Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 12) — President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has appointed Renato Solidum Jr. as secretary of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), the palace said Friday.
Press Secretary Trixie Cruz-Angeles, in a message to reporters, announced the new appointment of Solidum, the longtime director of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs).
Solidum has been with Phivolcs since 1984 and became director in 2003. In 2017, he was appointed as DOST Disaster Risk Reduction Climate Change Adaptation Undersecretary but continued as officer- in-charge of Phivolcs.
The new DOST secretary holds a bachelor’s degree in Geology from the University of the Philippines, a master’s degree in Geological Sciences from the University of Illinois and a doctorate degree in Earth Sciences from the University of California.
Sodium has received numerous awards, including the Presidential Citation for Public Service, Professional of the Year in the field of Geology by the Professional Regulation Commission and the Excellence Award for Government Service by the Philippine Federation of Professional Associations.
