Jose S. Domantay:
An Internationally Acclaimed Natural Scientist
By
Melchor F. Cichon
Otolith, April-June 1997, p. 11

Mr. Jose Sison Domantay was considered by his contemporaries as the only living Filipino and among the very few living ochinodormists of the world. His article which he co-authored with P. B. Sivickis, “The morphology of a holothurian, Stichopus chloronotus Brandt” , published in Philippine Journal of Science, 37(1928):299-332, was the first written article exclusively on Philippine holothurians or trepang. He followed this with 10 articles on holothurians published mostly in the Philippine Journal of Science and the U.P. Natural and Applied Science Bulletin between 1931-1961. Three of these are, “Autotomy in holothurian,” (1931); “Littoral holothurioidea of Port Galera Bay and adjacent waters, “ (1933); and “Four additional species of littoral holothurioidea of Puerto Galera Bay and adjacent waters”, (1934).

His deep interest on Philippine echinoderms was inspired by the works done by Captain Ziesenhenne of the Allan Hancock Foundation on the many echinoderms caught during the survey of Manila Bay after World War II. Ziesenhenne classified those echinoderms but the result was not published.

Domantay was born on November 5, 1897 in Malasiqui, Pangasinan. He finished his elementary education in his hometown while he had his secondary schooling at the then National Academy High School (NAHS), now the National University, Manila in 1917.

From NAHS, he proceeded to the University of the Philippines (UP) where he obtained four undergraduate degrees: Associate in Arts (AA, 1921); Bachelor of Philosophy (PhB, 1923); Bachelor of Science (BS in Zoology, 1925); and Master of Science (MS zoology, 1928). After the war, he enrolled at the Graduate School of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA, as a Fulbright Scholar for his Doctor of Philosophy degree. Unfortunately, he was not able to finish the degree because his superior at the Bureau of Fisheries did not approve the extension of his official stay at the U.S.A.

From 1935 to 1940, Domantay along with other Filipino fisheries scientists like D. Villadolid, G. Blanco, A. Umali and others, was trained by Dr. Albert Herre on marine resources of Philippine seas. It was during this period that a worldwide economic depression took place. This resulted to the drastic cut of the bureau and the salaries of the staff reduced. Despite this situation, Domantay stayed with the bureau. For this reason, he was called by Jose Velasco and Luz Baens-Arcega as one of the Preservers of the Bureau of Science.

At 21, he worked as a senior clerk at the Municipal Treasurer’s Office in Malasiqui, Pangsinan while pursuing his college degree at U.P. In 1923, just after he obtained his PhB degree, he was appointed as Assistant Instructor in zoology at the U.P. College of Liberal Arts. Three years after that, he was promoted as instructor. During this time, he was simultaneously teaching zoology classes at UP and at the Ateneo de Manila University. In June 1937, he accepted the position of a Fisheries Technologists at the Division of Fisheries of the Bureau of Science. After 25 years (May 5, 1961), he was appointed as assistant director of the Bureau of Fisheries. But in 1954, while working at the Bureau of Science, he was granted permission by the Secretary of Agriculture and Natural Resources to teach at the Graduate School, University of Santo Tomas (UST). Since then, he had been connected with UST as a Professional Lecturer.

Like other Filipino scientists who worked in the Philippine government office, Domantay was privileged to conduct researches on Philippine fisheries. Some of his other studies other than that on trepang were on turtle fisheries at the Turtle Islands; marine vegetation and the fauna of the Hundred Islands in Lingayen Gulf; and on the taxonomy of the holothurioides collection of the Allan Hancock foundation, University of Southern California.

Before he retired on November 5, 1962, he had published more than 60 papers on various aspects of Philippine fishes and fisheries.

It was also during this time that Domantay was able to collect valuable rare specimens of Philippine fishes and fisheries. It was said that these specimens were left at the Philippine Institute of Fisheries Technology (PIFT), the forerunner of the UPV College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences. He was once a faculty member of PIFT when the institute was still under the Bureau of Fisheries. He also had another set of biological collection in Zamboanga City where he was once assigned. However, all these valuable specimens were lost during the war. But he continued his mission of collecting Philippine biological specimens after the war. Upon retirement, he donated the gathered specimens to the Bureau of Fisheries.

Due to his accomplishments as a scholar and as a scientist, he became a member of honor societies and scientific organizations like Sigma XI, Phi Sigma, the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the National Research Council of the Philippines, and the Philippine Association for the Advancement of Science.

After his retirement from government service, Domantay continued to teach at the Graduate School, UST, Manila. He was, in fact, the thesis adviser of the former dean of the UPV College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences—Prof. Prudencia V.Conlu when she took her MA degree in Zoology at UST.

Prof. Conlu rose to become one of the most prominent Philippine ichthyologists of her time.

Bibliography

Anon. 1962. (Nov-Dec). “Assistant director Domantay Retires.” Fisheries Gazette, p. 1
Blanco, Guillermo J. and A. R. Montalban. 1051. “Bibliography of Philippine Fishes and Fisheries.” Philippine Journal of Fisheries 1(2):115-138.
Francisco, Isidro M. (Nov-Dec), “A Man of Science Retires”. Fisheries Gazette, pp. 56-57, 64.
Velasco, Jose R. and Luz Baens-Arcega. 1984. National Institute of Science and Technology 1901-1982: A Facet of Science development in the Philippines. Manila: NIST. 196p.

Nazario A. Pidlaoan:
Pioneer Director of UP College of Fisheries
By Melchor F. Cichon
Otolith, July-September 1997, p. 11
Revised: March 4, 2008


The first director of the U.P. College of Fisheries, now the UP Visayas College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, was Prof. Nazario A. Pidlaoan, a fishery technologist, chemist and a dedicated fishery professor.

According to Dr. Rogelio O. Juliano, the first dean of U.P. College of Fisheries was Dr. Jose V. Yapchiongco. Prof. Pidlaon succeeded Dr. Yapchiongco when the latter retired in 1970.

From his curriculum vitae, I learned that this gentleman had done a lot in the development of fisheries education in the Philippines particularly that of the UP College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences.

Pidlaoan was born in San Carlos, Pangasinan on April 5, 1905. He finished his Bachelor of Agriculture and a Bachelor of Sciences in Agriculture degrees in the UP College of Agriculture in 1929 and 1933, respectively. Immediately after graduation, Pidlaoan worked as an instructor and researcher at his alma mater from 1929 to 1933. After World War II, the Division of Soil Survey, Department of Agriculture and Commerce hired him as soil biologist. He stayed there from 1946 to August 1947 when he transferred to the Philippine Institute of Fisheries Technology (PIFT), Bureau of Fisheries, Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources as Chief Chemist. At that time, PIFT was located at Port Area, Manila.

He must have been an outstanding administrator because the following year, 1948, he was appointed as Superintendent of PIFT. He held this position until 1957 when the PIFT was transferred to the University of the Philippines in January 1957 by virtue of the Reorganization Act of 1957 (RA 997).

On April 10, 1958, the UP board of Regents reorganized PIFT and it became the UP College of Fisheries, now the UPV College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences. But the new UP academic granting unit remained in Port Area, Manila until 1962. Again because of his excellent performance as head of PIFT, Pidlaoan was appointed by the Board of regents as first Director of the College of Fisheries effective April 11, 1958 to June 30, 1965. Since the College was expanding, the position of the head of the College was changed from director to dean in 1966. Pidlaoan was appointed dean from July 11, 1969 to April 11, 1970. This made him the first dean of the College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences.

