Margarita Manibay de la Torre-de la Cruz:
An Expert on Community Based-Coastal Resource Management

by

Melchor F. Cichon
April 20, 2009


Prof. Margarita de la Torre-de la Cruz was born on September 19, 1953 in Bobon, Northern, Samar. Her parents are Pedro de la Torre and Monserrat Manibay. She finished her Bachelor of Science in Fisheries major in Fish Processing Technology degree in October 1973 at the UP College of Fisheries, Diliman, Quezon City. After teaching at the Bobon School of Fisheries for two years, she transferred to the Development Academy of the Philippines as a project assistant for four years. She then joined the faculty of the UPV College Tacloban wherein she got a local fellowship from the U.P. System. She took a Master of Science in Fisheries Biology degree and graduated in May 1986. Her thesis is entitled: Catch composition and seasonal abundance of fish corral caught fishes in Guiuan, Eastern Samar with notes on the biology of some commercially important species.

This study became her turning point in her scientific studies.

Here are some of her researches and published articles:

De la Cruz, Margarita de la Torre. 1986. Catch composition and seasonal abundance of fish corral caught fishes in Guiuan, Eastern Samar with notes on the biology of some commercially important species. May 1986. 157 leaves. Thesis (M.S. in Fisheries)—U.P. in the Visayas, Miag-ao, Iloilo.

De la Cruz, Margarita de la Torre, K. Muroga. 1989. The effects of Vibrio anguillarum extracellular products on Japanese eels. Aquaculture 80:201-210.

De la Cruz, Margarita de la Torre, G Erazo, MN Bautista. 1989. Effect of storage temperature on the quality of diets for the prawn, Penaeus monodon Fabricius. Aquaculture 80:87-95

De la Cruz, M. T. 1994. Preliminary observation on the spawning grounds and embryonic development of cuttlefish, Sepia latimus, in Leyte Gulf. UP Tacloban College, Tacloban City. Terminal Report.

De la Cruz, M. T. and Sape, R. M. 1998. Preliminary assessment of the water quality of Bao River, Leyte. UP Tacloban College, Tacloban City. Terminal Report.

De la Cruz, Margarita de la Torre. 2007. Growth performance and survival of abalones Haliotis asinina Linnaeus reared in different salinities. UPV J Nat Sci 12(1):129-133.

Prof. De la Cruz teaches at the UP Tacloban College, Tacloban City. She is married to Engr. Wilfredo de la Cruz, with whom she has two sons.

Source: UPV Directory of Expertise; A Guide to University Human Resources, University of the Philippines in the Visayas. Miag-ao, Iloilo: Office of Research Coordination, UPV, 1996.

Carmen Camacho Velasquez: Distinguished Fish Parasitologist

One of a few Filipino experts on fish parasitology is Dr. Carmen Camacho Velasquez. A former professor at the University of the Philippines Diliman, Quezon City, she published a pioneering book titled Digenetic Trematodes of Philippine Fishes (1975). This book provides a comprehensive summary of the classification, structure, life histories and distribution of known digenetic trematodes of Philippine fishes.

Here is an excerpt of an article about her in the nast.dost website: “Dr. Velasquez's contributions to science include thirty-two new species and one new genus of digenetic trematodes from Philippine food fishes, two from birds and five from mammals; nine life cycles of trematodes of the family Transversotrematidae, Echinostromatidae, Notocotylidae (2), Plagiorchidae, Heterophyidae (2), Microphallidae and Philophtalmidae. In addition, two new species of nematodes from Philippine fishes and a new species of Capillaria from the intestine of man. Also, a new species of parasitic copepod in Glossogobius giurus (Goby). Most of these works are published in international journals and cited in a number of journals abroad.”

Dr. Velasquez holds the following degrees: BS (Zoology), University of the Philippines, 1934; MS (Zoology), University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, 1937 ; Ph. D. (Parasitology) University of the Philippines, 1954.

She received, among others, the following awards and honors:
1. Guggenheim fellowship (1957 and 1963)
2. The Presidential Distinguished Service Medal and Diploma of Honor (1965)
3. The Professional Chair in Zoology, University of the Philippines, 1973-1977.
4. The Special Award of the Biology Teachers Association of the Philippines, Inc. (1975)
5. Outstanding Woman in Science in the Philippines (1975)
6. National Scientist, 1983.

