Romulo Davide
{{Short description|Filipino philanthropist and scientist}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2019}}
{{Infobox scientist
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| name = Romulo Davide
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| image = Romulo Davide NAST.jpg
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| caption = Official portrait as Academician of the National Academy of Science and Technology
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| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1934|3|14}}
| birth_place = Argao, Cebu
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| fields = Nematology
| workplaces = University of the Philippines Los Baños
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| alma_mater = University of the Philippines Los Baños
Oklahoma State University
North Carolina State University
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| awards = Ramon Magsaysay Award (2012)
National Scientist of the Philippines (2024)
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| spouse = Clara Lebumfacil
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| father = Hilario P. Davide Sr.
| mother = Josefa L. Gelbolingo
| relatives = Hilario Davide Jr. (Brother)
Hilario Davide III (Nephew)
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Romulo Gelbolingo Davide (born March 14, 1934, in Argao, Cebu) is a Filipino philanthropist, scientist and farmers' advocate who is a recipient of the Ramon Magsaysay Award in 2012.{{Cite web |url=http://rmaf.org.ph/newrmaf/uploads/files/Romulo_Davide_story_by_Lito_Virina.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=March 15, 2014 |archive-date=March 15, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140315100915/http://rmaf.org.ph/newrmaf/uploads/files/Romulo_Davide_story_by_Lito_Virina.pdf |url-status=dead }}{{cite web|website=Rmaf.org.ph |publisher=Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation |url=http://www.rmaf.org.ph/newrmaf/main/awardees/awardee/profile/337 |title=The 2018 Ramon Magsaysay Awardees |accessdate=April 22, 2014}}{{cite web|url=http://rafi.org.ph/triennialawards/awardee/romulo-g-davide/ |title=Romulo G. Davide |publisher=Rafi.org.ph |accessdate=April 22, 2014}}{{cite web|url=http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/272347/scitech/science/rm-awardee-dr-romulo-davide-believes-farmers-can-be-scientists |title=RM awardee Dr. Romulo Davide believes farmers can be scientists |publisher=GMA News |date=September 3, 2012 |accessdate=April 22, 2014}}
Personal life
He is the older brother of Chief Justice Hilario G. Davide, Jr. and is the fifth of seven children. His father, Hilario Panerio Davide, was a school superintendent while his mother, Josefa Lopez Gelbolingo, was a public school teacher. He is married to Clara Lebumfacil, who is also a scientist.{{cite web|url=https://www.rappler.com/science/discoveries-inventions/profile-romulo-davide-national-scientist/ |title=Dr. Romulo Davide: ‘There is no barren soil, only barren minds’ |publisher=Rappler |date=August 23, 2024 |accessdate=August 23, 2024 }} He was a member of the Upsilon Sigma Phi fraternity.
Scientific career
He is regarded as the father of Nematology in the Philippines for his discovery of nematode-trapping fungi P. lilacinus and P. oxalicum leading to creating BIOCON, the first Philippine biological pesticide against nematode pests as a substitute to chemicals.{{Cite web|title=Davide, Romulo|url=https://www.rmaward.asia/awardee/davide-romulo|date=2012}} Davide studied at the University of the Philippines Los Baños College of Agriculture in 1953-1957. He became a pioneer of the Farmer-Scientists RDE Training Program (FSTP), a program that trains marginal farmers to employ scientific methods in farming, and package and market their products effectively. Implemented countrywide in the Philippines, FSTP has lifted thousands of farmers from poverty to a new life of independence and affluence. He became professor emeritus of University of the Philippines Los Baños specializing in Plant Pathology and Nematology at the Plant Pathology Department of the College of Agriculture.{{Cite web|title="UP Under the Sun"|url=https://up.edu.ph/up-under-the-sun/|date=2017-03-29}}
On August 8, 2024, Davide was proclaimed as a National Scientist of the Philippines by President Bongbong Marcos for his work in nematology and plant pathology.{{cite news |url=https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/scitech/content/916391/romulo-davide-plant-pathology-expert-named-national-scientist/story/ |title=Romulo Davide, plant pathology expert, named National Scientist |work=GMA News |date=August 8, 2024 |access-date=August 8, 2024}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{National Scientist|state=collapsed}}
{{Ramon Magsaysay Award Winners}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Davide, Romulo}}
Category:Filipino philanthropists
Category:Ramon Magsaysay Award winners
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