It was during his term as dean when the College started offering major courses in the Bachelor of Science in Fisheries. The existing Certificate in Fisheries curriculum programs were slowly being phased out. Also, it was during his term that the College acquired from Japan the M/V Pampano, a research and training vessel thru the Philippine reparation Commissions. The turnover of the vessel to the College was on February 9, 1962.

In 1962, the College was transferred from Port area, Manila to its new building at Albert Hall, Diliman, Quezon City. The building was named after the acting UP President and Chairman of the UP Board of Regents, Alejandro Albert. The College stayed there until May 1988 when it moved to its larger and scenic campus at the UP Visayas, Miag-ao, Iloilo.

It was also during Pidlaoan’s term that the Institute of Fisheries Development and Research (IFDR) was established thru Republic Act 4514 which was signed into law by pres. Diosdado Macapagal on June 19, 1965. IFDR served as the research and extension arm of the College.

As a researcher, Pidlaoan focused on nutrition and fisheries education. Some of his works include “Nutritive Value of Fishes”, 1952; “Fisheries Education in the Philippines”, 1962; “quality Assessment of Fish and Fishery Products,” 1965.

Pidlaoan’s thesis at the College of Fisheries, University of Washington, U.S.A. is entitled “The Vitamin A Potency of the Liver Oil and Oil Yield in the Ratfish of Puget Sound and the Relationship of these Factors to Sex of the Fish.”

He also did a study on the artificial propagation of milkfish (Chanos chanos) in 1963-1964. The National Science and Development Board and the College of Fisheries funded it.

Other than being a member of various learned organizations and honor societies, Pidlaoan also attended several international scientific conferences.

It cannot be denied that Pidlaoan played a critical role in moulding the present and future structures of the UPV College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences. Thus, though he no longer lives, his legacy remains. His achievements as a leader will continue to inspire the present and future leadership of the College.

Source: Juliano, R. O. 1998. Inland fisheries in the Philippines: its development, management and future. In: Guerrero, R. D. III. ed. 100 Years of Philippine Fisheries and Marine Science. Los Banos, Laguna. Department of Science and Technology. Philippine Council for Aquaculture and Marine research and Development, pp. 116-192.

Dr. Rafael D. Guerrero III: the Father of Tilapia Sex-Reversal

by

Melchor F. Cichon
July 18, 2006

Among the Filipino fisheries scientists tilapias have always been linked with Dr. Rafael D. Guerrero III.
Why is this so?

He observed that one of the most prominent problems in tilapia culture is overpopulation. Tilapia matures after two to three months from its fry stage and can produce as much as 5,000 eggs every three months depending on its size.

When he took his doctorate degree in Auburn University in the early 1970s, he focused his dissertation on  the production of monosex tilapia into male using synthetic androgens.

When he returned to the Philippines, he continued his experiment on tilapia sex reversal at the Central Luzon State University in Muñoz, Nueva Ecija where he served as the first dean of its college of fisheries.
And he was successful.

Now, the technology he developed has been adopted not only by Filipino fish farmers but by other fish farmers in other parts of the globe.

This can be seen from the awards he has been receiving here and abroad.
Dr. Guerrero was born in Manila on August 7, 1944. His parents are Rafael Guerrero, Jr. and Rizalina Guerrero.
He took his B.S. (Zoology) at the University of the Philippines in Diliman, Quezon City in 1964 and finished his M.S. (Applied Zoology) from U.P. Los Baños, Laguna in 1970. In 1974, he received his PhD degree in Fisheries Management from Auburn University, USA as a recipient of the NEDA-USAID Postgraduate Scholarship Award.

Two years after that, he became the Dean of the College of Inland Fisheries of Central Luzon State University from 1976 to 1981. Then he worked as Director for Training and Extension of the Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center's Aquaculture Department in 1983.

The year before that, he and his wife, Luzviminda, co-founded the Aquatic Biosystems, an aquaculture consulting firm in 1982.

At present (2006), Dr. Guerrero is the Executive Director of Philippine Council for Aquatic and Marine Research and Development (PCAMRD).

Dr. Guerrero has published a lot of works related to tilapias.

Here are some of his publications, this writer has captured:

Guerrero, R. D. III. 1973. Cage culture of male and female Tilapia mossambicus with and without supplementary feeding in a fertilized pond. Central Luzon State University Science Journal 9:18-20

Guerrero, R. D. and W. L. Shelton. 1974. An aceto-carmine squash method for sexing juvenile fishes. Prog. Fish-Cult. 36-56.

Guerrero, R. D. III. 1974. The use of synthetic androgens for production of monosex male Tilapia aurea (Steindachner). PhD Dissertation, auburn University, Auburn Alabama. 97p.

Guerrero, R. D. III. 1974. Culture of monosex male Tilapia mossambica and Ophiocephalus striatus in fertilized ponds with supplementary feeding. Philippine Journal of Fisheries 12(1-2):64-74.

Guerrero, R. D. 1975. Use of androgens for the production of all-male Tilapia aurea (Steinfachner). Trans. Am. Fish. Soc. 104: 342-348

Guerrero, R. D. III and L. A. Guerrero. 1975. Monosex culture of male and female Tilapia mossambica in ponds at three stocking rates. Kalikasan, Philipp. J. Biol. 4:129-134.

Guerrero, R. D. III and L. A. Guerrero. 1975. Use of androgens for the production of all-male Tilapia aurea (Steindachner). Trans. Am. Fish. Soc. 104:342-348.

Guerrero, R. D. 1976. Culture of Tilapia nilotica at two densities with fertilization and supplemental feeding. Fish Res. J. Philipp. 1(1):39-43

Guerrero, R. D. and T. A. Abella. 1976. Induced sex-reversal of Tilapia nilotica with methyltestosterone. Fish. Res. J. Philipp. 1(2):46-49.

Guerrero, R. D. 1976. Tilapia mossambica and T. zillii treated with ethynyltestosterone for sex-reversal. Kalikasan, Philipp. J. Biol 5:187-192.

Guerrero, R. D. III. Culture of male Tilapia mossambica produced through artificial sex reversal. Proc. FAO Tech. Conf. On Aquaculture, Kyoto, Japan, FAO:AQ/Conf./76/E.15 3p.

Guerrero, R. D. III and L. A. Guerrero. 1976. Culture of Tilapia nilotica and Macrobrachium species separately and in combionation in fertilized freshwater fishponds. Phil J. Fish. 14(2):232-235

Guerrero, R. D. 1977. Production of tilapia fry in floating net enclosures. FAO Aquaculture Bulletin 8(3/4):4

Guerrero, R. D. 1979. Culture of male Tilapia mossambica produced through artificial sex reversal, p. 166-168. In T. V. R. Pillay and W.A. Dill (eds.). Advances in aquaculture. Fishing News Books Ltd., Farnham, Surrey, England.

Guerrero, R. D. 1979. Cage culture of tilapia in the Philippines. Asian Aquaculture 2(11);6

Guerrero, R. D. 1979. Use of hormonal steroids for artificial sex reversal of tilapia. Proc. Indian Nat. ?Sci. Acad 45B;512-514.