Dr. Velaquez is listed in the following prestigious directories:
American Men and Women of Science
International Scholars' Directory
International Who's Who of Intellectuals
World Whos' Who of Women

Dr. Carmen C. Velasquez was born in 1913 and died in 1994.

Sources:
Anon. Apr-Sept 1989. In Memoriam. The Carillon Newsletter, p. 8.
Anon. Carmen C. Velasquez. http://www.nast.dost.gov.ph/pro_velasquez_c.htm. Retrieved: April 16, 2009

Dr. Arsenio S. Camacho: A Fish Nutrition Expert
by

Melchor F. Cichon

Dr. Arsemio S. Camacho was a professor at the College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, University of the Philippines Visayas before he became its Chancellor from November 1, 1993 to August 16, 1998. He took his Ph. D. degree (Fisheries Management) at Auburn University, U.S.A.

Dr. Camacho was born on Janaury 23, 1945.

Aside from staying in America for his Ph. D. degree, Dr. Camacho had some overseas experiences. In 1977, he went to Thailand, Taiwan, Japan, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Singapore for a study tour of Southeast Asian educational institutions and aquaculture nutrition laboratories. He also went to France in 1980 on a study tour of aquaculture institutions in that country.

Before he migrated to the United States of America, Dr. Camacho published several articles on fisheries more particularly on fish nutrition.

Here are some of them:

Camacho, AS. 1976. Mono and polyculture of bangus and all-male Tilapia mosambica in brackishwater ponds (Trial II). Inland Fisheries Project Technical Report no. 8, UP College of Fisheries, Diliman, Quezon City, pp. 16-26.

Camacho, AS. 1977. Implication of acid sulfate soils in tropical fish culture. In: Proceedings Joint South China Sea Fisheries Program and SEAFDEC Workshop on Aquaculture Engineering SCSP/GEN/7715, vol II, Manila, Philippines, pp. 97-102.

Camacho, AS. 1979. Nutrition in milkfish. In: Technical Consultation on Available Aquaculture Technology in the Philippines. SEAFDEC Aquaculture Dept. Tigbauan, Iloilo, pp. 43-47.

Camacho, AS. and Dureza, L.A. 1977. Feeding trial using treated and untreated ipil-ipil leaf meal in pelleted feed for tilapia. In: Inland Fisheries technical report nos. 11-12, U.P. College of Fisheries, Brackishwater Aquaculture Center, Leganes, iloilo, pp. 87-89.

Camacho, AS. and Corre, VL, Jr. 1987. The status of the Philippine shrimp farming industry. In: Report of the Workshop on the conversion of Mangrove Areas to Aquaculture held in Iloilo City, Philippines, April 24-26, 1986. UNDP/UNESCO research and training Pilot Programme on Mangrove Ecosystem in Asia and Pacific (RAS/79/002), New Delhi, 1987, pp. 128-145.

Camacho, AS. Corre, VL, Jr., Bien, N. 1982. Development of artificial feeds for milkfish fry for an extensive milkfish fingerling production. I. Optimum requirement of protein, carbohydrates, vitamins and fats. In: Technical Report. Brackishwater Aquaculture Center, College of Fisheries, U.P. in the Visayas, Iloilo, Philippines.

Camacho, AS, Corre, VL, Jr., Tubongbanua, ES. 1982. Use of agriculural by-products and waste substitutes. Iloilo. Technical Report. Brackishwater Aquaculture Center, College of Fisheries, U.P. in the Visayas, Iloilo, Philippines.

Camacho, AS, Dureza, L., Gempis,C. 1977. the effects of varying salinity and hormone levels on growth, survival and sex reversal of the cichlid fry Tilapia mossambica. In: Inland Fisheries Technical Report nos. 11-12. U.P. College of Fisheries. brackishwater Aquaculture Center, Leganes, Iloilo,pp. 114-126.

Camacho, AS, Corre, VL, Jr., Bien, NB, Palao, JM. 1982. The development of artificial feeds for milkfish fry for an intensive milkfish fingerling production: optimum requirement of protein, carbohydates, vitamins and fats. In: Technical Report, 1978-1980. Brackishwater Aquaculture Center, College of Fisheries, U.P. in the Visayas, Leganes, Iloilo, pp. 1.2-1.34.

