Central Mindanao University Academic Paradise of the South
CEBREM director and university professor, Dr. Victor B. Amoroso, was chosen as the regional winner in the search for outstanding government workers under the Civil Service Commission Pag-asa Award.
The CSC Pag-asa Award is given to an individual or group of individuals for their outstanding contributions that directly benefit more than one department of the government.
A series of background investigation and screening were conducted by the CSC to ensure that deserving people are chosen and recognized as the 2017 outstanding government workers.
Dr. Haidee Helena H. Garcia, director of the university’s Human Resource Management Office (HRMO) said: “CMU nominated Dr. Amoroso because of his distinct and valuable contribution to the Philippine World Heritage Site, Mount Hamiguitan.”
A series of research results that he initiated with CEBREM were used by the local stakeholders and policy makers in the inscription of Mt. Hamiguitan Range Wildlife Santuary as UNESCO World Heritage Site. With their cooperation, Dr. Amoroso and his team also improved the Fern Garden of Balinsasayao Peoples Organization.
The Protected Area Management Bureau (PAMB) also helped in translating his research results for policy formulation.
According to the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) report, Mount Hamiguitan is the only heritage site in Mindanao. Its biologically diverse flora and fauna is a home of 1,380 species where 341 are endemic in the Philippines.
Mount Hamiguitan connects the San Isidro, Governor Generoso, and Mati City in Davao Oriental province with a total land area of 16,923 ha having a buffer zone of 9,729 ha.
Dr. Amoroso has left a mark in his career for 39 years already having published and co-authored a total of 102 research publications and 10 books.
He has also received 18 national awards, the most recent includes the Best Scientific Poster (Biological Science Division) during the 39th Annual Scientific Meeting Awarding Ceremonies, July 13, 2017 at Manila Hotel, Philippines.
Aside from that, he also received 61 institutional and regional awards from 2002 to 2005. One of his distinct awards include the Most Outstanding Researcher (Biodiversity) awarded by the university and Outstanding Teacher of the Year award given by the CMU Supreme Student Council.
Because of his outstanding accomplishments in teaching and research, the office of the university president granted him a Hall of Fame Award in research and instruction.
“For the young professionals [in order to be recognized and effective] in the teaching profession, they must go beyond classroom teaching…they should do research to generate new information, publish and present this in scientific conferences,” he said in an interview via email.
Dr. Amoroso has been presenting papers to 147 and 55 international scientific conventions specifically in Asia, USA, Europe, Africa, and Australia. “Learn from others by joining a multidisciplinary research team but you have to be a specialist on specific field to be known and recognized by your peers worldwide,” he advised.
His passion for research led him to link with other agencies and institutions here and abroad such as the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), Commission on Higher Education (CHED), Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), and California Academy of Sciences (CAS), among others.
This collaboration was able to generate more than PhP 31.7M which aimed at conducting multidisciplinary researches in the field of biodiversity, agriculture, conservation, biology, and social sciences particularly in various areas in Mindanao.
Mr. Fulgent Coritico, one of his co-researchers, said that Dr. Amoroso is output-oriented. “If he gives us tasks, he wants us to update him regarding the status or progress of the task,” he added.
Mr. Coritico has been working with Dr. Amoroso for eight years already. “I have grown professionally under his supervision,” he said.
This has been in line with Dr. Amoroso’s work principle that says “whatever work you do and achieve in life, always allocate time, focus, and give your best to deliver a quality output.”
He further stressed that he is not a 7-11 or 1-5 or Monday to Saturday employee. “I measure my day by my outputs…I teach and do research and administrative activities [even] beyond office time including weekends,” he said.
Dr. Amoroso started as a faculty member of the Department of Biology and rose through the ranks from being a department chairperson, dean of the college of Arts and Sciences, director of Instruction, coordinator of CHED-Mindanao Advanced Education Program (MAEP), director of Research, to becoming the Vice President for Research and Extension.
“My success is due to my diligence, patience, and focus on what I want to accomplish,” he said.
Currently, he is the director of the Center for Biodiversity Research and Extension in Mindanao (CEBREM), one of the research centers established in the university in 2011 to protect and conserve the remaining biodiversity in Mindanao through research, training, education, and community involvement.
The award was conferred at the CSC regional office to his son Mr. Oliver Amoroso, GMA-7 Regional TV Department head, and to Dr. Maria Luisa R. Soliven, university president as he could not attend the ceremony. He also received cash incentive worth Php 20, 000.00 and free training gift certificate. (RPadoginog)