Guerrero, R. D. and E. P. Villanueva. 1979. Polyculture of Cristaria plicata (leach) at two densities with Tilapia nilotica and Cyprinus carpio in fertilized ponds. Fish. Res. J. Phil 4(2):13-17.

Guerrero, R. D. III. 1980. Studies on the feeding of Tilapia nilotica in floating cages. Aquaculture 20:169-175.

Guerrero, R. D. 1980. How to produce fingerlings of Nile tilapia. Modern Agriculture and Industry—Asia 3(2):4-5

Guerrero, R. D. III, A. G. Cagauan and T. A. Abella. 1980. Pond cultivation of three tilapia hybrids. CLSU Sci. J 1(1):15-18.

Guerrero, R. D. 1981. Bay town cashes in on tilapia bonanza. Asian Farms and Gardens (Feruary):14.

Guerrero, R. D. 1981. Introduction to fish culture in the Philippines. TRC Series. Technology Resources Center, Manila.

Guerrero, R. D. III. 1981. Recent developments in the cage culture of tilapia in the Philippines. Paper presented at the IFS General Assembly Meeting, 12 November 1981, Chiang Mai, Thailand.

Guerrero, R. D. 1982. Control of Tilapia reproduction. , pp. 309-316. In R.S.V. Pullin and R. H. Lowe-McConnell (eds). The biology and culture of tilapias. ICLARM Conference Proceedings 7. International Center for Living Aquatic Resources Management, Manila, Philippines.

Guerrero, R. D. 1982. An overview of tilapia culture in the country. Philippine Farmer’s Journal 24(3):28-29,331,35.

Guerrero, R. D. III., R. C. Sevilleja and A. M. Tolentino. 1982. Studies on the cage culture of Tilapia nilotica in Aya Reservoir and Laguna de Bay, Philippines. Paper presented at the Regional Workshop on Limnology and Water Management in Developing Countries of Asia and the Pacific, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Guerrero, R. D. and A. M. Garcia. 1983. Studies on the fry production of Sarotherodon niloticus in a lake-based hatchery, p. 388-393. In L. Fishelson and Z. Yaron (comps) Proceedings of the International Symposium on Tilapia in Aquaculture. Tel Aviv University, Tell Aviv, Israel.

Guerrero, R. D. III. 1983. A comparative study on the cage culture of Tilapia nilotica and male T. nilotica x female T. aurea hybrid in Laguna de Bay. Paper presented at the 5th Annual Meeting of the Nations Science Technical Authority, Bicutan, Metro Manila. 6p.

Guerrero, R. D. III and L.A. Guerrero. 1985. Effect of breeder size on fry production of Nile tilapia in concrete pools. Trans. Nat. Acad. Sci. Tech. (Phils.) 7:63-66.

Guerrero, R. D. III and L.A. Guerrero. 1985. Further observations on the fry production of Oreochromis niloticus in concrete tanks. Aquaculture 47:257-261.

Guerrero, R. D. III and L.A. Guerrero. 1985. Outdoor treatment of Nile tilapia fry for artificial sex reversal. Paper presented at the Asian Symposium on Freshwater Fish Culture, Beijing, China, 10-15 October 1985. 6p.

Guerrero, R. D. III. 1985. Tilapia farming in the Philippines: practices, problems and prospects, p. 3-13. In I.R. Smith, E, B. Torres and E. O. Tan (eds.). Philippine tilapia economics. ICLARM conference Proceedings 12, 261p. Philippine Council for Agriculture and Resources Research and Development, Los Baños, Laguna and ICLARM, Manila Philippines.

Guerrero, R, D. 1986. Commercial production of tilapia in freshwater ponds and cages in the Philippines. Paper presented at the First National Symposium and Workshop on Tilapia Farming, PCARRD,Los Baños, Laguna, Philippines, 24-26 November 1986. 12p.

Guerrero, R. D. III. 1987. Tilapia farming in the Philippines. Technology and Livelihood Resource Center and National Book Store, Manila, Philippines. 84p.

Guerrero, R. D. III and L.A. Guerrero. 1988. Feasibility of commercial production of sex-reversed Bile tilapia fingerlings in the Philippines, p. 183-186. In R.S. V. Pullin , T. Bhukaswan, K. Tonguthai and J. L. Maclean (eds.) The Second International Symposium on Tilapia in Aquaculture. ICLARM Conference Proceedings 15, 623. Department of Fisheries, Bangkok, Thailand, and ICLARM, Manila, Philippines.

Guerrero, R. D. III. 1999. Seaweed farming in Batangas. Agriculture 111(10):18-19.

Dr. Guerrero has been a consultant for aquaculture of various government and private corporations such as the Technology and Livelihood Resource Center, San Miguel Corporation and the Meralco Foundation, Inc.
He also served as president of the Fisheries Research Society of the Philippines; Team Leader for Aquaculture Research of the Philippine Council for Agriculture and Resource Research, and served as Director of the Fisheries Research Department, Philippine Council for Aquaculture and Resources Research and Development. He was a Visiting Professor of Aquaculture Management of the CDFM, UPLB and Scientific Adviser for aquaculture of the International Foundation for Science.

For his distinguished career as a researcher, consultant and administrator, Dr. Guerrero received several awards both here and abroad. Among these are the following:

1978--Ten Outstanding Young Men (TOYM) Award for Aquaculture and Fisheries conferred by the Philippine Jaycees.

1980--Ten Outstanding Young Scientists (TOYS) Award given by the National Science and Development Board (NSDB)

1987--IBM Science and Technology Award

1992--Elected Academician by the National Academy of Science and Technology in recognition of his scientific and technological contribution to the development of sex reversal and hatchery technique that led to the commercial production of high yielding market-size tilapia in the Philippines and other countries.

2005-- Mgr. Dr. Jan D.F. Heine Memorial Award by the International "Je Dois Faire" Assembly "in recognition of his outstanding efforts to stimulate sustained improvement of world wide human living standards." And for his pioneering work on tilapia sex reversal technology that contributed significantly to world aquaculture. The award was conferred to Dr. Guerrero by Heine and World Aquaculture Society president Keven Fitzsimmons during the 6th International Symposium on Tilapia in Aquaculture in Manila.

The Mgr. Dr. Jan D.F. Heine Memorial Award is conferred to internationally recognized individual who has worked for the advancement of tilapia science and has also made an impact on the lives of people in developing countries dependent on fish as a major source of animal protein.

Tilapia was once considered as a fishpond culture pest. Today this is called the chicken of the pond.

And its production in 2001 was 106.7 metric tons amounting to PhP12,999,000, second only to milkfish (bangus).

And Dr. Guerrero III has been a part of this development.

Dr. Rogelio Ochoa Juliano: the Generous Achiever

By

Melchor F. Cichon
June 29, 2006

The first time I met Dr. Rogelio Ochoa Juliano, or Roger to his colleagues, was in 1963. I was then a first year student of the College of Fisheries, U.P., Diliman, Quezon City. And I have thought that Dr. Juliano was a very cordial person. Later I discovered that my assessment about him was shared by many. This characteristic of Dr. Juliano has been recognized by no less than the Faculty and Staff of the University of the Philippines in the Visayas (Iloilo campus) when they presented him a Plaque of Recognition on August 22, 1989. In this plaque, it is written " in recognition of his contribution to the growth of the University, steering it towards the direction which he himself helped define; of the leader he has been, approachable, humble yet dignified and diplomatic, exemplying a person who considers his office not as an instrument of power but as a symbol of service; and while being a leader and administrator, he has always been , to everyone , a friend and a colleague."( underscore supplied)

Through the years, I learned more about him as a professor , as an administrator and a scientist. Now I can say that Dr. Rogelio O. Juliano is productive, humble and a generous fisheries scientist and administrator U.P. has produced. Prof. Artemio M. Sarenas of the University of the East called him as a "promising luminary in biological sciences, particularly in the field of aquaculture."

