Republic of the Philippines
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Philippine Center for Postharvest
Development and Mechanization
CLSU Compound, Science City of Muñoz, Nueva Ecija

NEWS STORIES

Green advocate in semis for best govt worker search
by The Manila Times (October 24, 2022)
A SCIENTIST developing green solutions for agriculture is one of the five semifinalists for the Civil Service Commission's 2022 Search for Outstanding Government Workers in the individual category.

Dr. Dionisio Alvindia, who has a rank of Scientist IV and is the director of the Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization (PHilMech), is also known for his ground-breaking research into non-chemical or organic solutions for agriculture.

According to the official website of the Scientific Career System of the government (https://scientificcareersystem.nast.ph/), Alvindia took up Agriculture majoring in Crop Protection at the Central Luzon State University in Nueva Ecija, where he encountered an interesting study on plant pathology authored by his professor, influencing him to pursue further scientific study. From 1998 to 2003, he took up his master's degree on International Agricultural Development and his doctorate degree on Agricultural Science at Tokyo University of Agriculture, Setagaya-ku, Japan.

He then built up his qualifications for admission to the government's Scientific Career System on June 23, 2010 as Scientist I. His promotion to Scientist IV was in May 2021.

On his research into green solutions for agriculture, an article posted on the website of the Scientific Career System quoted Alvindia as saying how challenging his research work is.

"Searching for alternatives to agro-chemicals with acceptable levels of efficacy is tough. Technologies in controlling crown rot that are non-chemical approaches need careful experimentation to reach the level of control comparable with agricultural fungicides," he was quoted as saying.

"The technology should be sustainable, environmental and consumer-friendly and these parameters have to be addressed," Alvindia added.

Alvindia also had a major role in increasing the country's palay (unmilled rice) production as he was appointed project director of the Philippine Rice Resiliency Project in November 2020 and director of the Philippine Integrated Rice Program in February 2021. The years 2020 and 2021 saw the Philippines registering record palay output.

[IN PHOTO:] Dr. Dionisio G. Alvindia, PHilMech Director IV
Source: https://www.manilatimes.net/2022/10/22/business/green-industries/green-advocate-in-semis-for-best-govt-worker-search/1863170?fbclid=IwAR2mp3fSDES-BtMvpNnBBpRFJFbJXi3vxPBn-yeKVxpDa8JdApxa313P_2w