Ramon Magsaysay Award (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
The Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation has announced this year’s six recipients of Asia’s version of the Nobel Prize. Among the Ramon Magsaysay awardees is 78-year old Cebuano agriculturist Romulo Davide. Davide is internationally known for his contributions in research on methods of eradicating pests and plant diseases.
The agricultural scientist from Argao, Cebu is being recognized for his contributions in helping develop the first Philippine biological control product, BIOCON. Davide is also being recognized for the Farmer-Scientists Training Program. The program gives farmers an access to science experts who can help them improve yield and the ability to combat pest and disease infestation. Romulo Davide graduated with a degree in agriculture at the University of the Philippines Los Baños. He earned his masters in agriculture in Oklahoma State University and a doctorate in plant pathology in the North Carolina State University. His award will be the second for the prominent Davide family. Romulo’s brother, former chief justice Hilario Davide Jr., was a recipient in 2002 for Government Service.
The other awardees this year are Taiwanese vegetable vendor Chen Shu-chu who strongly supports charities for children; Indian Kulandei Francis, who created the Integrated Village Development Project in Krishnagiri district in Tamil Nadu that helped poverty-stricken women find a means of overcoming poverty; Syeda Rizwana Hasan, an award-winning environmental lawyer from Bangladesh who was named “Environmental Hero” by Time Magazine in 2009; Cambodian agronomist Yang Saing Koma who helps small-scale farmers’ achieve sustainable rice production; and Indonesian Ambrosius Ruwindrijarto who is fighting to stop illegal logging and smuggling activities in his country amid countless threats to his life.
The 6 outstanding individuals will receive $50,000, a certificate and a medallion at the annual awards to be held at the Philippine International Convention Center, Pasay City on August 31, 2012. The award is always handed out on August 31 which is the birth anniversary of the late president Magsaysay. The Ramon Magsaysay Awards was established in 1957 following the death of one of Philippine’s most beloved presidents, with the help of the Rockefeller brothers through the Rockefeller Brothers Fund (RBF).
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