Dr. Antonio Alfonso (BSBio `88) receives his TOYM trophy and medal from President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo during the awarding ceremony held at the Malacañang Palace last December 16, 2008.

Twenty years after graduating from CLSU where he was president of his class and belonged to the “cream of the crop”, Dr. Antonio Andres Alfonso brings honor and great pride to his Alma Mater, family and friends by bagging two prestigious national awards.

On July 10, 2008, Dr. Alfonso was recognized by the National Academy of Science and Technology (NAST-DOST) as an Outstanding Young Scientist (OYS). Then on December 16, 2008, the Junior Chamber International (JCI, formerly Philippine Jaycees) chose him as one of the five The Outstanding Young Men (TOYM) honorees for 2008. The awarding ceremony was held at the Malacañang Palace with no less than President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo as the guest of honor.

Dr. Alfonso was conferred with the OYS award primarily because of his important role in the molecular cloning and functional characterization of a plant gene called Restorer of fertility (Rf). The research leading to this achievement was part of his Ph.D. dissertation when he was a student of Plant Molecular Biology at Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA. Described by experts as a scientific breakthrough, his team’s discovery eventually resulted in a US patent with Dr. Alfonso as co-inventor. Their findings are expected to fast-track the utilization of male sterility and fertility restoration in plants and the development of superior hybrid crops.

The TOYM award, on the other hand, was a result of Dr. Alfonso’s several other achievements, personal triumph and notable engagements.

As Chief Science Research Specialist and former head of the Plant Breeding and Biotechnology Division of PhilRice, Dr. Alfonso leads various projects in rice breeding, genetics and biotechnology. He successfully obtained millions of pesos in research grants from various sources including the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, The Rockefeller Foundation, Generation Challenge Program and local sources.

Dr. Alfonso is actively engaged in advocating science and technology through seminars, lectures, and the tri-media. A licensed teacher, he is an affiliate faculty of the CLSU Institute of Graduate Studies.

A poor farmer’s son, Dr. Alfonso made his way through college by means of scholarships and as a working student. He admitted that his stipends as staff writer and managing editor of the CLSU Collegian and as dormitory assistant were a big help at that time. He considers himself fortunate for having come from a family that values education and for having friends who lent him financial and other support in times of need.

At the year of awarding, Dr. Alfonso was president of the Philippine Society for the Advancement of Genetics (PhilSAGen) and the Philippine Phytopathological Society – Central Luzon Division. Currently, he is the convenor of the CLSU Alumni@PhilRice. A former student leader, he proudly admits that CLSU had a big part in honing not only his technical abilities but also his leadership skills.

Dr. Alfonso is married to the former Edna M. Peña (BEEd ’91), who works at PhilRice’s Visitors’ Conference and Services Office. They are blessed with three lovely children: Anna Clarissa (11), Philip Ariel (9) and Nina Elisa (1).