THE Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST-PCAARRD) is expected to get a boost following the installation of Dr. Melvin B. Carlos as the Council’s new Deputy Executive Director.
This welcome development came after Carlos, the former Director of the Technology Transfer and Promotion Division (TTPD), took his oath of office before DOST Secretary Fortunato T. de la Peña at the DOST main headquarters recently.
As the new Deputy Executive Director for the Administration, Resource Management and Support Services (ARMSS) Cluster, Carlos is tasked to lead in the coordination of planning, programming, monitoring, and evaluation of science and technology (S&T) support activities such as general administration, institution development, resource management, strategic communication, management information system, and policy.
Since October 17, 2017 until his formal appointment as the full-pledged deputy executive director for the ARMSS, Carlos has served as the officer-in-charge of the cluster.
In 2011, Carlos led the TTPD as its director and served concurrently as the officer-in-charge of PCAARRD’s Applied Communication Division from January 2014 to February 2015.
Carlos started his career at the Council in 1983 as a Science Research Assistant in the International Projects’ Division.
After taking his MS at the University of the Philippines Los Baños, he returned to the Council as project manager of the World Bank-funded Agricultural Support Service Project (ASSP-TG).
Carlos took up his Ph.D. in Economic Geography from the Simon Fraser University in British Columbia, Canada.
He brings to the Council his experience from various regional and international Research and Development (R&D) Centers, having worked at the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA), Winrock International, WorldFish Center, International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), Asian Development Bank (ADB), and International Development Research Center (IDRC).
Aside from serving the different R&D institutions, Carlos taught in at least three universities, namely: the University of British Columbia and Simon Fraser University, both in Canada; and the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB).
Carlos eventually acquired his Career Executive Service Eligibility in 2014.
He is currently the vice president of the Philippine Association of Research Managers (PhilARM), National Vice President of the Philippine Association of Agriculturists (PAA) and President of the Philippine Agricultural Economics and Development Association (PAEDA).
In a related development, PCAARRD acting Deputy Executive Director for R&D Edwin C. Villar was also recently inducted by the Career Executive Service Board (CESB) during the 45th anniversary of the Career Executive Service (CES).
Villar was inducted along with 32 other new CES Eligibles.
During the ceremony, the eligibles pledged to become exemplary models of integrity, service, and excellence, as well as live by the ideals of the CES.
To become a CES eligible, the applicants should undergo and pass the written examination, assessment, performance validation, and board interview.
As a former director of the PCAARRD-Livestock Research Division (LRD), Villar was appointed as the acting Deputy Executive Director for R&D on October 1, 2015. (jaypeeyap@ymail.com/PN)
