PAGASA founding director dies of cancer

Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) founding director Dr. Roman Kintanar died of cancer last Sunday.

He was 77.

Kintanar, a physicist, served for 45 years with the weather bureau where he started as a weather and seismological observer. He was the Pagasa director for 35 years.

Kintanar was also the president of the World Meteorological Organization from 1979 to 1987 and a permanent representative of the Philippines to the WMO from 1959 to 1995.

He was recently awarded the Philippine Legion of Honor with the Rank of Grand Officer (Maringal na Pinuno) by President Arroyo for "his work in various international cooperations for typhoon, cyclone and earthquake disaster mitigation programs."

He also received a Presidential Citation from former President Fidel Ramos in 1996.

The International Astronomical Union (IAU) recently named Minor Planet No. 6636 after Kintanar. It is an asteroid circling the Sun between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter and measures four to nine kilometers in diameter.

Reports said that the Astronomical League of the Philippines (ALP) proposed to the IAU that the asteroid be named after Kintanar "in recognition of Kintanar’s long service and innumerable contributions to the advancement and modernization of weather forecasting in the Philippines, as well as for inspiring future astronomers."

Kintanar is survived by his wife Generosa and children Maharlika, Tagumpay and Lualhati.

His remains will be brought today to the Twin Hearts of Jesus and Mary Chapel in West Triangle in Quezon City.

Kintanar finished Bachelor of Science in Physics at the University of the Philippines in 1951 and obtained his masters and doctoral degrees in physics at the University of Texas in 1955 and 1958, respectively. – Helen Flores