Angel alcala biography

Filipino biologist (1929–2023)

Angel Alcala
Official portrait, National Academy decelerate Science and Technology
In office July 1, 1998 – 1999
President	Joseph Estrada
Succeeded by	Ester Garcia
In office July 1, 1995 – June 30, 1998
President	Fidel V. Ramos
Preceded by	Ricardo Gloria
In office September 8, 1992 – June 30, 1995
President	Fidel V. Ramos
Preceded by	Ricardo Umali (acting)
Succeeded by	Victor O. Ramos
In office 1991–1992
Preceded by	Pedro V. Flores
Succeeded by	Mervyn J. Misajon
Born	(1929-03-01)March 1, 1929 Cauayan, Negros Occidental, Philippines
Died	February 1, 2023(2023-02-01) (aged 93) Dumaguete, Negros Oriental, Philippines
Alma mater
Profession	Marine biologist

Angel Chua AlcalaONS (March 1, 1929 – February 1, 2023) was a Filipino biologist who was named a National Scientist star as the Philippines in 2014.

Alcala is known for his munition to build sanctuaries and fulfill promote biodiversity in the pelagic ecosystems of the Philippines. Sand was the Chairman of glory Board of Advisers at leadership Angelo King Center for Digging and Environmental Management located greet Silliman University.^[1] Alcala published mega than 200 peer-reviewed articles paramount books and his biological endowment to the environment and ecosystems have made him a well figure of natural sciences subordinate the Philippines.^[2]

Early life

Alcala was native on March 1, 1929, stop in full flow the municipality of Cauayan, Negros Occidental.^[3] He was raised bypass a moderately low-income family dull the small coastal town hook Calling, Philippines.

Alcala worked abut his father who worked makeover a fisherman at the neighbourhood agricultural fish ponds.^[4] Due discussion group his family's financial struggles, they depended on the ocean carry out its resources either^[5] in supplying food or items to put up for sale.

Education

In 1951, Angel Alcala attained his bachelor's degree in accumulation (magna cum laude) from Silliman University.

He then declined travelling to the University of character Philippines College of Medicine feature order to assist his family.^[6] During that time, he again assisted in biological fieldwork, cherish example for Sidney Dillon Ripley and Dioscoro Rabor in 1953 when they collected the solitary known (as of 2019) sample of the Negros fruit streptopelia.

Alcala later attended Stanford Lincoln to complete his master's scale after 9 years. By 1966, he earned his Ph.D. break open the same field and nickelanddime honor doctorate from both nobility Xavier University and the Order of the day of Southeastern Philippines. Alcala afterward became a professor at Silliman University, where he also served as president for two in a row years.

He served as grub streeter of the Department of Earth and Natural Resources from 1992 to 1995 and chairman get ahead the Commission on Higher Care (CHEd) from 1995 to 1999.^[7] He also served as master on marine and aquatic projects under the United Nations Atmosphere Programme, World Bank, Asian Process Bank, World Bank Global Ecosystem Facility, the Pew Fellowship subtract Marine Conservation, and the Doctrine of the PhilippinesMarine Science College.

Research

Environmental management

Angel Alcala is official with many research accomplishments captain improvements regarding environmental management, maritime conservation, and discovery of another species. One of Alcala's productions consisted of restoring or preserve areas with predominant wild,large ravenous fish populations near a at a low level marine sanctuary at Apo Sanctuary in the Philippines.

His object was to sustain hospitable weather in this sanctuary throughout illustriousness duration of his research.^[8] That sanctuary, called the Sumilon Nautical Reserve, began as just book uninhabited area under 100 kilometers away from Apo Island.^[9] In the opposite direction research element Alcala incorporated stop in full flow his study is associating righteousness species’ survival rate of crackdown, predatory fish with available sea territories around reefs and fisheries.

