The Department of Science and Technology’s National Research Council of the Philippines (DOST-NRCP) honored outstanding Filipino scientists, technologists, and researchers including TV weather man Nathaniel A. Cruz, more popularly known as “Mang Tani,” during the 82nd NRCP General Membership Assembly and Scientific Conference held last March 11, 2015 at the Philippine International Convention Center.
The 2014 NRCP Achievement Award is bestowed on individuals in various fields of basic and applied sciences including social science and humanities, for their pioneering efforts and sterling contributions to community development and to the advancement of their field of specialization.
As Mang Tani, Cruz has captured the attention of TV viewers with his effective method of weather reporting, allowing the general public to clearly understand scientific and technical information and disaster preparedness tips on typhoons. Further, he is engaged in various activities in relation to climate change, climatology, vulnerability assessment, and applied meteorology which have helped enrich the field and further improve practitioners’ knowledge and skills. Some of his research-based recommendations have been adopted and used by both the government and the private sectors in their program designs for disaster preparedness and mitigation.
A former chief weather forecaster of DOST-PAGASA, Cruz is now an active member-researcher of NRCP’s Division of Earth and Space Sciences.
Philippine television Mang Tani is joined by 10 equally brilliant scientists and researchers in the roster of honorees for the NRCP Achievement Award. They are Belinda V. de Castro for her studies on shadow education in the Philippines, Roberto B. Corcino for his publications in local and international journals as well as his contributions to math education and development, Cynthia I. Valencia for promotion of good clinical practice in the country, Judilynn N. Solidum for her outstanding research on dengue management,
Teresita H. Borromeo for her contribution to crop/plant genetic resources and gene bank management, Allan N. Soriano for his sterling works on thermodynamic characterization of novel carbon dioxide capture solvents, Maria Ela L. Atienza for her outstanding performance in her undergraduate and graduate degrees, Percival F. Almoro for his research works and contributions in holography and optical metrology, Gerardo C. Janairo for his breakthrough in organic synthesis, and Carmencita D. Mateo for her accomplishments in animal nutrition and health.
NRCP also handed out the National Institution Award to the National Institute of Physics of the College of Science in UP Diliman for being the country’s leading hub of physics research and education.
Other awardees were Wilson O. Garcia, Felix P. Muga II, and Jose S. Buenconsejo for the Service Award; as well as Domingo B. Nunez, Leopoldo V. Abis, Leoncio A. Amadore, and Mariano A. Estoque for the Member Emeritus Award.
NRCP is the government arm for basic research, the oldest collegial research body in the country with 3,800 members in the Philippines and abroad. (S&T Media Service)
