Dr. Julius Caesar V. Sicat, the new Executive Director of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Region III with Office located at Diosdado Macapagal Government Center, Maimpis, City of San Fernando is the Guest of Honor and Speaker during the 2017 Annual Alumni Homecoming scheduled on February 3-6, 2017.

Dr. Sicat graduated with the degree Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Engineering at the Central Luzon State University as Cum Laude on April 12, 1987 and placed 9th among the Top 10 Examinees of the Board of Agricultural Engineering Examination administered by PRC in the same year after his graduation. He is credited with two M.S. Degrees, namely: Master in Development Management at the Development Academy of the Philippines (2012) and Master of Agriculture major in Agricultural Machinery Science at the Miyasaki University, Miyasaki City, Japan (1998). He earned his Doctor of Philosophy in Agricultural Science on March 14, 2001 at Kagoshima University, Kagoshima, Japan.

In addition to his educational attainments, he also passed the Career Service Professional Examination with a rating of 88.89% in July 1987 and the Career Service Executive Eligibilty with an aggregate score of 127 in the written examination held in June 2002 and subsequently passed the Oral Exam in Nov. 2002.

In recognition of his outstanding performance, both in public and private services, Dr. Sicat was recognized by several Organizations which bestowed him the following awards: DOST Medal of Academic Excellence in 1987; DOST Re-entry Program Certificate of Merit in 2002; Natatanging Anak ng Nueva Ecija (Science and Technology Category) in 2006; PSAE Outstanding Agricultural Engineer (Science and Technology Management Category) in 2009; CLSU Alumni Achievement Award in 2010; and Wagwag Club of Muñoz Outstanding Achiever in 2010.

In view of his exemplary intellectual capabilities, Dr. Sicat was rewarded with several Scholarship Programs, to wit: Philippine Science High School (DOST) Scholar- (1978-1982); National Science and Technology Authority Scholar (1982-1987) “Monbasho Scholarship-Government of Japan for his Doctoral Degree (1998-2001); Monbasho Scholarship- Gov’t of Japan, for his Masteral Degree (1996-1998); Philippine Government Scholarship Program (2011-2012).

For his Management and Professional Experiences, Dr. Sicat held the following government position: Regional Director IV- DOST-Region III; Regional Director IV, DOST at Cordillera Autonomous Region, La Trinidad, Benguet; Asst. Regional Director for Technical Operations at DOST Region III; Officer In-charge, Office of the Regional Director, DOST- Region III; Technical Consultant- Sultan Topaon D. Disomirba, Royal Avenue of Masin, Lanao Del Sur; Provincial S and T Director, Provincial S and T Center, Nueva Ecija.

To further enrich his professional career, Dr. Sicat attended 59 National and International Trainings/Seminars/Workshops and Conferences both national and abroad namely: Singapore, Netherlands, Beijing-China; Japan, Australia and several educational and research institutions in the Philippines.

As a prolific writer and researcher, Dr. Sicat published 12 relevant/significant papers in both national and international journals, to wit: Posture Analysis of Fruits and Vegetable Handling-Proceedings of the 7th International Symposium in Machinery and Mechatronics for Agriculture and Biosystem Engineering-in Taiwan; Survey of Riding Tractor Operating Comfort in Nueva Ecija-published in the Japanese Journal of Farm Work Research; and many others. On the other hand, Dr. Sicat presented the results of his research studies in both national and international fora, namely: S and T Based Assistance for Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) in the Philippines- Beijing, China; Development of U-Wheel tractor brake and clutch pedal designs through Ergonomic Analysis of Seat Height and Pedal Position- presented during the 93rd International meeting of American Society of Agricultural Engineers, Wisconsin, USA, and many others.

JC, as he is fondly called by friends, relatives and associates is happily married to the former Ms. Maricel G. Mactal with three children: Niñoel Alexander (32); Mark Anthony (28) and Daniel Joshua (21). Dr. Sicat and family are presently residing in the Science City of Muñoz, Nueva Ecija.