Dr. Juliano was born on May 11, 1934 in Los Baños, Laguna from a family of scholars. His father, Dr. Jose B. Juliano, was a professor of botany in U.P. Los Baños, Laguna. Two of his brothers, Drs. Jose O. Juliano and Bienvenido O. Juliano, were Ten Outstanding Young Men (TOYM) awardees. The former is in nuclear science, while the latter is in Chemistry. The youngest brother, Dr. Petronio O. Juliano, now works as a vice-president of San Miguel Corporation.

He is married to his former classmate at U.P. Diliman, Prof. Araceli F. Lachica, a zoologist, with whom he has five boys and four girls.

After graduation from high school at Laguna Institute, Juliano did not know what to take up as career. His mother talked to Dr. Deogracias Villadolid and was advised to seek admission to the Philippine Institute of Fisheries Technology (PIFT) and from there decided what career to pursue. After graduation from PIFT with honors in 1952, he felt he needed at least a bachelor’s degree to seek better employment. He went to U.P., talked to Dr. Gregorio Velasques of Botany Department and Dr. Leopoldo Clemente of Zoology Department. Because of his father’s advice that there is no money in Botany and knowing he would obtain more advanced credit units in zoology, he majored in zoology.

In 1952, he graduated with honors from this school. The following year he served as a Student Research Assistant at UP Research Center. He then worked as a laborer and instructor of PIFT from 1954-1955. It was also in 1955 when he received his degree in B. S. Zoology, U.P. Immediately after that, 1955-57, he was a Stanford University Gold Star Scholar for his Master of Arts (Biology) degree. At the same time, he worked as a Research Assistant at the Natural Science Foundation, Stanford University. In that same period, he was an Elly Lilli Drug Company fellow in biological sciences, also in Stanford University. This was followed by a fellowship in agricultural sciences sponsored by Rockefeller Foundation.

In 1957, he was back in the Philippines. He worked as an Instuctor in Zoology at the College of Arts and Sciences (CAS), U.P., Diliman from 1957 until 1963. In between these years, 1961, Dr. Juliano was a fellow of Rackman School of Graduate Studies, University of Michigan. This time for his second masteral degree, Master of Science (Fisheries). He did not stay long at CAS, because in 1963, he was appointed as a faculty of the U.P. College of Fisheries. UNESCO awarded Dr. Juliano a fellowship in 1964 in Advanced Marine Biology Training at University of Copenhagen and Institute of Fisheries Research, Copenhagen, Denmark. This was followed by an observation tour to different institutions on hydrology and fisheries in Germany as a German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) Stipendum.

On December 17, 1977, Dr. Juliano received the Professional Achievement Award in the Field of Fisheries, U.P. Alumni Association at the Philippine Village Hotel, Metro Manila. He also received some citations and plaque of recognition for his achievements as a fisheries scientist.

Among the citations he received is the citation in the Philippine Men of Science, vol. 2, 1967. For the plaques of recognition, he got one from the Citizens of Calamba, Laguna, for outstanding contributions in the field of science on June 19, 1974. On July 9,1993, he received a Certificate of Recognition for "invaluable contribution and relentless dedication as chief, Aquaculture Department, SEAFDEC from July, 1979-August , 1980", from the Aquaculture Department, Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center, Tigbauan , Iloilo.

The contributions of Dr. Juliano in the field of science, particularly fisheries science, are numerous. But I will only highlight some of them.

Aside from being a professor of the College of Fisheries from 1963 until his retirement in 1989, he conducted numerous researches on fisheries and published several articles on fisheries in various journals and magazines here and abroad. He authored or co-authored more than 50 scientific papers. Some of these are :"Seasonal changes in bluegill metabolism," Limnology and Oceanography 4(2);195-209 1959; "Air breathing in fishes," Phi Sigma Science Bulletin, no. 4, 1959, pp. 8-10; "Notes on the tolerance of milkfish fingerlings and fry, Chanos chanos (Forskal), to decreases in salinity," Copeia, no. 1, 1953, pp. 180-181, senior author.; "Trimethylamine and volatile reducing substances in frigate mackerel(Auxis Thazard lapecede)," Philippine Journal of Science. He was the senior author of the famous pamphlet, Philippine Recommends for Bangus, 1976, which was published by PCARR . In 1992, he became a member of the Auburn University Study Team which studied the prawn industry in the Philippines. The team’s report entitled Philippine Prawn Industry Policy Study , which came out in 1993, is considered as the most comprehensive study on prawn industry in the Philippines. Dr. Juliano’s dissertation, The Biology of Milkfish, Chanos chanos (Forskal), and Ecology and Dynamics of Brackishwater Ponds in the Philippines, 1985, can also be considered as a major contribution to the study of bangus. In 1997, he was working on the historical development of inland fisheries in the Philippines from 1897 to 1999.

He has served as a consultant to and project leader on various fisheries projects here and abroad. He was an FAO National Consultant On Aquaculture and Inland Fisheries for the Second National Fisheries Workshop on Policy Planning and Industry Development wherein he wrote background papers on aquaculture and in inland fisheries. He also prepared and presented the strategic management plan for aquaculture/inland fisheries in its workshop in October 1995 to February 1996. In 1976-1978, Dr. Juliano was a consultant to the Philippine Fisheries Education and Training Plan. This project took stock of available educational facilities and capabilities, projected the manpower needs in fisheries and developed a plan for fisheries education/training which could be supported by the World Bank. This became the basis for World Bank support in fisheries education and training in the Philippines. The project was funded by the Ministry of Natural Resources and undertaken by the Educational Development Projects Implementing Task Force (EDPITAF).

He was the first Dean of the College of Fisheries, U.P. in the Visayas to have been appointed twice from 1970 to 1980, and from 1986 to 1987.

As dean, he was able to send several of his faculty members for a study grant abroad as part of the faculty development program of the College. The grants were sponsored by the USAID and the World Bank. Some of them are as follows: Dr. Arsenio S. Camacho, former UPV Chancellor; Dr. Romeo Fortes, formerly Vice-chancellor for Planning and Development, UPV; Dr. Edfren Ed. C. Flores, former dean of the College of Fisheries and former Chief of SEAFDEC-AQD; Dr. Leonor Santos, former Vice-Chancellor for Academic Affairs,UPV and now dean of the UPV College of Fisheries; Dr. Carlos Baylon, now Director,IFPDS,UPV; Dr. Arnulfo Marasigan, former Director, IA,UPV; Dr. Leonarda Mendoza, present director of IFPT,UPV; Dr. Gaudiosa Almazan-Gonzales, former Secretary, College of Fisheries, UPV; Drs. Armando Tamse, Rodolfo Baldevarona, Liberato Laureta; Erlinda B. Panggat, Crispino Saclauso, Yvonne Chiu, Reynaldo Silvestre and Prof. Nygiel Armada. Prof. Armada was a former Vice-Chancellor for Administration, UPV.