Camacho, AS and Bagarinao, T. 1986. Impact of fish pond management on the mangrove ecosystem. In: Mangroves of Asia and the Pacific: Status and Management; Technical Report of Asia of the UNDP/UNESCO research and Pilot Program on Mangrove Ecosystem in Asia and the Pacific. Quezon City, Philippines: Ministry of Natural Resources Management Center and national Mangrove Committee, pp. 383-406.

Camacho, AS. 1975. Status and needs of fish nutrition. In: PCAR Fisheries Research Congress, Ist, Legaspi City, 1975. Proceedings. Makati: SEAFDEC, PP. 97-105.

Camacho, AS. Fineman-Kaliao, A. 1987. the effects of supplemental feeds containing different protein energy ratios on the growth and survival of Oreochromis niloticus (L) in brackishwater ponds. Aquaculture and Fisheries Management 18:139-149.

When Dr. Camacho left the Philippines, the Filipinos lost an expert on fish nutrition, aquaculture, and invertebrate zoology.

Santos B. Rasalan: Early Leader In Philippine Fisheries

One of the early leaders and fisheries scientists in the Philippines was Santos B. Rasalan.

Born in Sarrat, Ilocos Norte, on October 29, 1905, the young Santos finished the degree of Bachelor of Science in Zoology at the University of the Philippines in 1903. He has five children with the former Calixta Balicanta also of Sarrat.

In 1934, he worked as a student assistant in the Fish and Game Administration of the Department of Agriculture and Commerce in 1934. It was through this assistantship that his interest on fisheries developed. He worked as Ichthyologist, Assistant Fish Culturist, Fishing Gear Specialist, Fishery Technologist, Chief of the Marine Fisheries Division. The highest position he handled was Deputy Commissioner of the Fisheries and Officer-in-Charge when Pres. Ferdinand E. Marcos appointed him to that position in March 1966. On July 5, 1967, the Commission on Appointment confirmed his appointment as Deputy Commissioner for fisheries services, information and regulation.

Mr. Rasalan served as official Philippine delegate to various meetings abroad.

According to Nellie M. Anorico, Mr. Rasalan was the lone Philippine delegate to the 2nd FAO Technical Conference on Fishery Research Craft held at Seattle, Washington last May 1968. He was also the lone Philippine government delegate to the 10th session of the Indo-Pacific Fisheries Council held at Seoul, Korea in 1962. He again attended the 12th session of the IPFC held at Honolulu, Hawaii from October 2-17, 1966.

During his term as Deputy Commissioner, he proposed, and was approved by the Secretary of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Fernando Lopez, the amendment of Section 2 of the Fisheries Administrative Orders (FAO) no. 84.

Section two of the approved FAO says: "Section 2. Prohibition. - It shall be unlawful for any person to engage in electro-fishing or to catch fish by the use of electric current in freshwater fisheries in the Philippines such as rivers, lakes, swamps, dams, irrigation canals and other bodies of freshwater except for research, educational and scientific purposes which must be covered by a permit issued by the Secretary of Agriculture and Natural Resources which shall be carried at all times."

As a scientist, Mr. Rasalan contributed the following:

Rasalan, S. B. Si-si fishery of Samar, Philippine Islands. Phil J. Sci. 64 (1937).

Rasalan, S. B. Methods of preserving fishing appliances in Samar province. Phil. J. Sci. 73 (1940)

Rasalan, S. B. New methods of fish capture in the Philippines. Bull. Fish. Soc. Phil. 1(1950):57-66.

Rasalan, S. B. and D. V. Villadolid. The basnig, a bag net for pelagic fishing in the Philippines. Dept. of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Manila, Philippines. Tech. Bull. 21. In press.(as of 1951)

Rasalan, SB. 1953. Fish corral fishing in the Philippines. bull. Fish. Soc. Philipp. 3&4:45-63.

Rasalan, SB. 1950. New methods of fish capture in the Philippines. bull. Fish. Soc. Philipp. 1:57-68.

Rasalan, SB. 1952. Fishing gear commonly used in Philippine fishing. Philippine Fisheries, a handbook prepared by the Technical Staff of the Bureau of Fisheries, pp. 53-69.

Rasalan, SB and B. Y.Datingaling. 1952-1953. Bull. fish. Soc. Philipp 3/4:64-72.