National Scientist of the Philippines


The rank and title of Order of National Scientist of the Philippines, abbreviated as ONS or the Order of National Scientists is the highest award accorded to Filipino scientists by the Philippine government.
The award was created on December 16, 1976 by President Ferdinand Marcos through Presidential Decree Nos. 1003 and 1003-A, which also created the National Academy of Science and Technology. For the purposes of the law, a scientist is defined as “an individual who has earned a doctoral degree in any field of the sciences” and “has demonstrated and earned distinction in independent research or significant innovative achievement in the basic and applied sciences, including agricultural, engineering, and medical sciences, in mathematics and in the social sciences as manifested by published works in recognized scientific and technical journals.” It was elevated to the Order of National Scientists in 2003.

Nomination and selection

It is the task of the National Academy of Science and Technology which is composed of Filipino scientists to recommend not more than 10 scientists annually to the President of the Philippines for conferment of the rank of National Scientist. It is the President of the Philippines who makes the ultimate selection, which is based on "distinguished individual or collaborative achievement in science and technology."

Benefits

Awardees are conferred the rank and title of “National Scientist”, with an accompanying medallion and citation. They are also given a financial gratuity with the amount determined by the National Academy. In addition, they are entitled to the same privileges enjoyed by National Artists of the Philippines, which include a monthly life pension, medical and hospitalization benefits, and a place of honour, in line with protocular precedence, at national state functions. They are likewise by law entitled upon death to a state funeral conducted by the National Academy and the Armed Forces of the Philippines, befitting their recognized status as heroes of the Philippines.

List of National Scientists

Since 1978, there have been 42 men and women have been designated as National Scientist in the roster where 16 of them are currently living. The most recent conferment was made to honor Emil Q. Javier. Honorees such as the Ramon Magsaysay Award-winning pediatrician Fé del Mundo, have garnered international recognition as well.
As of August 2019, the National Scientists of the Philippines are:
YearNational ScientistField
1978Juan Salcedo, Jr.†Nutrition and Public Health
1978Alfredo Santos†Physical Chemistry
1978Gregorio Y. Zara†Engineering and Inventions
1980Fe Del Mundo†Pediatrics
1980Eduardo Quisumbing†Plant Taxonomy, Systematics, and Morphology
1982Geminiano T. de Ocampo†Ophthalmology
1982Casimiro del Rosario†Physics, Astronomy, and Meteorology
1982Gregorio Velasquez†Phycology
1983Francisco Fronda†Animal Husbandry
1983Francisco Santos†Human Nutrition and Agricultural Chemistry
1983Carmen Velasquez†Parasitology
1985Teodoro Agoncillo†Philippine History
1985Encarnacion Alzona†Philippine History
1985Hilario Lara†Public Health
1986Julian Banzon†Chemistry
1986Dioscoro L. Umali†Agriculture and Rural Development
1987Jose Encarnacion, Jr.†Economics
1987Luz Oliveros-Belardo†Phytochemistry
1988Alfredo Lagmay†Experimental Psychology
1989Paulo Campos†Nuclear Medicine
1994Pedro Escuro†Genetics and Plant Breeding
1994Clara Lim-SyliancoBiochemistry and Organic Chemistry
1998Dolores RamirezBiochemical Genetics & Cytogenetics
1998Jose R. Velasco†Plant Physiology
1999Gelia T. Castillo†Rural Sociology
2000Bienvenido JulianoBiochemistry
2001Clare BaltazarSystematic Entomology
2001Benito Vergara†Plant Physiology
2004Onofre Corpuz†Political Economics and Government
2005Ricardo LanticanPlant Breeding
2006Lourdes CruzBiochemistry
2008Teodulo Topacio, Jr.†Veterinary Medicine
2010Mercedes ConcepcionDemography
2010Ernesto DomingoInternal Medicine/ Gastroenterology
2010Perla Dizon Santos Ocampo†Pediatrics
2011Raul V. FabellaEconomics
2011Bienvenido Nebres, S.J.Mathematics
2014Angel AlcalaBiological science
2014Ramon BarbaHorticulture
2014Edgardo Gomez†Marine Biology
2014Gavino Trono, Jr.Marine Biology
2019Emil Q. JavierAgriculture

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