer News. Newsinfo.inquirer.net (2011-07-27). Retrieved on 2012-06-30.
  9. Helen Flores (2011-06-30). Nebres, Fabella named 'national scientists'. Philstar.com. Retrieved on 2012-06-30.

Bibliography

External links