Soil science in the Philippines owes its early development to the Americans. The first soil survey was conducted by C. W. Dorsey an American soil surveyor in 1903. In 1921 a Division of Soil and Fertilizer was created under the Bureau of Science which in 1934 was renamed as Division of Soil Survey. In 1951, the Philippine Congress enacted Republic Act No. 622 organizing the Bureau of Soil Conservation with Dr. M. M. Alicante as its first director (BSWM, 2008). Teaching of soil science to students of agricultural science started as early as the 1920s at the University of the Philippines College of Agriculture (UPCA). R. L. Pendleton an American from California was one of the pioneer soil science instructors who taught from 1923 to 1935. Dr. Pendleton was also an outstanding researcher as reflected by the about 50 scientific papers he published (Pendleton, 1942; Carter, 1958).
Until about the 1960s, much of the work of soil scientists in the Bureau of Soil Conservation (which became Bureau of Soils in 1957) was on soil survey and mapping of soil series in the entire archipelago as well as in promoting soil conservation practices. Because of the major role that soil science played in the green revolution, Philippine soil science enjoyed rapid development in the 1970s and 1980s ("golden age") primarily due to the massive faculty development at the University of the Philippines at Los Banos (UPLB) wherein young faculty members were sent abroad primarily to the U.S.A. for graduate studies, and to the world class soil research that was at the time brewing at the nearby International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) thanks largely to Nyle C. Brady.
NC Brady of Cornell University who taught at UPCA (now UPLB) as Cornell visiting professor after the war returned to Los Banos in 1973 as the third director general of IRRI and remained there until 1981. During Brady's time (and until now), many leading soil scientists from around the world visited or conducted research at IRRI. Some of the internationally well-known soil scientists who worked at IRRI included P.A. Roger (France), H.U. Neue and H.W. Scharpenseel (Germany), F.N. Ponnamperuma (Sri Lanka), T. Yoshida and I. Watanabe (Japan), N. van Breemen and F. Moormann (Netherlands), D.J. Greenland and G.J.D. Kirk (U.K.), R. Bloom and P.A. Sanchez (USA), and S. Sombatpanit (Thailand). By establishing a world class soil research at IRRI and through his soil science textbook (Nature and Properties of Soils), NC Brady has undoubtedly had a major impact on the development of Philippine soil science.
At UPLB, the soil scientists who represented, or were product of, the "golden age" and who became very influential teachers (most of whom have now retired) include: R.B. Badayos (genesis, survey and classification); I.J. Manguiat (soil microbiology); G.O. San Valentin (soil mineralogy and soil chemistry); A. A. Briones and E.P. Paningbatan (soil physics and soil conservation) ; A.M. Briones, D.A. Carandang and E.D. Reyes (soil chemistry); B.C. Felizardo, C. P. Mamaril, H.P. Samonte, R. Nartea and W.C. Cosico (soil fertility); I.T. Corpuz (soil conservation and management); A. Alcantara and N.C. Fernandez (land evaluation and environmental studies); and E.S. Paterno, R. Aspiras and S.N. Tilo (soil microbiology). It should be mentioned that before the golden age, a few pioneers like N.L. Galvez and J.G. Davide had also important contribution to the development of the soil science curriculum in the Philippines. Two foreigners also spent a few years teaching soil science at UPLB: Dr. S. Srinilta (soil physics) and Dr. U. Jones (soil fertility).
A special mention must be made of Nicolas L. Galvez, a highly trained and outstanding soil scientist who took charge of developing the Soils Department and of training future Filipino soil scientists at UPCA after the war. N.L. Galvez was the head of the Soils Department from 1948 to 1961 and served UPCA for 42 years. Without doubt, Dr. Galvez had the greatest contribution to Philippine soil science. For this reason, he is widely considered as the "Dean of Filipino Soil Scientists". (A museum has recently been established in his honor at UPLB).
