MANILA, Philippines — A Cebuano is among six Filipino scientists and innovators included in Asia Scientist Magazine’s Asia Scientist 100 listing for 2026, which acknowledges excellent researchers, academicians, innovators, and enterprise leaders throughout the Asia-Pacific area.
The Asia Scientist 100 listing, now in its eighth version, was launched in 2016 to honor people who obtained nationwide or worldwide awards within the earlier 12 months for his or her analysis, made important scientific discoveries, or demonstrated management in academia or trade.
Among these acknowledged this 12 months was University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB) researcher and professor emeritus Romulo Davide, who’s a local of Colawin, Argao in southeastern Cebu.
Davide’s fellow UPLB researcher, Marcela Navasero was equally cited. The different honorees had been UP Diliman scientists Mary Donnabelle Balela and Aurelio De Los Reyes V, Central Luzon State University researcher Garry Benico, and UP Mindanao scientist May Anne Mata.
Davide, who was named the Philippines’ forty fourth National Scientist in 2024, is understood for his pioneering work in plant pathology and nematology, significantly his analysis on plant-parasitic nematodes.
Known because the “Father of Philippine Nematology,” Davide additionally established the Farmer-Scientist Training Program, which has helped prepare about 70,000 Filipino farmers nationwide.
Experts in pest management, ecology
Navasero, a recipient of the Presidential Lingkod Bayan Award, was acknowledged for her management in pure pest management and agricultural biosecurity.
Asia Scientist cited her contributions to “strengthening long-term, cost-effective pest management systems that safeguard national food security” by means of her work with the National Crop Protection Center’s Quick Response Team.
Balela was honored for growing modular Kapok booms for marine oil spills, incomes the Outstanding Research and Development Award in the course of the 2024 Department of Science and Technology National Science and Technology Week.
Her innovation makes use of biodegradable and regionally sourced Kapok fibers to create reusable oil sorbents able to absorbing a number of occasions their weight in oil, offering a sustainable resolution for oil spill response and marine environmental safety.
Health, algae, illness students
De Los Reyes, in the meantime, obtained the 2024 National Science and Technology Week Outstanding Research and Development Award for his mathematical modeling of optimum contraception dosing methods aimed toward enhancing reproductive well being.
He was additionally named the 2025 National Research Council of the Philippines Achievement Awardee for Mathematical (*100*).
Benico, an skilled in aquatic biosciences, alternatively, was acknowledged as a 2025 Outstanding Young Scientist by the National Academy of Science and Technology for his analysis on the taxonomy and variety of dangerous microalgae within the Philippines.
He is concerned in efforts to strengthen the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources’ crimson tide monitoring capabilities and serves as a reviewer for a number of worldwide journals.
Mata additionally obtained the 2025 Outstanding Young Scientist award from the National Academy of Science and Technology for her analysis in infectious illness modeling and evaluation, utilized arithmetic, mathematical biology, and operations analysis.
The 2026 Asia Scientist 100 listing likewise contains Nobel Prize laureates Susumu Kitagawa of Kyoto University and Shimon Sakaguchi of the University of Osaka.
READ: He helped farmers save crops: Davide named national scientist
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