Benito Vergara

Dr. Benito Vergara was born on June 23, 1934[2] to father Jose Vergara, a medical doctor, and Luisa Sibug Vergara, a nurse.[3] He was the youngest of seven children, and was raised primarily by his older sisters Betty, Lucy, and Belen Vergara who taught him household skills and chores.[3]

In 1955, he attained his Bachelor's degree[1] in Botany from the University of the Philippines Diliman as a pre-medicine major to become a medical doctor like his father.[3] In his senior year at UP Diliman, Vergara was recommended to replace a friend who had backed out of an opportunity to pursue a master's degree in the University of Hawaii at Manoa to become a Jesuit priest.[3] The opportunity to attain a master's degree abroad in place of his friend, was described by Vergara as a turning point in his life wherein his education led him to become a scientist instead of a medical doctor.[3] After accepting the recommendation to go to UH Manoa, Vergara completed his Master's degree in Botany in 1959[1] before attending the University of Chicago[2] for his PhD in Plant Sciences and completing it in 1960.[3]

After his education, Dr. Vergara returned to the Philippines intending to join the UP faculty. Instead, he was asked by the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) Director Dr. Robert Chandler, to help start the IRRI laboratory with Dr. Bienvenido Juliano, another scientist who will eventually be awarded National Scientist[3] in 2000. The work at the IRRI would involve cataloguing, screening, and eventually breeding different varieties of rice.[3] In 1961, Dr. Vergara joined the IRRI as an Associate Plant Physiologist in 1961.[3]

Vergara and Juliano were given the task to build the IRRI laboratory from scratch as there were no research programs, gene bank, screening protocols, or other scientists involved.[3] Vergara and Juliano were given blank checks to order laboratory equipment and supplies for the laboratory, before being joined by other scientists to set the research agenda for the plant physiology work at the institute.[3] After starting the laboratory, Vergara became the head of the Plant Physiology Department and head of the Agronomy, Plant Physiology, and Agroecology Department until 1991. In 1992, he was promoted to Director for Administration until his retirement in 1996.[3]

Vergara's work in the IRRI focused on three major research areas: the flowering response of rice to photoperiodism, rice physiology, and deep water rice.[1][3]

During Vergara's last years at IRRI, Vergara developed a rice museum to educate the public on the science and culture of rice around the world.[3][1] The Riceworld Museum and Learning Center was established in1994 in the University of the Philippines, Los Baños, Laguna[6] and is the only museum and learning center in the world dedicated to rice and rice farmers around the world.[6]

International Rice Research Institute's Riceworld Museum and Learning Center

Vergara married his wife, Lina Manalo-Vergara, IRRI's first head librarian.[1] He has two sons, Sunny and Happy Vergara, a daughter, Joy Vergara, and four grandchildren.[1]

On October 24, 2015 at the age of 81, Vergara died of a heart attack.[1]

Vergara was also a member of the Ornamental Team of the Philippines Council for Agriculture and Resource Research. He was also president of the Los Baños Orchid Society.[6]

Vergara has won numerous awards for his scientific work, and work within his community. Awards include:

• Outstanding Young Man, 1961[7]
• Outstanding Phi Sigman, 1977[7]
• Outstanding Alumnus of the UP Botanical Society, 1986[7]
• Academician to the National Academy of Science and Technology Philippines, 1987[1]
• American Society of Agronomy Fellow, 1986[7]
• National Scientist, 2001[7]
• Outstanding Citizen of Los Baños, 2004[1]