SHE COULD have been the highest-ranking faculty member of the university – and perhaps even in the entire SUC system – having reached the required number of points for a University Professor position based on official result of National Budget Circular No. 461 (Faculty Classification and Compensation System) fourth cycle evaluation.

But she had to go. Compulsory. And gracefully.

Dr. Thelma Zapata Layaoen, CAFSD professor of entomology and plant pathology, bowed out from government service on Jan. 19, her 65th birthday. She was honored in a testimonial program on Feb. 15 tendered to her by her CAFSD colleagues with whom she spent 39 years as teacher, administrator, researcher, and extension worker. Her husband, Dr. Heraldo L. Layaoen – MMSU vice president for planning, development, and external linkages – and all four of their sons attended the said event.

She came to the university (still then the Ilocos Norte Institute of Technology) on Jan. 3, 1974 as instructor from a stint as research aide at the International Rice Research Institute in Los Baños, Laguna. She rose from the ranks of teachers in the university until she became one of the highest-ranking faculty members with the position of Professor VI. She was given the 2005 Outstanding Teacher award by MMSU and was second round qualifier in the Search for Outstanding Teachers sponsored by the Metrobank Foundation.

Originally from San Marcelino, Zambales, Dr. Layaoen finished in 1970 her Bachelor of Science in Agriculture major in Entomology from the then University of the Philippines College of Agriculture, now University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB). She also finished in the same school her Master of Science in Agriculture major in Entomology/Plant Pathology in 1979. She took at the Northwestern University in Laoag City her Doctor of Philosophy in Development Education which she finished in 2000. She was a Ford Foundation grantee for her MS thesis.

Dr. Layaoen was a well-rounded faculty member not only functioning as a teacher but also as a researcher and extension worker. She also held administrative work in various capacities.

As researcher, she was leader in various research projects, studies, and teams – the last of which before her retirement is the Sweet Sorghum Project that earned the Most Outstanding HEI Research Program in the Philippines award from CHED. She also reaped awards for the papers she presented in various local, regional, and national scientific conferences. In recognition of her numerous accomplishments in this area, she was twice awarded – in 2002 and 2010 – as outstanding researcher by the university.

As extension worker, she was technical specialist in plant protection, entomology, pest management, and sericulture. She also served as senior research staff in entomology from the then International Development Research Centre Project at MMSU funded by a Canadian Crown corporation helping developing countries use science and technology to find solutions to local problems. She was also technical staff for pest management in the then MMSU Institute for Dryland Agriculture.

She had travelled to Brazil for training on integrated pest management and to India on tropical sericulture and on strengthening rainfed agriculture RDE in the Philippines. She also went for a study tour on sweet sorghum and pigeonpea in Indonesia.

She had attended numerous conferences, seminars, workshops, meetings, and symposia in various levels as participant, paper presenter, speaker, and evaluator. Her papers were published in numerous proceedings, reports, journals, and information bulletins.

She wrote a handbook in identifying and controlling pigeonpea insect pests and diseases published by DA-BAR in 2010; a field guide in identifying insect pests infesting sweet sorghum by PCARRD in 2010; and another field guide in identifying diseases infecting sweet sorghum, also by PCARRD, in 2010.

 In the testimonial program, she thanked God for reaching the compulsory retirement age for government workers and said that it had been “very fulfilling” to work at MMSU under various dynamic leaderships. She said that her deep involvement in R&D for more than a decade gave her opportunity to be recognized in both her research and teaching activities. “Truly, I adhere to the dictum that research is the foundation of knowledge and technologies which are basic in conceptualizing quality and effective teaching,” she asserted.

She related that she is both happy and sad about her retirement. She said she is happy because she is now in control of her time and never have to wake up early for school. She added: “I can now leave behind stressful days dealing with students who are hard-headed, absentee, and ‘intellectually burdened’”. She said she can already schedule frequent visits to their grandchildren and stay with them longer.

She said she is sad because she will be missing her colleagues with whom she had been with for nearly three decades. “I know many of you will also be retiring and by then, CAFSD – which means College of Aging Faculty who Served Devotedly – will already be forgotten and renamed as College of Active-young Faculty Soon to Dominate,” she said earning applause from the audience. She will also miss teaching: “Although sometimes there are hassles, it is still enjoyable,” she asserted. “I can still do the job and so in case my services are urgently needed, you can always tap me and I can come on a part-time basis,” she told her colleagues.

Her four sons took turns supposedly to greet her but ended up remembering how the college served as their playground when their mother would bring them there on school breaks and during lunch time on school days. They thanked her colleagues for the company they shared their mother.

Dr. Thelma Layaoen has indeed raised four fine gentlemen who have found successful careers and have given her four grandchildren. Heraldo Jr., also Harry, carries the rank of police chief inspector and heads the Ilocos Norte Police Provincial Office Health Services Division. Hanshel is technical consultant of Full Advantage Co., Ltd., a Thailand-based company that serves as business partner and solutions provider in the field of sustainable energy and environment. Haerold Dean is chair of the Industrial Engineering Department of the College of Engineering and Agro-Industrial Technology of UPLB. Heathel Loren works as researcher for professional services at the International Rice Research Institute in Los Baños, Laguna.

Her husband, Dr. Heraldo L. Layaoen, vice president for planning, development, and external linkages, was hesitant at first when he was asked to say his piece. Finally, when he got the confidence to do so, he only had one thing to say: “I will love you forever.”

And that left a sweet smile on Ma’am Thelma.