Outside UPLB, examples of soil scientists who also stood out during the 1980s and 1990s are J.B. Dacayo of Central Luzon State University and S.S. Magat of Philippine Coconut Authority for teaching and research, respectively. R.G. Escalada of VSU advised more than a hundred undergraduate thesis students in agronomy and soil science (including this writer), many of whom are now successful soil scientists in the country and abroad. Dr. Escalada, who obtained his PhD in Agronomy and Soil Fertility from the University of Hawaii, also conducted important cropping system and soil fertility researches which were published in peer-reviewed scientific journals.
At present, there is a new generation of well-trained soil scientists, many of whom have obtained advanced degrees from prestigious universities in Japan, Europe, and North America, who are working at various universities, research centers, government agencies, and private organizations throughout the country. Undergraduate and graduate degree programs in soil science are now offered by several universities throughout the country the most important of which are UPLB, Central Luzon State University, Benguet State University and Don Mariano Marcos State University in Luzon; Visayas State University (formerly called ViSCA and LSU) in central Philippines; and University of Southern Mindanao and Central Mindanao University in the southern part of the country. Survey, mapping, and soil fertility evaluation of soils throughout the country are carried out by the Bureau of Soil and Water Management based in Quezon City.
(Note: The article is based on the available historical materials that I have gathered so far. I will revise it when new information becomes available.)
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| N.C. Brady (Source: Facebook.com) |
At UPLB, the soil scientists who represented, or were product of, the "golden age" and who became very influential teachers (most of whom have now retired) include: R.B. Badayos (genesis, survey and classification); I.J. Manguiat (soil microbiology); G.O. San Valentin (soil mineralogy and soil chemistry); A. A. Briones and E.P. Paningbatan (soil physics and soil conservation) ; A.M. Briones, D.A. Carandang and E.D. Reyes (soil chemistry); B.C. Felizardo, C. P. Mamaril, H.P. Samonte, R. Nartea and W.C. Cosico (soil fertility); I.T. Corpuz (soil conservation and management); A. Alcantara and N.C. Fernandez (land evaluation and environmental studies); and E.S. Paterno, R. Aspiras and S.N. Tilo (soil microbiology). It should be mentioned that before the golden age, a few pioneers like N.L. Galvez and J.G. Davide had also important contribution to the development of the soil science curriculum in the Philippines. Two foreigners also spent a few years teaching soil science at UPLB: Dr. S. Srinilta (soil physics) and Dr. U. Jones (soil fertility).
A special mention must be made of Nicolas L. Galvez, a highly trained and outstanding soil scientist who took charge of developing the Soils Department and of training future Filipino soil scientists at UPCA after the war. N.L. Galvez was the head of the Soils Department from 1948 to 1961 and served UPCA for 42 years. Without doubt, Dr. Galvez had the greatest contribution to Philippine soil science. For this reason, he is widely considered as the "Dean of Filipino Soil Scientists". (A museum has recently been established in his honor at UPLB).
Outside UPLB, examples of soil scientists who also stood out during the 1980s and 1990s are J.B. Dacayo of Central Luzon State University and S.S. Magat of Philippine Coconut Authority for teaching and research, respectively. R.G. Escalada of VSU advised more than a hundred undergraduate thesis students in agronomy and soil science (including this writer), many of whom are now successful soil scientists in the country and abroad. Dr. Escalada, who obtained his PhD in Agronomy and Soil Fertility from the University of Hawaii, also conducted important cropping system and soil fertility researches which were published in peer-reviewed scientific journals.
At present, there is a new generation of well-trained soil scientists, many of whom have obtained advanced degrees from prestigious universities in Japan, Europe, and North America, who are working at various universities, research centers, government agencies, and private organizations throughout the country. Undergraduate and graduate degree programs in soil science are now offered by several universities throughout the country the most important of which are UPLB, Central Luzon State University, Benguet State University and Don Mariano Marcos State University in Luzon; Visayas State University (formerly called ViSCA and LSU) in central Philippines; and University of Southern Mindanao and Central Mindanao University in the southern part of the country. Survey, mapping, and soil fertility evaluation of soils throughout the country are carried out by the Bureau of Soil and Water Management based in Quezon City.
(Note: The article is based on the available historical materials that I have gathered so far. I will revise it when new information becomes available.)
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