But he forgot himself.

While his faculty members had already earned their respective doctoral degrees, he was still a MS degree holder. It was only in the late 1985 when he earned his PhD degree from the University of Tokyo, Japan under the sponsorship of Japan Society for the Promotion of Science.

It was during his term as Dean of the College when the plan to establish an autonomous university in the Visayas within the UP System with the College of Fisheries as its flagship college took place. He worked closely with Dr. Dionecia A. Rola, then dean of the UP College in Iloilo for the realization of this plan.

When the UP in the Visayas became a reality, he was appointed as Vice-Chancellor for Planning and Development, while Dr. Rola became the Chancellor. On May 1, 1987, he succeeded Dr. Rola as Chancellor of UPV until August 28, 1989.

It was during his term as chancellor of UPV when the UPV College of Fisheries students, faculty, and staff protested against the transfer of UPV CF from Diliman, Quezon City to Miag-ao, Iloilo. But with strong determination to transfer to Miag-ao, the protest bugged down and in 1988, the College of Fisheries transferred to the 800-hectare campus in Miag-ao, Iloilo. Those who did not like the idea had two options: either to stick with UPV-CF or transfer to other UP units. Many remained with UPV-CF, but some transferred later to other UP units in Diliman, Quezon City.

Aside from these major accomplishments, Dr. Juliano served as a member of the Governing Board, Regional Center for Tropical Biology, SEAMEO, Bogor, Indonesia, and Member of Technical Program Planning and Review Board (TPPRB), PCARR, 1975. He was also a member of the Technical Board of the Fishery Industry Development Council. From March 8, 1971 to June 30, 1977, Dr. Juliano was the project Director of the Inland Fisheries Project (NSDB Project no 7103 Ag) with two centers: the Brackishwater Aquaculture Center, Leganes, Iloilo and the Freshwater Aquaculture Center, Central Luzon State University, Muñoz, Nueva Ecija. Both centers produced numerous researches on aquaculture. He also served as Chief of SEAFDEC-AQD from 1979 to 1980.

Dr. Juliano is a member of 21 learned, professional, and honor organizations. Among which are the University of the Philippines Zoological Society; Philippine Association for the Advancement of Science; Phycological Society of the Philippines; Society of the Sigma Xi, Stanford University Chapter; American Fisheries Society; American Society of Limnology and Oceanography; Marine Biological Society of India; National Research Council of the Philippines; and Philippine Association for the Advancement of Scientific Information Communication.

Dr. Juliano is very much concerned on the fishery education in the country. So whenever he has a chance to expose his views on the matter, he would always points out what should be done to improve this problem. According to him, fisheries education is beset with so many problems. That is the reason why the country is not producing high caliber fisheries graduates who can lead in the development of our fishery resources. Some of these problems, which Dr. Juliano has cited, are as follows:

There are too many fisheries schools in the Philippines. To date, there are 33 state colleges and universities offering fisheries degrees; 13 tertiary schools (higher technical-vocational school); 28 secondary schools (technical-vocational). Because of this, there is a mismatch of fisheries graduates and employment. Aside from that, because of too many schools to finance, there is insufficient fund to support faculty development; physical expansion; library and multi-media development, and other important needs of the schools. To upset this problem, Dr. Juliano suggests the stopping of the conversion of secondary fisheries schools to tertiary level and adopt a flagship model contained in the National Agricultural Education System. With this concept, the government will select a number of secondary and tertiary schools and which will be fully supported by the government. These institutions will eventually produce top caliber and well-rounded fisheries graduates. They in turn will lead in the development of fisheries in the country.

"Fisheries as a career is not as attractive and glamorous as the other professions such as law, medicine, or commerce. The opportunities for employment and entrepreneurship are not well known to the people except for the people in the fisheries industry. The over-supply of below standard graduates from many schools of fisheries who are unemployed and neither involved in fisheries, makes fisheries a hopeless career to the eyes of others." To solve this problem, Dr. Juliano suggests that fisheries curriculum should be revised to expose students more to actual industry/field experiences, especially in the undergraduate level. He also suggests that "fisheries as a career should be government-regulated profession as a means of forcing fisheries schools to upgrade their standard. Passing a board examination prior to being allowed to practice fisheries profession can be required, like in the medical technology and veterinary professions. This will eliminate substandard schools if their graduates can not pass the board examination and can not obtain employment." The professionalization of fisheries career is now incorporated in Section 115 of the Philippine Fisheries Code of 1998 (RA 8550). Although this law stipulates that the first Board Examination for B.S. Fisheries shall be conducted within one year from the date of approval of this Code, but so far no such examination has been conducted. The Code was approved on February 25, 1998.

Most of the reading materials used for fisheries courses are temperate and western oriented, hence many of the examples given are not relevant to the actual needs of the Filipino students. To combat this, fisheries textbooks should be written by Filipinos using tropical fisheries principles and with Philippine examples.

Since sending people abroad for a doctoral degree in fisheries is very expensive, Dr. Juliano suggests that UP in the Visayas should develop its PhD program in fisheries to strengthen its manpower base for research and education.

At present, the UPV College of Fisheries is offering a PhD in Aquaculture.

The last time I met Dr. Juliano was in 1997. At that time, he told me he was jobless. I know of course that he was very busy with his consultancy works. He is the Executive Director and Member/Secretary, Board of Trustees of Coastal Management Center, a non-stock, non-profit organization. It is located in Ortigas Center, Pasig City.

That’s Dr. Rogelio O. Juliano, the generous achiever.

Bibliography

Juliano, Rogelio O. 1996. "Fisheries Education in the Philippines: History, Status, problems, Needs and Recommendations for Changes." In: Fortes, R. D. and L. C. Catedrilla, eds. Philippine Fisheries policy: towards sustainable Development of fisheries Resources. (Proceedings of the National Seminar-Workshop on the Evaluation and Review of Philippine Fisheries Policy, September 27-28, 1993, ISMED, UP Diliman, Quezon City). Miag-ao, Iloilo: UP Visayas, pp. 101-12.

Juliano, Rogelio. 1997. "Curriculum Vitae". 20p.

Personal Interview with Dr. R. O. Juliano, October 17, 1997.

Sarenas, Artemio. 1973. "Introduction of the Guest Lecturer: Dean Rogelio O. Juliano." In: The Dr. Gregorio T.

Velasquez Lecture Series, 1972-1975: Challenge to Biologists in the 70s: the Escalation of foodproduction, ed. By Magdalena Cantoria. Quezon City: National Research Council of the Philippines, pp. 51-53.

Guillermo Luzada Ablan: A Pioneer in Diwal Fisheries

By Melchor F. Cichon
July 3, 2006

One of the earliest Filipino fisheries scientists is Guillermo L. Ablan.

A native of Dagupan City, he rose from the rank.

By the time he retired from office, he was the Regional Director of Region I of the Philippine Fisheries Commission in Dagutan City. This commission is the present Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR).

Director Ablan was born in Laoag, Ilocos Norte on February 7, 1904. His parents were Gregorio Ablan and Anastacia Luzada. He was married to Susana Nonato in 1945.

A B.S. in fisheries graduate, Director Ablan took his master of science at the University of Washington in 1932.
Immediately upon his return from his studies abroad, he worked as Junior Scientist, 1932-1933, at the Philippine Fisheries Commission and rose to become a Regional Director, Philippine Fisheries Commission, in Region 1.
Between these years, Director Ablan conducted various researches on Philippine fishes, bivalves, oysters and published them in various periodicals. His pamphlet, The Commercial Production of Oysters in the Philippines, is one of the most used materials on oyster.

