Biography: September 2017

Here is a short profile about Dr. Rodolfo Baldevarona which I wrote in 2007. I updated it in 2009.
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Dr. Rodolfo B. Baldevarona:
The Underdog Filipino Fisheries Scientist

By
Melchor F. Cichon
December 8, 2007
updated: August 13, 2009
Note: Dr. Baldevarona died on September 1, 2009, Philippine time.

One of the most interesting figures in the University of the Philippines Visayas is Dr. Rodolfo B. Baldevarona.
Each time he opens his mouth, many people make different faces.
Some are happy, but the majority of his colleagues are not. In the shuttle bus, everybody is familiar with his laughter.
And his laughter is contagious. To some.
What makes him interesting?
"I have a foresight, but some people do not agree with my ideas. And since I am alone, my suggestions are always turned down by the majority rule. No problem."
Not only foresight, but he has a lot of bright ideas if only one has the ear to listen to him.
There were several occasions where he had clashed with his colleagues on university policies but this aspect of his life requires a longer paper.
And if you happen to be one of his students, better attend regularly to his class because you will surely miss a lot of insights that will greatly benefit your professional career, particularly in fish physiology for he is one of the few Filipino experts on the subject in the Philippines today.
I will focus on his life as a fisheries scientist.
Dr. Baldevarona has been a faculty member of the University of the Philippines Visayas since 1972. Presently, he is Professor 3.
Born from poor parents, Prof. Baldevarona graduated Valedictorian at Culasi Elementary School, Culasi, Ajuy, Iloilo,from 1952 to 1958, and graduated First Honors and Corp Commander in 1965 at Victorino Salcedo High School at Sara, Iloilo.
He received three other awards: Historian of the year; Physicist of the Year; and, Most Military-Minded graduate.
From then he took up B.S. Engineering in 1965-67, but shifted to BS Education, majoring in Mathematics-Chemistry with Physics at UP College Iloilo, Iloilo City in 1969, and became the Corp Commander of UP Vanguard, Inc., UP College Iloilo (UPCI), in Iloilo City (now the University of the Philippines in the Visayas.
After graduation from college, he taught at Luca Barrio High School in 1969-70, then he transferred to Victorino Salcedo High School, his alma mater, in 1970. He stayed there until 1972 when he was hired as an Instructor at UP College Iloilo. After 7 years, he was promoted to Instructor IV.
While teaching at University of the Philippines College Iloilo (UPCI), now the UP Visayas, he took up units in Master in Public Administration and in Master in Arts Teaching majoring in physics. But then he switched to fisheries when there was a move to create the UPV with the College of Fisheries as its flagship college.
After his master’s degree in fisheries, he was appointed as Assistant College Secretary of the UPV College of Fisheries.
His other administrative works include the following: Philippine Army Active Duty, Cebu City 1971-72; Head, DYD/CAT, UPCI High School, 1974-75; Commandant, CAT I, UPCI High School, 1979-80; Asst. College Secretary UP in the Visayas-College of Fisheries Program Iloilo (UPV-CFPI) 1981-1983; Technical Assistant UPV, Food System Development Program 1988-89; OIC UPV Office of research Coordination 1988-89; director, UPV ORC 1989-92; OIC Vice- chancellor for Administration, 9/1/89-12/31/89; OIC UPV security Force 9/1/89-04/30/90 and Station Head, BAC, Leganes, 1/1/99-12/31/99.
When his field of study switched to fisheries, he has no other recourse but to focus on this discipline, more particularly on mangrove reforestation.
And his knowledge on chemistry and physics came as a big help as fisheries deals much on these two sciences. Both chemistry and physics can be applied in marine sciences.
In 1987, he received his PhD degree from the University of South Carolina, USA.
Aside from his World-Bank Scholarship grant for his doctorate degree at the University of South Carolina, he received other awards.
While studying at Ajuy High School, he received the Ajuy Municipal Council Scholarship. When he entered UP College Iloilo in 1965, he was an entrance scholar. In his second year, he was a UP Glee Club Scholar from 1966 to 1969. In 1974, he received the UP Local Faculty Fellowship Grant for his MS in Fisheries degree at the College of Fisheries, UP in the Visayas.
Dr. Baldevarona is so blessed that he received more awards than some of his colleagues. From 1973 to 2008, he received eleven (11) prestigious awards.
