MANILA, Philippines--DR. CONRADO S. DAYRIT, cardiologist, pharmacologist, National Scientist and past president of the National Academy of Science and Technology, died at 6:45 a.m. yesterday at the Victor Potenciano Medical Center where he was serving as its medical director.

Dr. Dayrit is best known for his virgin coconut oil advocacy as a health food from the time of his pioneering clinical study on its positive effect on HIV-AIDS in the early 1980s. He authored the book, The Truth about Coconut Oil.

VCO Philippines, an association of virgin coconut oil producers and traders, conferred on him the title of Father of VCO in 2003 for spearheading national and global interest on Philippine coconut oil.

He is survived by his wife, Milagros Millar, seven sons: former health secretary Manuel, Conrado III, Dean of Science and Engineering at the Ateneo University Fabian, Eduardo, Rafael, Ignacio and Francis; and daughter Regina.

The body lies at Santuario de San Jose, East Greenhills, San Juan.