Arturo Alcaraz

1982 Ramon Magsaysay Awardee for Government Service from the Philippines. A lifelong bureaucrat and meticulous scientist, Arturo Alcaraz sparked the national interest in geothermal energy’s potential as an alternative source to crude oil, at a time when no one could yet foresee the energy crises that would affect non-oil producing countries in the 1970s. His work toward the exploration, development and use of a renewable energy source helped his country cope with the unexpected. It even aided the government in saving agricultural crops from drought, contributing to its nutrition and disease-control programs, and creating an industry that could generate more jobs. He is considered as the Philippines’ Father of Geothermal Energy Development, due to his contributions to studies about Philippine volcanology and the energy derived from volcanic sources. His chief contribution was the study and establishment of geothermal power plants in the country, particularly in the regions of Tiwi, Albay, Mt Makiling, Mt. Banahaw, and Leyte.