Some of these are the following:
In 1973, he was awarded the S.S. Soreach Modern Mathematics Award. In 1991, he was an Outstanding Technology Awardee for his reforestation and management of mangrove swamp in Taklong Island, Guimaras.
His other awards include the Roberto S. Benedicto Diamond Jubilee Professional Chair award.
In 2007, he received two international publication awards from the University of the Philippines System for his two journal articles on mud crab, Scylla serrata.
In 2005, he ran for chancellor of the University of the Philippines Visayas together with Dr. Glenn Aguilar, his fellow Ilonggo and a colleague at the College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, UPV.
Unfortunately, he was not chosen.
Dr. Aguilar was selected as the new UPV Chancellor, vice Dr. Ida Siason.
Dr. Baldevarona honorably accepted his defeat.
As a scientists, Dr. Baldevarona has conducted several projects from 1978 to 1999.
This include the following:
1978-1980. Development of management procedures to improve fish production in ponds affected by acid-sulphate soils. IV. Effects of different fertilizer combinations.
1987-1990. Reforeastation and management of mangrove swamp in Taklong Island, Guimaras.
1989-1991. Transplantation and culture en masse of green mussel, Perna viridis, from a stable community to Taklong Ilsand, Guimaras.
1992-1993. Coral reef management in Taklong Island, Guimaras: age and recruitment studies of selected marine fisheries.
1995-1998. Textbook in coastal resource management, "Pangangalaga ng mga Kabuhayan sa Tabing Dagat".
1999-2000. Socio-economic impact of the UPV-BAC on the neighboring communities at the immediate vicinity of the Center.
From these projects and his other researches, Dr. Baldevarona was able to produce some publications:
Baldevarona, RB. 1979. Basic flow of phosphorus in brackishwater fishponds. MS thesis. Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of the University of the Philippines System in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Fisheries (major in aquaculture). 78 leaves.
Baldevarona, R,B. 1983. Quantitative methods of applying organic matter in fishponds. Danyag, UP in the Visayas 2(1):102-109.
Baldevarona, RB. 1987. Effects of feeding and stocking density on growth and survival of spot, Leiostomius xanthurus Lacepede. PhD. Dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the Marine Science Program, University of South Carolina. 117 leaves.
Baldevarona, RB and JM Dean. 1988. Abundance estimate and population structure of spot, Leiostomus xanthurus Lacepede. Kinaalam, UP in the Visayas 2(1):50-62.
Secor, D., JM Dean and RB Baldevarona. 1989. Comparison of otolith and somatic growth in larval and juvenile fishes based on otolith length/fish length relationship. Rapp.p.v.Reun. Cons. Int. Explor. Mer. 191:431-438
Baldevarona, RB. 1990. Chemistry in aquaculture. I. Soil quality management. Kinaalam, UP in the Visayas 3(1):139-146.
Baldevarona, RB and CG Rendon. 1991. Toxic effects of selected plants for pest and predators control in prawn ponds. Philippine Technology Journal 16(4):3-24.
Baldevarona, RB. 1992. The role of mangrove in the Philippine coastal environment. Mangrove Productivity. DOST-PCARRD. 127:25-33.
Baldevarona, RB. 1992. Reforestation and management of mangrove swamp in Taklong island, Guimaras. Mangrove Productivity 127:107-114.
Tambasen-Cheong, MV, J. Tan-Fermin, LM Garcia and RB Baldevarona. 1995. Milt-egg ration in artificial fertilization of the Asian freshwater catfish Clarias macrocephalus, injected salmon gonadotropin-releasing hormone analogue and domperidone. Aquatic Living Resources 8:303-307.
La Sara, JA Ingles, RB Baldevarona, RO Aguilar, LV Laureta and S Watanabe. 2002. Reproductive biology of mud crab, Scylla serrata in Lawelle Bay, Southeast Sulawesi, Indonesia. JSPS-DGHE International Seminar. Crustacean Fisheries, pp. 88-95.
This year, 2007, is his luckiest year in his career as a scientist.
His two papers were published in two prestigious journals making him a dual recipient of the International Publication Awards 2007 given by the University of the Philippines:
"The Natural Diet of the Mud Crab (Scylla serrata) in Lawele Bay, Southeast Sulawasi, Indonesia, " published in The Philippine Agricultural Scientist 90 (1):6-14, 2007, and the
"Abundance and distribution Patterns of Scylla spp. in the Lawele Bay, Southeast Sulawesi, Indonesian," published in Asian Fisheries Science 19:331-347, 2006.
Now, can we still say that he is an underdog fisheries scientist?

