Dr Gina P. Nilo, Ph.D.  

Chief Agriculturist of the Laboratory Services Division, Bureau of Soils and Water Management under the Department of Agriculture / Lead Proponent of the National Soil Health Program 

Prior to being the Chief Agriculturist of the BSWM-LSD, Dr Gina P. Nilo was the Chief Agriculturist of the Soil and Water Resources Research Division, Soil Survey Division, OIC-Chief of the Soil Conservation Division and the Agricultural Land Management and Evaluation Division. 

Her 40 years of experience in the Bureau was supplemented with her academic ventures to wit: Diploma in Development Management at the Development Academy of the Philippines in 2015, Doctorate in Environmental Science at the University of the Philippines Diliman in 2004, Master of Science in Agricultural Engineering in Soil and Water Option at Silsoe College, Cranfield Institute of Technology, England in 1986, PG Diploma Course in Soil Science at the Agricultural University of Norway in 1984, and BS Agriculture Major in Soil Science at the Gregorio University Foundation (GAUF) in 1981.  

Dr Nilo has led and participated in locally and internationally-funded projects and research including the National Focal for the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), Asian Soil Partnership (ASP) (2012-date) Pillar 5: Harmonization of methods, measurements and indicators for the sustainable management and protection of soil resources Regional Asia Laboratory Network and the Global Environment Facility (GEF) 5 - United Nations Development Program (UNDP) Philippines (2015 – 2020) Implementation of Sustainable Land Management (SLM) Practices to address Land Degradation and Drought and Project Leader on various researches with Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR).  

Dr Nilo is the Chairperson of the Gawad Saka, Rural Improvement Club Category (2007-date), Chairperson of SEALNET Regional Network for Asia, and the Lead author on the Test Method for Organic Carbon, Electrical Conductivity, available P (Olsen Method) and Available P (Bray I and Bray II method). Her wide involvement at the local and international levels paved the way for her to bridge the gaps and initiated the development and implementation of the National Soil Health Program in the Philippines with the approved budget of ₱1.5B for three year program (2021-2023) 

Dr Nilo initiated the ISO 17025:2017 accreditation of the BSWM LSD 2016-2021, recognized by the FAO as the National Reference Laboratory, initiated the establishment of the National Soil Laboratory Network (NASOLAN); the Implementation of PD 1435 that mandates the supervision, regulation and control the establishment and operations of all Soil Laboratories in the country. Such effort is very essential to ensuring harmonized and quality data in the country for purposes of monitoring soil health and application of appropriate intervention for Soil Nutrient Management and Rejuvenation.