(Left to right) Mr. Satoshi Okhura of Nagoya University; Dr. Ronilo O. de Castro, Dr. Rommel Sulabo, Animal Nutrition Division Head of the Dairy of the Dairy Training and Research Institute of the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB-DTRI) and Mr. Kazuhito Kawakita, Dean of the Graduate School of Bioagricultural Sciences (Image credit:
Livestock Research Division (LRD), PCAARRD)The first Filipino doctorate scholar of the Transnational PhD Program of the Nagoya University Asian Satellite Campus (NUASC) recently graduated in a ceremony held in Japan.
Dr. Ronilo O. de Castro completed his PhD on Bioagricultural Sciences with a Major in Animal Science and graduated on March 25, 2019 at the Toyoda Auditorium, Nagoya University, Japan. He is one of the 18 graduates of the Graduate School of Bioagricultural Sciences (GSBS).
Dr. de Castro is a Swine Nutrition Specialist of the Livestock Research Division of the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST-PCAARRD).
The graduation was graced by NU President Dr. Seiichi Matsu and NU Alumni Association President Dr. Shoichiro Toyoda.
The program allowed Dr. de Castro to complete his study at the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB) Graduate School, which is the host of the NUASC-Philippines for the program areas in Agriculture and International Development.
Started in 2016, the Transnational PhD Program’s main mandate is to implement special research-based doctoral programs focusing on international development, agriculture, law, and medicine. It primarily targets highly qualified senior and mid-level Filipino executives from government agencies and academic institutions to earn a doctorate from Nagoya University without leaving the country.
The program generally hopes to strengthen education and research collaboration through continuous exchanges of students and researchers among different Asian regions. Other satellite campuses were also established in Cambodia, Vietnam, and Mongolia in 2014 and in Laos and Uzbekistan in 2015 (Rose Anne M. Aya, Glenda P. Fule, DOST-PCAARRD S&T Media Services).
Dr. Ronilo O. de Castro receives his diploma from Mr. Kazuhito Kawakita, Dean of the Graduate School of Bioagricultural Sciences (Image credit: LRD, PCAARRD)
