# National Scientist of the Philippines

The Order of National Scientists of the Philippines (Tagalog: Orden ng mga Pambansang Alagad ng Agham ng Pilipinas), abbreviated as ONS, is the highest award accorded to Filipino scientists by the Philippine government. Members of the order are known as National Scientists.
The award was created on December 16, 1976, by President Ferdinand Marcos through Presidential Decree Nos. 1003 and 1003-A, which also created the National Academy of Science and Technology. For the purposes of the law, a scientist is defined as "an individual who has earned a doctoral degree in any field of the sciences" and "has demonstrated and earned distinction in independent research or significant innovative achievement in the basic and applied sciences, including agricultural, engineering, and medical sciences, in mathematics and in the social sciences as manifested by published works in recognized scientific and technical journals." It was elevated to the status of order in 2003.

## Nomination and selection

It is the task of the National Academy of Science and Technology which is composed of Filipino scientists to recommend not more than 10 scientists annually to the President of the Philippines for conferment of the rank of National Scientist. It is the President of the Philippines who makes the ultimate selection, which is based on "distinguished individual or collaborative achievement in science and technology."

## Benefits

Awardees are conferred the rank and title of National Scientist, with an accompanying medallion and citation. They are also given a financial gratuity with the amount determined by the National Academy. In addition, they are entitled to the same privileges enjoyed by National Artists of the Philippines, which include a monthly life pension, medical and hospitalization benefits, and a place of honor, in line with protocular precedence, at national state functions. They are likewise by law entitled upon death to a state funeral conducted by the National Academy and the Armed Forces of the Philippines, befitting their recognized status as heroes of the Philippines.

## Roster of National Scientists

Since 1978, there have been 44 men and women have been designated as National Scientist in the roster where 11 of them are currently living. The most recent conferment was made to honor Romulo Davide. Honorees such as the Ramon Magsaysay Award recipient pediatrician Fe del Mundo, have garnered international recognition as well.
As of August 2024, the National Scientists of the Philippines are:
| President | Year | National Scientist | Division | Field |
| Ferdinand Marcos | 1978 | Juan Salcedo, Jr. | Health Sciences | Nutrition and Public Health |
| Ferdinand Marcos | 1978 | Alfredo C. Santos | Mathematical and Physical Sciences | Physical Chemistry |
| Ferdinand Marcos | 1978 | Gregorio Y. Zara | Engineering Sciences and Technology | Engineering and Inventions |
| Ferdinand Marcos | 1980 | Fe Del Mundo | Health | Pediatrics |
| Ferdinand Marcos | 1980 | Eduardo Quisumbing | Biological Sciences | Plant Taxonomy, Systematics, and Morphology |
| Ferdinand Marcos | 1982 | Geminiano T. de Ocampo | Health Science | Ophthalmology |
| Ferdinand Marcos | 1982 | Casimiro del Rosario | Mathematical and Physical Science | Physics, Astronomy, and Meteorology |
| Ferdinand Marcos | 1982 | Gregorio Velasquez | Agricultural Sciences | Phycology |
| Ferdinand Marcos | 1983 | Francisco Fronda | Agricultural Science | Animal Husbandry |
| Ferdinand Marcos | 1983 | Francisco Santos | Health Sciences | Human Nutrition and Agricultural Chemistry |
| Ferdinand Marcos | 1983 | Carmen Velasquez | Agricultural Sciences | Parasitology |
| Ferdinand Marcos | 1985 | Teodoro Agoncillo | Social Sciences | Philippine History |
| Ferdinand Marcos | 1985 | Encarnacion Alzona | Social Sciences | Philippine History |
| Ferdinand Marcos | 1985 | Hilario Lara | Health Sciences | Public Health |
| Corazon Aquino | 1986 | Julian Banzon | Mathematical and Physical Sciences | Chemistry |
| Corazon Aquino | 1986 | Dioscoro L. Umali | Agricultural Sciences | Agriculture and Rural Development |
| Corazon Aquino | 1987 | Jose Encarnacion, Jr. | Social Sciences | Economics |
| Corazon Aquino | 1987 | Luz Oliveros-Belardo | Mathematical and Physical Sciences | Phytochemistry |
| Corazon Aquino | 1988 | Alfredo Lagmay | Social Sciences | Experimental Psychology |
| Corazon Aquino | 1989 | Paulo Campos | Health Sciences | Nuclear Medicine |
| Fidel V. Ramos | 1994 | Pedro Escuro | Agricultural Sciences | Genetics and Plant Breeding |
| Fidel V. Ramos | 1994 | Clara Lim-Sylianco | Mathematical and Physical Sciences | Biochemistry and Organic Chemistry |
| Fidel V. Ramos | 1998 | Dolores Ramirez | Agricultural Sciences | Biochemical Genetics & Cytogenetics |
| Fidel V. Ramos | 1998 | Jose R. Velasco | Agricultural Sciences | Plant Physiology |
| Joseph Estrada | 1999 | Gelia T. Castillo | Social Sciences | Rural Sociology |
| Joseph Estrada | 2000 | Bienvenido Juliano | Mathematical and Physical Sciences | Biochemistry |
| Gloria Macapagal Arroyo | 2001 | Clare Baltazar | Biological Sciences | Systematic Entomology |
| Gloria Macapagal Arroyo | 2001 | Benito Vergara | Agricultural Sciences | Plant Physiology |
| Gloria Macapagal Arroyo | 2004 | Onofre Corpuz | Social Sciences | Political Economics and Government |
| Gloria Macapagal Arroyo | 2005 | Ricardo Lantican | Agricultural Sciences | Plant Breeding |
| Gloria Macapagal Arroyo | 2006 | Lourdes Cruz | Mathematical and Physical Science | Biochemistry |
| Gloria Macapagal Arroyo | 2008 | Teodulo Topacio, Jr. | Agricultural Sciences | Veterinary Medicine |
| Gloria Macapagal Arroyo | 2010 | Mercedes Concepcion | Social Sciences | Demography |
| Gloria Macapagal Arroyo | 2010 | Ernesto Domingo | Health Sciences | Internal Medicine / Gastroenterology |
| Gloria Macapagal Arroyo | 2010 | Perla D. Santos Ocampo | Health Sciences | Pediatrics |
| Benigno Aquino III | 2011 | Raul V. Fabella | Social Sciences | Economics |
| Benigno Aquino III | 2011 | Bienvenido Nebres, S.J. | Mathematical and Physical Sciences | Mathematics |
| Benigno Aquino III | 2014 | Angel Alcala | Biological Sciences | Biological Sciences |
| Benigno Aquino III | 2014 | Ramon Barba | Agricultural Sciences | Horticulture |
| Benigno Aquino III | 2014 | Edgardo Gomez | Biological Sciences | Marine Biology |
| Benigno Aquino III | 2014 | Gavino Trono, Jr. | Biological Science | Marine Biology |
| Rodrigo Duterte | 2019 | Emil Q. Javier | Biological Science | Plant Breeding |
| Bongbong Marcos | 2023 | Carmencita D. Padilla | Health Sciences | Medical Genetics, Pediatrics |
| Bongbong Marcos | 2024 | Romulo Davide | | Plant Pathology and Nematology |

### Notes

* ↑ Posthumous award