Noy confers honors on 4 new Nat’l Scientists

MANILA, Philippines - A horticulturist who made mangoes available all year round and a former environment secretary who paved the way for the creation of marine reservation areas were among four men honored as National Scientists yesterday.

In ceremonies held at Malacañang Palace, President Aquino conferred the Order of National Scientist on Gavino Trono (marine botany), Angel Alcala (biological sciences), Roman Barba (horticulture) and Edgardo Gomez (marine biology), all doctors of philosophy.

The National Academy of Science and Technology Philippines (NAST PHL) endorsed the four to Aquino.

Trono paved the way for the implementation of 45 research projects and the identification of 25 new species of marine benthic algae or seaweed that benefited thousands in coastal communities.

He was first to report the occurrence of “ice-ice” disease among seaweeds. He led a team in a field survey and assessment of coastal areas in Western Mindanao, which identified sites in Sakol Island in Zamboanga and Tapaan Island in Siasi, Sulu where the commercial seaweed farms were established in 1972.

Trono was instrumental in the development of degree programs in the marine and biological sciences, mentoring students and in promoting seaweed research and sound coastal resources management. His strong advocacy on the culturing of seaweeds as the most environment-friendly and productive livelihood for fishermen has earned him many awards and citations.

Alcala, for his part, is an advocate of marine “no-take zones,” or marine reservation areas. He served as secretary of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources from 1992 to 1995 and as chairman of the Commission on Higher Education from 1995 to 1999.

His studies on marine no-take zones had led to a national policy and program on the establishment of marine reservation areas.

No-take marine reserves allow the buildup of marine biodiversity including fishery species as well as export adult fish to areas outside of marine protected areas used as fishing areas thus enhancing fish yields of fishers.

Alcala was also president of Silliman University, where he helped institutionalize scientific research on marine biology and marine conservation.

Barba pioneered the technology that made mangoes available all year round.

In an interview with reporters, Barba said in jest that it was stupid of him not to have patented his invention. He stressed it was really meant to help small farmers.

His invention also gave rise to an entirely new industry of processed mango products. He developed the plant growth enhancer, FLUSH, which accelerated the growth cycle of the trees and advance their flowering and fruiting stages to assure continuous fruit bearing.

No patent

The discovery assured regular or controlled flowering of mango trees even in dry areas like Cebu and Guimaras. The normal flowering period of mangoes is in March and April.

This mango induction technology was patented not only in the Philippines but also in other countries such as the United States, England, Australia and New Zealand. He did not collect any royalty from the patent so that ordinary farmers can freely use the technology.

“I was just thinking about work then because in the university, we were not thinking of patent. It’s only much later that I found out about its great value because one chemical amounts to millions of pesos,” Barba said.

Nowadays, many mango producing countries in Latin America, Africa, Asia and Australia are using the technology for their mango production. This technology has been successfully applied on other fruit trees, including cashew.

Barba’s works on plant micro-propagation led to major changes in the production schemes of several important crops.

He and his team at the Institute of Plant Breeding developed the tissue culture protocol for banana to produce large quantities of planting materials that are robust and disease-free.

He also established the tissue culture protocol for sugar cane that made possible the rapid production of large quantities of disease-free planting materials.

This becomes the standard practice in disease cleaning of sugar cane varieties. Tissue culture of sugar cane has become an integral part of sugar cane agriculture worldwide.

Together with his research team, he developed micro-propagation protocols for more than 40 important species of ornamental, fruit and plantation crops, aquarium plants and forest trees, including cassava, white potato, rattan, bamboo, ramie, derris, garlic and shallot, in addition to banana and sugar cane.

Gomez steered the world’s first national-scale assessment of damage to coral reefs, which brought widespread concern over the status of coral reefs worldwide. His effort led to the creation of the Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network and other institutions.

Gomez said he was invited to teach even the Chinese that “they should see to it that the environment is not destroyed” in pursuing their activities in the South China Sea.

He was recognized for his contributions and achievements as a researcher, scientist, conservation advocate and mentor in invertebrate biology and ecology, giant clam culture and restoration, and coral reef assessment and conservation.

Assisting the President during the ceremonies were Science Secretary Mario Montejo and NAST PHL president William Padolina.

The Order of National Scientist is the highest recognition given by the president to Filipino men or women of science who have made significant contributions to one of the different fields of science and technology.

The award was created under Presidential Decree No. 1003-A on Dec. 16, 1976. Since 1978, 41 Filipinos have been awarded the Order of National Scientist. Sixteen of them are still living.