SAN AGUSTIN, PILI, CAMARINES SUR – The Department of Agriculture in Bicol has a new full fledged Regional Technical Director for Operations and Extension in the person of Luz R. Marcelino.
Although Marcelino’s plantilla position, Director III or RTD is at Region 4B (MIMAROPA), Secretary William Dar assigned her to the DA Regional Office in Bicol by virtue of Special Order No. 28 series of 2020 dated January 10, 2020.
Marcelino graduated Cum Laude with the degree of BS in Agriculture major in Agronomy at the Bicol University College of Agriculture in Guinobatan, Albay. She took her Master of Science in Agriculture Agronomy specializing in Plant Pathology/Weed Science at the University of the Philippines at Los Baños. She also took her fellowship in Root Physiology at University of Negev, Jacob Blaustein Institute for Desert Studies in Israel.
She started her stint in government service as Agronomist 1 at the Department of Agriculture in 1984. She also held various technical positions as Agricultural and Food Technologist, Agriculturist II, and Senior Agriculturist. In 2006, she was promoted to Agricultural Center Chief III, and in 2014, she was appointed as Chief of the Research Division with the position Chief Science Research Specialist, the position she held until she was appointed as RTD in December 2019.
She has authored numerous researches, most of which garnered Best Paper awards in the regional and even national Research and Development reviews sponsored by the Bureau of Agricultural Research (BAR) and the Phil. Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development (PCAARRD).
Marcelino has also been conferred by the Philippine Army the honorary title – Major (Reserve) for her all-out support to the projects and activities of the said military institution and as one of the Advisory Board of the 51st Engineers Brigade based at Camp Atienza, Quezon City. She has been honored, several times, by the different Infantry Divisions of the Philippine Army. On March 22, 2019, Marcelino received a Command Plaque of Recognition from the Philippine Army during their 122nd anniversary held at Fort Bonifacio in Manila.
In 2018, she received the Marcos R. Vega award from the Weed Science Society of the Philippines during the 50th conference of the Pest Management Council of the Philippines.
In 2015, she received the prestigious PAGASA Award from the Civil Service Commission for her outstanding research and development activities on the production and promotion of quality seeds for rice, vegetables, legumes, and fruit trees. The awarding was held at the Malacañan Palace on the occasion of the 115th Anniversary of the Phil. Civil Service. She has also been designated as the focal person of the Special Area for Agricultural Development (SAAD), a special project of the DA being implemented by the Operations Group. (Lovella P. Guarin)