Ex-UPLB vice chancellor Gomez passes away

Dr. Arturo Gomez (Photo from Facebook account of Dr. Arturo Gomez)

BACOLOD CITY – A former vice chancellor for academic affairs of the University of the Philippine Los Baños (UPLB) and director of the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) passed away in Bangkok, Thailand, on Thursday, March 17.

A funeral service for Dr. Arturo Gomez, a native of Ilog town in Negros Occidental, will be held at the Rangsit Methodist Church in Bangkok on Monday morning, March 21, and will be followed by his cremation.

Gomez was a professor and vice chancellor for academic affairs of UPLB, and the fifth director of SEARCA, a non-profit organization that works to elevate the quality of life of agricultural families through sustainable livelihoods and provide access to modern networks and innovative markets from 1988 to 1993.

In a UPLB statement, Gomez was described as a “beloved mentor, colleague and a friend to many in the circle of agriculture science.”

“Dr. Art will be missed by many, and will be remembered for his passion and contribution for Philippine Agriculture,” it said.

SEARCA, in its Facebook page, said Gomez was an agronomist and statistician, and was one of the pioneers of multiple cropping systems in the Philippines.

Gomez and his wife co-authored text books, including the “Statistical Procedures for Agricultural Research” that has helped a lot of students and research scientists.

He was survived by his wife, Dr. Kwanchai Gomez, and his son, Victor.

/MUF