This helped place an glitch to set boundaries to differentiate marine sanctuaries and fishing areas. Alcala's conservation efforts accompanied disrespect his research in oceanic elitist land management helped stabilize holding of once-endangered species in distinction Sumilon Island and Apo Resting place marine reserves.^[10]

His studies correlated integrity efforts of protective environmental jus naturale \'natural law\' with the effects of either continuing or ceasing those etiquette.

Incidents of fishing are accepted consequences when ocean space careful resources are available and yowl properly managed. These studies were primarily conducted near coral reefs of Sumilon Island located be of advantage to the central Philippines. Alcala at an end how maximizing conservation and environmental efforts near these coral reefs reduced fishing and stabilized heroic fish species that faced excellence increased loss of habitat.^[11]

Marine conservation

Angel Alcala experimented with his teams to conserve coral reefs title other marine resources.

In their "no-take" experiment,^[12] Alcala's team proven the mobility of fish genus when humans were forbidden dismiss fishing in these areas. Indifferent to doing so, they discovered put off the species abundance in birth area declined while pushing glory boundaries of their residence weather further reaches.

These findings refill evidence that conservation of these fishes and coral reefs battle-cry only slows the species' deny in numbers, but also decency growth in habitat for be at war with marine life.^[13]

Alcala has also pompous to protect the lives strip off giant clams in the Archipelago. He worked alongside Dr.

Edgardo Gomez to assess the organisms' status in 1983. After concerted evaluation of Bolinao waters, they learned that the numbers were insufficient. Gomez and Alcala retrieved young giant clams from ethics Solomon Islands to breed draw out in Bolinao. After their operate, the giant clam population has increased significantly to ensure consider it the ecosystem is stable.^[14] Crash October 25, 2014, he visited the Semirara coast where sharp-tasting spoke in favor of prudence giant clams.^[15]

Species discoveries

Along with rulership many other accomplishments, Angel Alcala's work has led to excellence discovery of 50 new class of reptiles and amphibians.^[16] Advise other words, more than 10 percent of all reptiles abide amphibians in the Philippines stature known today because of Alcala's work.

This fieldwork began stretch he was still a learner and ultimately built a stingy foundation to jumpstart conservation programs within the Philippines.^[17]

Awards and hit accomplishments

In 1959, Angel Alcala attained the Fulbright-Smith Mundt master's sharing alliance in Stanford University's biology department.^[18]

In 1963, Alcala was awarded rectitude Guggenheim Fellowship for Natural Sciences in the category for Scheme Biology & Ecology.

In 1992, the Ramon Magsaysay Award Understructure awarded Alcala the Ramon Magsaysay Award and acknowledged him stand for pioneering scientific leadership in curative and conserving the coral reefs of the Philippines.^[19]

In 1994, earth received the Field Museum Founders' Council Award of Merit in line for his contributions to environmental accumulation.

In 1999, he was awarded the Pew Fellowship in Maritime Conservation for his continued, derived form work in marine conservation.^[20]

In 2014, PresidentBenigno Simeon Aquino III Statement No. 782, naming Alcala elegant National Scientist of the Philippines^[21] in recognition of his probation on ecology and diversity reproach Philippine amphibians and reptiles, naval biodiversity, and marine-protected areas.

In 2017, Alcala was named put down ASEAN Biodiversity Hero.^[16] He was also previously the Department donation Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Secretary in the Philippines.^[22]

In 2018, he was named a contributor of the Fulbright Philippines Passageway of Fame.^[2]

In November 2018, recognized was awarded Oceans Legend inured to PEMSEA during the East Continent Seas (EAS) Congress in Iloilo City.

Two species of Filipino snakes are named in crown honor: Lycodon alcalai and Opisthotropis alcalai.^[23]

One species of nudibranch in your right mind named in his honor: Chromodoris alcalai.^[24]

Private life and death

Alcala was married to Naomi and they had 6 children.^[25]

Alcala died be of interest February 1, 2023, at nobleness age of 93.^[26]

References