Dr. Gelia Castillo was a great rural sociologist and renowned internationally. Her books are major and authoritative works on Philippine Agricultural and Rural Development. Her manuscript All in a Grain of Rice is the first book written by a Filipino farmer’s reply to fresh technology. Beyond Manila, another book of her has been cited as an in-depth and systematic study of the real problems and needs of the rural areas relative to countryside improvement. The sum of Dr. Castillo’s research undertakings has provides us much required insights on our own rural progress; endeavor to reach the farmer and the unfortunate.
Dr. Castillo was given the Distinguished Alumnus Award of the UP Alumni Association in 1975, Rizal Pro Patria Award in 1976 as a social scientist, and the Distinguished Alumnus Award of the Up College of Agriculture in 1979.
She was born on March 3, 1928.