But his most famous pioneering work is on diwal fishery.

According to him, "the diwal is locally considered the most healthful; and delicious among the shell foods found in this locality (Pontevedra, Occidental Negros), not excepting the oyster. It is of good flavor, either raw or prepared, and has a large amount of meat compared with other bivalves. Therefore the diwal is in great demand, not only in the local markets but also in other markets of the Philippines.

An that time, 1938, he had already observed that the supply of diwal or angelwings (Pholas orientalis (Bivalvia: Pholadidae) fishery in Occidental Negros was diminishing due to the growing communities with increasing populations and industrial plants, such as sugar centrals and rice mills. He therefore suggested that water pollution from these establishments be controlled.

His warning came true in the years to come.

In 2001, E. T. Marasigan and L. V. Laureta of the University of the Philippines said that "the high demand for angelwings, (Pholas (Monothyra) orientalis locally known as diwal in Panay and Negros islands in Central Philippines resulted in the overexploitation of the species. The once dense beds are now almost devoid of this resource."

Luckily, thru the initiative of the officials of Capiz and with the technical help of Dr. Laureta, diwal fishery was rehabilitated.

Here are Ablan’s publications:

Ablan , Guillermo L. April 1940. Two new Philippine gobioids. Philippine Journal of Science 71(4): 373-379. Table. 2 plates, 3 refs.
Ablan , Guillermo L., Jose R. Montilla and Basilio M. Martin July 1940. The salt-making industry of Northwestern Luzon. Philippine Journal of Science, 72 (3): 319-329, graphs, tables, plates.
Ablan, Guillermo L. and Godofredo L. Alcasid. August 1938 Two species of Piana apparently new to the Philippines. Philippine journal of Science. 66 (4): 497-499. Plate.
Ablan, Guillermo L. 1934. Breeding habits of the Siamese fighting fish, Betta splendens. Agricultural Life Magazine.
Ablan, Guillermo L. 1949. The commercial production of oysters in the Philippines. Manila, Bureau of Printing. 27p. map, tables, 14 plates, 10 refs. (Philippines (Republic) Dept. Of Agriculture and Natural Resources. Popular Bulletin no. 26)
Ablan, Guillermo L. and Westremundo M. Rosario. April 1961. Teuthid fish for marine culture in the Philippines. Fisheries Gazette 5(4): 23-24.
Ablan, Guillermo L. and Westremundo M. Rosario. Jan. 1962. Method of collecting and transporting live teuthid fry (padas) for stocking. Fisheries Gazette 6(1):6-8, 36, 31.
Ablan, Guillermo L. July 1938. The diwal fishery of Occidental Negros. Philippine Journal of Science 66(3): 379-385. Tables, 2 plates.
Ablan, Guillermo L. July-Dec 1953. Lattice method of oyster culture. Philippine Journal of Fisheries, 2(2):191-195.
Ablan, Guillermo L. July-Dec 1953. Two Philippine boring mollusks. Philippine Journal of Fisheries 2(2):191-195.
Herre, Albert W. and Guillermo L. Ablan. June 1934. Aplocheilus luzonensis, a new Philippine cyprinodont. Philippine Journal of Science 54 (2): 275-277. plates 6 refs.
Hilario A. Roxas and Guillermo L. Ablan. June 1938. A new taenioid fish from Occidental Negros. Philippine Journal of Science 66 ( 2): 261-265. Plates, 6 refs.
Luzon. Guillermo L. Ablan and Guillermo J. Blanco. August 1938. A rare parasite crab new to Pangasinan province. Philippine Journal of Science 66(2): 217-219. Table, plate, ref.
Roxas, A. Roxas and Guillermo L. Ablan. Jan. 1940. A new fish from Lingayen Gulf, Philippines. Philippine Journal of Science 70 (1): 77-79. Plate, 3 refs.
Ablan, Guillermo L. and Guillermo J. Blanco. A rare parasitic crab new to Pangasinan province.
Director Ablan was a member of the following societies and organizations:
American Association for the Advancement of Science
Fisheries Society of the Philippines
International Association of Lions Club (charter member)
International Cooperation Society of the Philippines
Men of Science, Dutch East Indies
National Research Council of the Philippines
Pangasinan Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources Employees Association (chairman, 1965)
Pangasinan Oyster Farmers Association, Member, Board of Directors, 1965
Phi Sigma (Biological Honor Society)
Philippine Association for the Advancement of Research
Philippine FAO Fellows Association
Philippine Phycological Society
Sigma XI (Scientific Society)
For his distinguished career in fisheries, Director Ablan received the following awards:
Man of the Year in Fisheries. Bureau of Fisheries, 1953
ICA-NRC travel grant to various countries of Southeast Asia, 1956.
Source
Bio-data of Guillermo L. Ablan. Typewritten. No date.
Ablan, Guillermo L. July 1938. The diwal fishery of Occidental Negros. Philippine Journal of Science 66(3): 379-385.
Marasigan, E. T. and L. V. Laureta. 2001. Broodstock maintenance and early gonadal maturation of Pholas orientalis (bivalvia:Pholadidae). Journal of Shellfish Research 20(3):1095-1099.

Dr. Deogracias V. Villadolid: Father of Fisheries Education in the Philippines

By

Melchor F. Cichon
Otolith, January-March 1996, p. 13

Many UPV constituents were surprised when former Chancellor Francisco Nemenzo approved the naming of the present Administration Building of the College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, University of the Philippines in the Visayas, in Miag-ao, Iloilo to DR. DEOGRACIAS V. VILLADOLID HALL. They were surprised because it was the first time that they ever heard about this man.

Who is Dr. Deogracias V. Villadolid? Why honor him?

Villadolid is not known among non-fisheries graduates. However, those who have been trained in fisheries know him especially in relation to the early beginnings of fishery science and fisheries education in the Philippines.

It was Villadolid who introduced tilapia in the Philippines in 1950 when he was Director of the Bureau of Fisheries. He also initiated fisheries education in the country. For this reason, he is known as the Father of Fisheries Education in the Philippines.

From his humble beginnings in Nasugbu, Batangas, Villadolid rose to become the most respected Filipino fisheries scientists in his time. In fact, he is also known as the Dean of Philippine fisheries. He studied agriculture at the U.P. College of Agriculture (UPCA), now the College of Agriculture, University of the Philippines at Los Baños, Laguna. He earned three degrees from UPCA: Bachelor of Agriculture in 1919, Bachelor of Science in Agriculture in 1923, and Master of Science in Agriculture in 1923.

From UPCA, he proceeded to Stanford University in Palo Alto, California in the United States of America where he obtained a Doctor of Philosophy degree, major in marine biology and minor in aquatic botany in 1927.

Upon his return to the Philippines, he taught at the UPCA. It was there where he designed a course of instruction on limnology, biology of aquatic fauna and flora, particularly fishes, phycology and a general fisheries program. This course was incorporated in the College of Agriculture program. It was also at this time when Villadolid trained UPCA students on the mechanics of fishery science.

From UPCA, he transferred to the newly organized Fish and Game Administration of the Department of Agriculture where he worked with the world famous ichthyologist, Dr. Albert Herre. (the latter was the man who discovered the smallest fish in the world, Pandaca pygmea, which was then found at the Dagat-Dagatan lagoon in Malabon, Metro Manila. Thanks to the development projects of our government and to the pollution contributed by our people so that the lagoon and this Philippine pride are now gone. But you can still see the preserved form of this very rare species at the UPV Museum of Natural Science in Miag-ao, Iloilo)

Villadolid then served as Director of the Bureau of Fisheries and continued to do so even during the Japanese occupation. After the war, he spearheaded the establishment of the first fisheries school in the Philippines, the Philippine Institute of Fisheries Technology (PIFT) in 1946. The school, then located in Navotas, Port Area, Manila, attracted students not only from the Philippines but also from Thailand, Burma, Indonesia, Vietnam, India and Pakistan. The said Institute was transferred from the Bureau of Fisheries, Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources in January 1957 to the University of the Philippines through Republic Act 997 or the Reorganization Act. This law was approved by the Philippine President Ramon Magsaysay. (It was in this school where Dr. Rogelio O. Juliano, the former Chancellor of the UPV received his Certificate in Fisheries in 1952). This school stayed in Port area, Manila until 1962. On April 10, 1958, the PIFT was reorganized by the UP Board of Regents and became the UP College of Fisheries. This pioneering school became the forerunner of more than 50 fisheries schools in the country today.

It was during his stint in the Bureau of Fisheries where Villadolid produced about 150 articles on fisheries research, most of which are pioneering researches on Philippine fisheries. In fact, the proceedings of the D.V. Villadolid symposium held on March 22, 1966 and sponsored by the National Research Council of the Philippines, the Philippines Fisheries Commission and the U.P. College of Fisheries, listed 146 works authored by Villadolid which also included those done in collaboration with other Filipino fisheries scientists.

During his term as Director of the Bureau of Fisheries, he succeeded in sending 125 Filipino fisheries pensionadores to the United States of America to train on deep-sea fishing. He also contributed to fisheries development in the country by declaring a Fish Conservation week which until today is being observed every October throughout the country.

Villadolid was a well-traveled person. He had gone to several countries like Washington, D.C. in the U.S.A., Japan and Denmark as a Philippine delegate to many international conferences and meetings or a vice-chairman and later as chairman of the Indo-Pacific Fisheries Council (IPFC). He was also a member of several professional and honor societies like Phi Kappa Phi, Sigma XI, and the National Research Council of the Philippines.

For his distinguished achievements and services for the development of fisheries in the Philippines and in the region, Villadolid received awards from local and international organizations. Two of these awards were the Distinguished Science Star medal and Diploma of Honor as a Philippine Presidential Awardee in Science in 1954. He also received the Dr. Shinkishi Hatai Medal in Tokyo, Japan when he was a special Guest of the 11th Pacific Science Congress in Tokyo, Japan. This award is bestowed to scientists with the most remarkable contributions to marine biology in the Pacific area. Villadolid was the first Filipino to receive such an honor.

He retired from government service on March 22, 1961 on his 65th birthday. During his retirement, he served as the Vice-President of Araneta University and as Dean of the Institute of Graduate Studies and Applied Research in the same university until his 70th birthday in 1966.

Indeed, Dr. Deogracias Villamin Villadolid served as a guiding star to numerous Filipino fisheries scientists for many years and even long after he died at the age of 80 in 1976.

Dr. Juan Salcedo, Jr., then Chairman of the National Research Council of the Philippines, describes the Father of Philippine Fisheries Education as: “One of the country’s outstanding biologists, Dr. Deogracias V. Villadolid devoted the last years of his life to the advancement of research in fisheries in the Philippines and in the Indo-Pacific area. He contributed a great deal to the sustained study and interest in the biology of fishes, especially cultivation and conservation as well as to the promotion of the fishery industry.”

Prof. Prudencia V. Conlu:

Ichthyologist Par Excellence

By

Melchor F. Cichon

Otolith, April-June 1995, p. 7.

Do you know that one of the most prominent ichthyologists in the Philippine is an Aklanon?

She is no other than Prof. Prudencia V. Conlu, a retired professor and former dean of the College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, University of the Philippines in the Visayas, Miag-ao, Iloilo.

She began as an instructor in ichthyology in the College in 1961 until she rose to the position of full professor in 1981. She also held various administrative positions in the CFOS the latest of which was as dean from 1992 to 1995.

Prof. Conlu was born in Ibajay, Aklan on April 27, 1930. She earned a degree of Bachelor of Science in Education, major in Biology in 1952 at the University of Sto. Tomas (UST) in Manila. In 1957, she took a special training course in Marine Taxonomy (fishes) and Planktology as a UNESCO fellow at the Oceanographic Institute, Nhanrang, Vietnam. She obtained her Master of Science in Zoology degree at the University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia as a Colombo Plan Fellow in 1961. Again in 1964, Prof. Conlu became a UNESCO fellow in Advanced Courses in Marine Biology: Marine Invertebrates and Fish and Fisheries at the University of Copenhagen in Denmark.

As an ichthyologist, she was instrumental in the establishment of the College of Fisheries Museum and has written various scientific and technical papers including two landmark books on Philippine fishes. These are the Guide to Philippine Flora and Fauna (Fishes), vol IX, published by NRMC, Ministry of Natural Resources and the University of the Philippines in 1986 and Guide to Philippine Flora and Fauna (Fishes), vol 1, published by MNR-UPNSRC project funds, in 1982. Also, in recognition of her expertise in fisheries, she has been asked as external examiner for many graduate school theses of universities in the Philippines and abroad.

For her valued contributions for the development of fisheries and fisheries education in the Philippines, Prof. Conlu received 16 citations and awards from various organizations in the country. Some of these are the Likas Yaman Award given by the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Pride of Heritage Award as Outstanding Educator of the International Press Research Development Progress. She was also the first to be given the Trident Award as the Most Outstanding College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences Faculty by the UP Fisheries Guild of the UP in the Visayas.

She is a member of 19 national and internationally recognized learned societies, professional and scientific organizations like Phi Sigma Biological Honor Society Alpha Chi, Chapter of UP, the New York Academy of Science, and the American Society of Ichthyologist and Herpetologists.

Prof. Conlu retired from the government service one month after her 65^th birthday last May 27, 1995. Her colleagues and those she had worked with will always remember her as the lady whose deep love for fishes was expressed through dedication and hard work in her chosen career.

Liberato Vallejos Laureta: A Total Fisheries Scientist

By

Melchor F. Cichon

June 2005

At times success is not what we dreamt of.

He never dreamed of becoming a fisheries scientist. He wanted to become an accountant.

And so Dr. Liberato Vallejos Laureta became a fisheries scientist by accident.

Because of poverty, his father advised him to take up fisheries at the College of Fisheries, U.P. Diliman, principally because there was no tuition fees for fisheries students then.

But he never had loved fisheries even after he had finished his master’s in fisheries. He started to appreciate fisheries only after he got his Ph. D. and started to conduct a research where he was the project director.

After finishing elementary school at San Agustin Elementary School in Castillejos, Zambales in 1964, Jhon, as he is fondly called by his colleagues, proceeded to Zambales National Agricultural School for his secondary education.

Unknowingly, his mind was being led to fisheries. So when he graduated from high school he applied for a scholarship to the UP College of Fisheries in Diliman, Quezon City. And luckily, he passed it. Eventually, he became a Iskular ng Bayan.

He took a Bachelor of Science in Fisheries, majoring in Inland Fisheries and graduated in 1973. Immediately after graduation, he was hired as a Fish

Technician at the Eel Farm of Showa-United Food, Inc. in Mariveles, Bataan.

But he was not satisfied with his work. He wanted to expand his knowledge and skill, so he applied for a work at his Alma Mater, the UP College of Fisheries, now the UPV College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences. He was taken in as a Research Assistant I at the Institute of Fisheries Development and Research, the research and extension arm of the UP College of Fisheries.

He must have been very efficient and effective researcher because he was always promoted. After a year of being a Research Assistant (RA) I, he was promoted to RA II. Then in 1978, he was again promoted to RA IV, and in 1982 he became a Research Associate IV. Then in 1986, he was promoted to Researcher II.

After coming home from his study leave for his doctorate degree, Jhon was reclassified into a faculty with a rank of Assistant Professor IV. Now he is Associate Professor III, a rank given to a faculty who has completed a lot of researches, undergone a series of extension and community services, and has published in international journals. Beside that, he must have won awards.

So what is his secret?

Higher education.

While he was going up the professional ladder, Jhon continued his studies, first by taking a master’s degree in aquaculture at the UP College of Fisheries, as a PCARRD Scholar. Being a dedicated student, he became a College Scholar, and finished the degree in 1982.

Not contented with it, he took a master degree in Business Administration at the Central Philippine University, in Jaro, Iloilo. But he just completed 30 units.

Then a great break came to him: He was given a scholarship through the UPV-World Bank Scholar Program of the University of the Philippines in the Visayas to take a doctorate degree in marine biology with a major in benthic ecology at the University of Liverpool, England. So when he came back to the Philippines with a PhD degree, he was reclassified from Researcher II to Assistant Professor IV.

To become a UP professor one has be good in the tripartite functions of the university: to teach, to conduct research, and to serve the community ins the form of extension and community service.

In all these functions, Jhon is on top.

As a faculty, Jhon often gets excellent remarks from his students both in the undergraduate and the graduate levels.

As a researcher, Jhon has conducted 13 researches, and has written scientific articles, some of which have been published in peer-reviewed journals. His current researches focus on angel wings, a bivalve that is becoming rare in Western Visayas.

Here are some of his unpublished researches.

Laureta, L., U. Focken and K. Becker. 2000. Growth and metabolic responses of milkfish fingerlings (Chanos chanos) fed with composed diets under controlled condition.

Laureta, L. and Marasigan, E. 1998. The ecology and reproductive biology of the angel wings, Phoilas orientalis. Project supported by the Fisheries Sector Program of the Department of Agrciulture.

Marasigan, E. and Laureta, L. 1998. Broodstock maintenance and induced spawning of Pholas orientalis. Project supported by the Fisheries Sector Program of the Department of Agriculture.

Laureta, L. and Santos-Garibay, S. 1998. The kapis industry of the Philippines with emphasis on its biology in Batan Bay, Aklan.

Laureta, I. V. The trophic dynamics of a benthic community off the west coast of the Isle of Man with particular reference to the ecological energies of Corbula gibba (Olivi). Ph.D. dissertation, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, England.

To date, June 2005, Jhon had published five scientific papers and a monograph. Three of these papers were published in peer-reviewed journals, two of which received awards.

Here are his published works:

Marasigan, E. T. and L. V. Laureta. 2001. Broodstock maintenance and early gonadal maturation of the angelwings, Pholas orientalis (Bivalvia: Pholadidae). Journal of Shellfish Research 20(3):1095-1099.

Laureta, L. V. and E. T. Marasigan. 2000. Habitat and reprodutctive biology of angelwings, Pholas orientalis (Gmelin). Journal of Shellfish Research 19(2):19-22.

Laureta, L. V. Catedrilla, L. and Cichon, M. eds. 1996. IA Research Abstracts: 1982-1994. Institute of Aquaculture, College of Fisheries, U.P. in the Visayas, Iloilo. 101p.

Laureta, L. V., Marasigan, A. N. and Melgar, R. 1992. (abstract). "A Study on the Reproduction and Spawning of Placuna sella." Proceedings of the Second National Symposium in Marine Science held at Mindanao State University, Tawi-Tawi, November 1992.

Taki, V., Saclauso, C. Laureta, L., Ohno, T., Kohno, Y. and Morioka, S. 1989. "Survival of milkfish fry on the surf zone." In: Proceedings of the Second Asian Fisheries Society Forum held in Tokyo, Japan, March 1989.

Carreon,, J., Laureta, L., Estocapio, F. and Abalos, T. 1984. Milkfish seedling survival in raceways of freshwater recirculating systems. Aquaculture 36:256-272.

Jhon has rendered extension and community services. On March 14 and 15, 2002, Jhon led the coastal assessment survey and evaluation of possible establishment of rehabilitation project for the diwal Pholas orientalis in Pontevedra, Negros Occidental. On October 3-4, 1999, he served as a resource evaluator during the ocular inspection and area assessment of Sigay shellfish in Sipalay, Negros Occidental under the support of UP Ugnayan Pahinungod and the Negros Occidental Provincial government.

But two of the most significant extension works Jhon has ever undertaken was when he served as program coordinator for the training of 18 Iranian aquaculturists on "shrimp Grow-Out management held at the Brackishwater Aquaculture Center, College of Fisheries, U.P. in the Visayas, Leganes, Iloilo on November 20, 1993 to January 17, 1994. The other one was when he served a program coordinator on the seminar workshop for the 156 fishpond owners and caretakers in Pangasinan on "culture of prawn, milkfish and groupers" held at the College of Fisheries, Pangasinan State University, Binmaley, Pangasinan on April 28-30, 1994.

When you are good enough, people cannot afford to ignore you, especially those people who are concern with the future of the industry.

As a scientist, Jhon is not just good enough, he is in fact one of the best young Filipino fisheries scientists today.

In recognition of his achievements, Dr. Laureta has received 12 awards and scholarship grants from 1979 to 2003. The most recent of which was the DOST-Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) Core University Exchange research Scientist to conduct research visit in Japan (September 1-20, 2002). On February 28, 2001, he was a recipient of the International Publication Award in 2000 by the University of the Philippines handed to him by the President of the University of the Philippines. In 1999, Dr. Laureta won the Best Unpublished Research Paper by the Bureau of Agricultural Research, Department of Agriculture. Before this, he also received the Dr. Elvira O. Tan Memorial Award for Best Published Research Paper in Aquaculture. The award was given by PCMARD.

When a faculty is endowed with extraordinary talents, his dean expects so much from that person. And Dr. Laureta was given additional works.

From 2000 to 2005, Dr. Laureta was the Station Head of the Brackishwater Aquaculture Center, Institute of Aquaculture, College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, U.P. in the Visayas, Leganes, Iloilo.

In September 2001, Dr. Laureta was the Co-Chair of the Committee that conceptualized and formulated training or extension program for the Institute of Aquaculture. On the same year, he was a member of the Committee on CFOS Curriculum Review.

Looking back, Jhon has not regretted for having studied fisheries despite his being away from his hometown. His longing to his parents and brothers and sisters are being filled up by the presence of his loving and supportive wife, the former Ms. Elma Mogote Maca and their two children, Elmer and Michael Jun.