New Philrice executive director named

President Aquino has appointed Dr. Calixto M. Protacio, a horticulturist and academician, as the new executive director of the Philippine Rice Research Institute. 

Prior to his appointment, Protacio has worked with various institutions, such as the University of the Philippines Los Baños as professor and director of the Institute of Plant Breeding and Crop Science Cluster, Philippine Agricultural Scientist as editor-in-chief, University of California, Riverside as post-doctoral research associate, Pennsylvania State University and Louisiana State University as graduate research assistant. 

He finished his Bachelor’s Degree in Agriculture, Major in Horticulture, at the University of the Philippine Los Baños and PhD in Plant Physiology from Pennsylvania State University, USA.