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Melchor Cichon Rosa Lea Baldevarona

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Rosa Lea Baldevarona Thank you Sir Melchor! Hidlaw man ko kay Tatay ba.

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Melchor Cichon Ako man gani. Sige lang. Happy man na siya kay ang ginhinyo na sa akon one year before he passed away, Mel ikaw na bahala magsulat sg akon biography. So ginhatagan niya ako sg iya biodata.

Yesterday, September 1, 2012, was the 3rd death anniversary of the late Dr. Rodolfo "Balde" Baldevarona of the UPV College of Fisheries, Miag-ao, Iloilo.
I would like to post here the eulogy I wrote for him three years ago:

Dahil Gwapo Ako!*
By
Melchor F. Cichon
September 6, 2009

It’s very difficult to say a last goodbye to a great friend.
But I have to do it.
I first met Dr. Rodolfo Bermudo Baldevarona or Balde in the late 1970s when I was still working at UP College Iloilo, now known as the UP Visayas. But we were not as close as lately. I only remember that he was always in the library where I was working. As a librarian, I would attend to his information needs when he needed them.
After that, we did not meet for many years because he went to the United States for his Ph D degree, while I continued my graduate studies in Diliman.
It was in 1980s when we met again. This time he was already a doctor. Because he was teaching at the College of Fisheries, now the College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, while I was working at the CFOS Library, it was inevitable that we would always meet. In fact, he donated a lot of his important tapes on fisheries to the University Library. He also donated some of his pamphlets to the CFOS Library. And because both of us stay in Iloilo City, both of us had to travel almost everyday—riding on our shuttle bus.
And when he rode on the shuttle bus, almost always, he was my seatmate.
And since both us have fisheries background, it was not difficult for both of us to discuss about fisheries and oceanography. Or anything else under the sun.
But most of the topics we talked about were his heartaches towards his colleagues and some university policies. He would also talk about his trips to the United States, Japan, Indonesia and Canada. He would talk how he loved his wife, Rosalli, and their children, Candice, Ruby, and Lea. He used to tell me how his wife and children took care of him especially during those trying times when he met his Creator for five times. But of course, he would also talk about his frustrations particularly when he was not selected as a UPV Chancellor or when his research proposals were being used by other people. He would talk about the mangroves he planted in Guimaras.
But he said he was so happy that he was given a chance to teach at the College of Arts and Sciences. And he told me that he longed to continue teaching at CAS after his retirement on October 20, next month. He said he was discussing this with Dean Rommel Espinosa.
In preparation for that big event, he invited all his friends to attend his beach birthday party. He asked his friends to bring something small that has connection with his life.
One time while we were waiting for the shuttle bus, Dr. Baldevarona asked me to attend to his birthday party and requested me to bring him something. He looked at the ground and picked up a paper. He crumpled it and told me to say this: “I bring this crumpled paper to signify your crumpled mind that has been crumpled by many people.”
But of course, I did not plan to bring him that kind of gift. I told him I would write him a short profile and have it published in the Panay News. Two days after that, he sent me a copy of his bio-data complete with picture. He wrote a short note: “Mel, this is all about me. Wala na akong secret sa buhay. With compliments. Migo Balde.”
I did not know that that would be my last written communication from him.
Until now, I have not submitted the said article to the editor of Panay News. But I will surely do that. Soon. Promise.
Dr. Baldevarona is a happy man. His laughter is his trademark. And his famous punch line is this: “Kasalanan ko ba kung ipinanganak akong gwapo?” At may proba siya! Ito raw ang palaging sinasabi sa kanya ng kanyang Lola, ng kanyang Nanay, at ng kanyang mahal na asawa.
Oo nga naman. Sino nga ba ang hindi maniniwala sa kanya na gwapo siya?
One time he said to me: “Mel, bakit nakabarong ka ngayon?” Sabi ko, “nakakahiya naman na tumabi ako sa isang gwapo na hindi magara ang suot ko.” He would then burst into laughter. And he added: “Yan ang gusto ko sa ‘yo dahil hindi ka nagsisinungaling !”
And his laughter would create mixed reactions among our co-passengers. But he didn’t care about them. Instead he would laugh some more. And lauder!
This characteristic of him was used by his students to lower his blood pressure especially so when he noted that his students attended their class unprepared.
Here is what one of his students had told me: “Ang hirap naman kasi ng klase ninyo. Sana naging kasing gwapo kami katulad ninyo para madali naming maintindihan ang ating leksiyon.” After hearing this, he would burst into laughter. And the whole class would laugh.
Seriously speaking, I saw Dr. Baldevarona as a serious teacher, a serious researcher, and a faithful husband and a good provider to his family.
As I said earlier, it is difficult to say a last goodbye to a great friend. But I have to.
But before I end this speech, I would like to share these haiku which I wrote for him because he also liked poetry:
kaumhan—
kon diin mo una nakita
ang pagtulo sang imo luha
****
magal-um nga Septembre—
amo ini ang ikaanum mo
nga pagpakigkita sa Ginuo
Paalam, kaibigan.
****
*This is the eulogy I delivered during the necrological program for Dr. Rodolfo B. Baldevarona held on September 4, 2009, 2:00 p.m. at the Gegato-Abecia Funeral Homes.
Dr. Baldevarona was born in Ajuy, Iloilo, and took his undergraduate and masteral degrees at the University of the Philippines Visayas. He took his PhD degree at the University of North Carolina, USA. Prior to his untimely death, he was a professor at the College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, University of the Philippines Visayas, Miagao, Iloilo.

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