Luz Oliveros-Belardo

Luz Oliveros-Belardo (3 November 1906 – 12 December 1999) was a Filipina pharmaceutical chemist, honored with the National Scientist of the Philippines award by the Philippine government in 1987.

Early life

Luz Oliveros was born in Navotas, Rizal, the daughter of Aurelio Oliveros and Elisa Belarmino. She was an alumna of the Philippine Women's University, and held undergraduate and master's degrees in chemistry from the University of the Philippines. In 1957 she earned a PhD in pharmaceutical chemistry at the University of Connecticut,^[1] with a dissertation involving molecular refraction in terpenes.^[2]

Career

Oliveros-Belardo was director of the Natural Sciences Research Center at the Philippine Women's University. She became Dean of the College of Pharmacy in 1947.^[3] Her research focused on extracting essential oils and other chemicals from native Philippine plants, for pharmaceuticals, food production, scents, and other applications.^[1] For example, she developed an experimental formulation based on apitong (Dipterocarpus grandiflorus) oleoresin that was suitable for a motor fuel.^[4]

In 1965-1966, she was named an AAUW fellow^[5] by the American Association of University Women to pursue her research at Stanford University.^[6] In 1974, the Philippine Association of University Women recognized her with their Achievement Award in Natural Science.^[7] She received the National Scientist Award in 1987.^[8][9]

Personal life

Luz Oliveros married a dentist, Ricardo A. Belardo. They had two daughters. She died in 1999, aged 93 years. Her remains were buried at Libingan ng mga Bayani in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City.^[10]

References

External links

• Sonia L. Atabug, "Dr. Luz Belardo, the Compleat Scientist" Manila Call (5 February 1989).

Order of National Scientists recipients
1978	Juan Salcedo, Jr.†, Nutrition & Public Health Alfredo Santos†, Physical Chemistry Gregorio Y. Zara†, Engineering & Inventions
1980	Fe del Mundo†, Pediatrics Eduardo Quisumbing†, Plant Taxonomy, Systematics, & Morphology
1982	Geminiano de Ocampo†, Ophthalmology Casimito del Rosario†, Physics, Astronomy, & Meteorology Gregorio Velasquez†, Phycology
1983	Francisco Fronda†, Animal Husbandry Francisco Santos†, Human Nutrition & Agricultural Chemistry Carmen Velásquez, Parasitology
1985	Teodoro Agoncillo†, Philippine History Encarnacion Alzona†, Philippine History Hilario Lara†, Public Health
1986	Julián Banzón†, Chemistry Dioscoro Umali†, Agriculture & Rural Development
1987	Jose Encarnacion, Jr.†, Economics Luz Oliveros-Belardo†, Phytochemistry
1988	Alfredo Lagmay†, Experimental Psychology
1989	Paulo Campos†, Nuclear Medicine
1994	Pedro Escuro†, Genetics & Plant Breeding Clara Lim-Sylianco, Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry
1998	Dolores Ramírez, Biochemical Genetics & Cytogenetics José R. Velasco†, Plant Physiology
1999	Gelia T. Castillo, Rural Sociology
2000	Bienvenido Juliano, Biochemistry
2001	Clare Baltazar, Systematic Entomology Benito Vergara, Plant Physiology
2004	Onofre Corpuz†, Political Economics & Government
2005	Ricardo Lantican, Plant Breeding
2006	Lourdes Cruz, Biochemistry
2008	Teodulo Topacio Jr., Veterinary Medicine
2010	Mercedes Concepcion, Demography Ernesto Domingo, Internal Medicine/ Gastroenterology Perla Dizon Santos Ocampo†, Pediatrics
2011	Raul V. Fabella, Economics Bienvenido Nebres,SJ, Mathematics
2014	Angel Alcala, Biological science Ramon Barba, Horticulture Edgardo Gomez, Marine Biology Gavino Trono, Jr., Marine Biology
†Retired