The Order of National Scientists of the Philippines (Tagalog: Orden ng mga Pambansang Alagad ng Agham ng Pilipinas), abbreviated as ONS, is the highest award accorded to Filipino scientists by the Philippine government. Members of the order are known as National Scientists.
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."Section 2, Pres. Decree No. 1003-A It was elevated to the status of order in 2003.Executive Order No. 236, s. 2003 Official Gazette of the Republic of the Philippines. Retrieved 14 April 2013.
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. The president makes the ultimate selection, which is based on "distinguished individual or collaborative achievement in science and technology."Section 8, Pres. Decree No. 1003-A
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. 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 honor, 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,Section 3, Executive Order No. 131 (26 October 1993) befitting their recognized status as heroes of the Philippines.First Whereas Clause, Executive Order No. 131 (26 October 1993)
Roster of National Scientists Since 1978, 44 men and women have been designated as National Scientist in the roster; 11 of them are currently living. The most recent conferment was made to honor Romulo Davide. Honorees such as the Ramon Magsaysay Award recipient pediatrician Fe del Mundo have garnered international recognition.
As of August 2024, the National Scientists of the Philippines are:
President Year National Scientist ProvinceDivision Field Ferdinand Marcos 1978 Juan Salcedo, Jr. ManilaHealth Sciences Nutrition and public health Alfredo C. Santos PampangaMathematical and Physical Sciences Physical chemistry Gregorio Y. Zara BatangasEngineering Sciences and Technology Engineering and inventions1980 Fe Del Mundo ManilaHealth Pediatrics Eduardo Quisumbing LagunaBiological Sciences Plant taxonomy, systematics, and morphology1982 Geminiano T. de Ocampo BulacanHealth Science Ophthalmology Casimiro del Rosario CebuMathematical and Physical Science Physics, astronomy, and meteorologyGregorio Velasquez BulacanAgricultural Sciences Phycology1983 Francisco Fronda Nueva EcijaAgricultural Science Animal husbandry Francisco Santos BulacanHealth Sciences Human nutrition and agricultural chemistry Carmen Velasquez PangasinanAgricultural Sciences Parasitology1985 Teodoro AgoncilloPosthumous award BatangasSocial Sciences Philippine history Encarnacion Alzona LagunaSocial Sciences Philippine history Hilario Lara CaviteHealth Sciences Public health Corazon Aquino 1986 Julian Banzon BataanMathematical and Physical Sciences Chemistry Dioscoro L. Umali LagunaAgricultural Sciences Agriculture and rural development1987 Jose Encarnacion, Jr. ManilaSocial Sciences Economics Luz Oliveros-Belardo RizalMathematical and Physical Sciences Phytochemistry 1988 Alfredo Lagmay Manila and Ilocos NorteSocial Sciences Experimental psychology 1989 Paulo Campos CaviteHealth Sciences Nuclear medicine Fidel V. Ramos1994 Pedro Escuro Camarines SurAgricultural Sciences Genetics and plant breeding Clara Lim-Sylianco Negros OrientalMathematical and Physical Sciences Biochemistry and organic chemistry1998 Dolores Ramirez LagunaAgricultural Sciences Biochemical genetics & cytogeneticsJose R. Velasco CaviteAgricultural Sciences Plant physiology Joseph Estrada 1999 Gelia T. Castillo LagunaSocial Sciences Rural sociology2000Bienvenido Juliano LagunaMathematical and Physical Sciences Biochemistry Gloria Macapagal Arroyo2001 Clare Baltazar La UnionBiological Sciences Systematic entomology Benito Vergara ManilaAgricultural Sciences Plant physiology 2004 Onofre Corpuz TarlacSocial Sciences Political economics and government2005 Ricardo Lantican LagunaAgricultural Sciences Plant breeding 2006 Lourdes Cruz CaviteMathematical and Physical Science Biochemistry 2008Teodulo Topacio, Jr. ManilaAgricultural Sciences Veterinary medicine2010 Mercedes Concepcion ManilaSocial Sciences Demography Ernesto Domingo ManilaHealth Sciences Internal medicine / gastroenterologyPerla D. Santos OcampoPNoy confers National Scientist Award to Dr. Santos-Ocampo . Abs-cbnnews.com (2010-06-23). Retrieved on 2012-06-30. PangasinanHealth Sciences Pediatrics Benigno Aquino III2011 Raul V. FabellaAquino names economist ‘national scientist’ | Inquirer News. Newsinfo.inquirer.net (2011-07-27). Retrieved on 2012-06-30. Negros OccidentalSocial Sciences Economics Bienvenido Nebres, S.J. Helen Flores (2011-06-30). Nebres, Fabella named 'national scientists'. Philstar.com. Retrieved on 2012-06-30. BenguetMathematical and Physical Sciences Mathematics2014 Angel Alcala Negros OccidentalBiological Sciences Biological sciences Ramon Barba Ilocos NorteAgricultural Sciences Horticulture Edgardo Gomez ManilaBiological Sciences Marine biology Gavino Trono, Jr. Negros OccidentalBiological Science Marine biology Rodrigo Duterte 2019 Emil Q. JavierDuterte confers National Scientist title to ex-UP president. news.abs-cbn.com. Retrieved on 2019-08-08. LagunaBiological Science Plant breeding Bongbong Marcos 2023 Carmencita D. Padilla ManilaHealth SciencesMedical genetics, pediatrics2024 Romulo Davide CebuAgricultural SciencesPlant pathology and nematology
Notes
See also National Scientist of the Republic of Korea
References
Bibliography
External links Government Briefer on the Order of National Scientist