Press Release
May 22, 2019

Senate commends Filipino scientists for exemplary work

The Senate adopted today two resolutions commending eight outstanding Filipino scientists for their exemplary work in science, technology, and a doctor for bagging the 2018 Asean-US Science prize for women.

Senate Resolutions 882 and 923 were introduced by Senator Paolo Benigno "Bam" Aquino IV. Aquino said eight Filipinos made it to the list of Asian Scientist 100 (AS100) last March 2018 bringing pride and prestige to the country. The honorees are Dr. Rogel Mari Sese, Jeffrey Perez, Dr. Mario Antonio Jiz II, Dr. Philip Alviola, Dr. Nathaniel Hermosa II, Dr. Lanndon Ocampo, Dr. Lucille Abad and Dr. Aletta Conception Yñiguez.

AS100 recognizes the invaluable contributions of researchers, academicians, innovators and business leaders in Asia in the various field of science and technology. It is released annually by an award-winning Science and Technology magazine, called the Asian Scientist Magazine, that highlights research and development news stories from Asia to the global community.

"To be recognized as an honoree of AS100, one must have received a national or international prize in 2017 for scientific research or leadership," Aquino said.

Sese, a University of the Philippines (UP) alumnus and leader of the country's National SPACE (Space Promotion, Awareness and Capabilities Enhancement) Development Program was commended for his contributions in astrophysics and as an advocate of space research and development.

Perez, of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology, was recognized for his contribution to the better understanding of fault line and earthquakes in the Philippines while Jiz, of the Immunology Department of the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine, was recognized for his contribution in schistosomiasis research and vaccine development.

Alviola of the UP Los Baños Institute of Biological Sciences was recognized for his research contributions on wildlife studies; Hermosa of the UP National Institute of Physics was recognized for his research on the fundamental properties of light and light-matter interactions; Ocampo of the University of San Carlos was recognized for his contributions in theory and in the practice of manufacturing sustainability and risk analysis while Abad of the Philippine Nuclear Research Institute was recognized for her work on radiation-modified carrageenan as food supplement for plants to further promote growth.

Yñiguez was recognized for her work on marine biology and fisheries. She was one of two Filipina scientists who received a grant under the For Women in Science (FWIS) program of cosmetics firm L'Oreal and the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) for her research on harmful algal blooms (HBAs).

The Senate also honored Dr. Gay Jane Perez for winning first place at the 2018 Asian-US Science Prize for Women. Perez was recognized for her work on using satellite date to forecast drought, its evolution over time and its impact, which would help farmers identify the ideal planting areas and seasons to improve their crop yield.

Perez bested seven other female scientists from Southeast Asia and received $20,000 in cash from the US government and its private partners, Underwriters Laboratories, a global safety science company.

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