Famous Filipinos in the Field of Science

School science is filled with names of foreign scientists: Einstein, Galileo Galilei, Newton, Faraday,
Darwin, and many other Western scientists. Filipino scientists are rarely heard of being discussed in
science classes. Filipino scientists who have made significant contributions in Philippine science are also
famous abroad especially in different science disciplines: agriculture, mathematics, physics, medicine,
marine science, chemistry, engineering, and biology. These are ten of outstanding Filipino scientists who
significantly upgraded Philippine science:
1. Ramon Cabanos Barba – outstanding research on tissue culture in Philippine mangoes.
2. Josefino Cacas Comiso – works on observing the characteristics of Antarctica by using satellite images.
3. Jose Bejar Cruz Jr. – known internationally in the field of electrical engineering; was elected as officer
of the famous Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineering
4. Lourdes Jansuy Cruz – notable research on sea snail venom
5. Fabian Millar Dayrit – research in herbal medicine
6. Rafael Dineros Guerrero III – research on tilapia culture
7. Enrique Mapua Ostrea Jr. – inventing the meconium drug testing
8. Lilian Formalejo Patena – research on plant biotechnology
9. Mari-Jo Panganiban Ruiz – outstanding educator and graph theorist
10. Gregory Ligot Tangonan – research in the field of communications technology.

These are Filipino scientists who are recognized here and abroad for their outstanding contributions in
science:
1. Caesar A. Saloma – internationally renowned in physics
2. Edgardo Gomez – in marine science
3. William Padolina – in chemistry and president of National Academy of Science and Technology (NAST)
– Philippines
4. Angel Alcala – in marine science

There are other more scientists in the Philippines who are not mentioned in the list. Yet, the Philippines
still need more scientists and engineers, and there is a need to support scientific research in the country.
The University of the Philippines-Los Baños is a science paradise for agriculture, forestry, plant and
animal sciences, and veterinary science. It has produced numerous scientists and various researches in
the fields mentioned. The University of the Philippines-Visayas is also a national center for marine
science, fisheries, and other related sciences. The University of the Philippines-Manila is a center of
excellence and has produced many researchers, doctors, health professionals, and scientists in the area
of medical and public health. The University of the Philippines-Diliman also has established a national
science and engineering complex to develop more research and produce more scientists and engineers in
the country.
The government must find ways to establish more research laboratories and research institutes. There is also a
need to find ways how their researches are disseminated to the public. Many of these Filipino scientists are
products of good school science. It means they were taught and inspired by great teachers. Their interest in science
started to manifest during their childhood years. Their natural environment ignited their curiosity to learn more
about the natural and physical environment. Schools and the laboratories where they studied and worked nurtured
this.