The Gawad Kilapsaw will be given to individuals who: 1) contributed to UPLB through their significant and commendable discoveries and breakthroughs; 2) contributed much to their field of expertise and in so doing, have brought honor and prestige to the University; 3) have sustained a consistent and outstanding performance in serving UPLB; and 4) helped the University attain distinctive excellence in instruction, research, and extension.

The award may be given to a non-UPLB alumnus for as long as he or she has a proven track record in the above criteria. The award may also be given posthumously.

Kilapsaw is a Filipino word for ripple or concentric waves that are created on still waters by a single drop of water or a dropped object. The concentric waves start out small and increase as they move farther from the point of impact to symbolize the positive impact that an awardee's accomplishments have created or made to the people around him or her, or his field or discipline. It could also symbolize new ideas that have inspired new discoveries and influenced future perspectives.

The recipient of Gawad Kilapsaw can be any of the following: 1) a pioneer who helped establish the foundations of UPLB; 2) an institution builder who provided the vision for UPLB or constituent units and transformed this vision to timeless reality; 3) a scientist, researcher, or artist whose body of work has brought distinctive honor and prestige to UPLB; and 4) a leader who has parlayed his training at UPLB into a business, advocacy, or position of responsibility over time, where he/she is looked up to as a model and an inspiration to many people.

Awardees will receive the following: a specially designed sculpture depicting the concept of Kilapsaw, biography and profile feature in the Centennial Awards publication, and inclusion of his/her name in the UPLB Hall of Fame.

Nominations should include the following: 500 word description of contributions and achievements of the nominee, photos of the nominee (one formal picture and action shots preferably taken during the highlights of his or her career), biographical sketch of the nominee or any relevant background information. Nominations should be submitted to the Office of Alumni Relations, 1st Floor OVCCA Building (Old AgEcon Dept), Telefax 536-0844, or emailed to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .