Angel Alcala: Loving God’s creatures

Angel Chua Alcala, 93, died on Feb. 1, 2023, in Dumaguete City, mourned by scientific, academic, and multiple communities, here and abroad. Alcala stands tall—primus inter pares, first among equals—for his three decades of service as biologist, university professor and president (Silliman), Cabinet secretary, marine scientist—the list goes on and on, as do the accolades and awards he has garnered: Outstanding Sillimanian (1988), Ramon Magsaysay awardee for public service (1992), National Scientist (2014), Asean Biodiversity Hero (2017), Pew fellowship in marine conservation, and a host of other awards.

Hailing from a coastal village in Negros Occidental, the young Alcala and his brother helped their father breed milkfish (bangus) in ponds for sale locally, on occasion catching crabs and shrimp for a family feast. Living close to sea and shore, it is no wonder Alcala would eventually make their protection his life’s calling.

Graduating from Silliman University (SU) in 1951 magna cum laude in BS Biology, Alcala later proceeded to Stanford University for his master’s and doctorate degrees in biology studies, supported by scholarship grants.

Alcala’s numerous awards are mere shorthand for his enduring contributions to science and society: identification of 50 new species of amphibians and reptilians, setting up a marine protected area (MPA) in 1974, which is a “no take” zone that bans fishing, mining, drilling, and extractive activities, pioneering artificial coral reefs in the ’70s as Department of Environment and Natural Resources secretary, which now number over 1,000 throughout the country, a best practice adopted in the Southeast Asian region. His work has also informed the inclusion of MPAs in both the Local Government Code and the Fisheries Code. Alcala founded two research institutions: the Silliman Marine Laboratory (now the Institute of Environmental and Marine Sciences) and the Angelo King Center for Research and Environmental Management.

Undergirding all this was his “deep faith in God and the traditions and teachings of the church,” according to Silliman University pastor Noriel Capulong. The latter speaks of Alcala’s “unwavering and active involvement” in the life and ministry of the SU church as elder and council member, and as a preacher on numerous occasions. More recently, Capulong notes, Dr. Alcala, as a member of the SU board of trustees, “expressed deep concern on the leadership crisis” besetting the national church (United Church of Christ in the Philippines or UCCP) for many years. In 2018, some UCCP members filed charges against its national leadership for illegally leasing land in Tacloban City to the Gaisano conglomerate. Dr. Alcala was involved in mediation proceedings, which failed when the leadership refused to submit basic documents.

We pay tribute to Dr. Alcala for the MPAs that ensure that our coasts and seas heal from overfishing, thus restoring sustainable livelihoods to impoverished fishing communities. His healing formula is called the “25 percent solution” based on years of research: If an MPA rehabilitates 25 percent of coral reefs in that area, this will protect 25 percent of fishery species in the same area and “the spillover effects of … no take rehabilitation will enable an ecosystem to thrive long enough to protect itself.” We also thank Dr. Alcala for the countless learning modules drawing on outputs of the research institutes and on the books and over 160 scientific papers he has written.

Angel Alcala has preached—in action—the gospel of life abundant for the fisherfolk of Negros (and elsewhere) from whence he came. A man of few words, his deeds and advocacies now serve to heal the earth and to teach young and old alike that all creatures that creep and crawl and fly and swim are part of God’s creation—by naming and providing them sanctuary.

Rest in peace, Dr. Alcala.

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Jurgette Honculada, in her mid-70s, is from Zamboanga City. She is a member of the United Church of Christ in the Philippines and the advocacy group Pagmata.