President Benigno S. Aquino III has appointed Dr. Calixto M. Protacio, a crop science professor and scientist, as the new executive director of the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice). 
Agriculture Secretary Proceso J. Alcala swore him into office on 10 July replacing DA Assistant Secretary Edilberto M. De Luna who served as the officer-in-charge after the retirement of Dr. Eufemio T. Rasco, Jr. in February.
Protacio has worked with various institutions, such as the University of the Philippines Los Baños as professor and director of the Institute of Plant Breeding and Crop Science Cluster, Philippine Agricultural Scientist as editor-in-chief, University of California, Riverside as post-doctoral research associate, Pennsylvania State University and Louisiana State University as graduate research assistant.
He finished his Bachelor’s Degree in Agriculture, Major in Horticulture, at the University of the Philippine Los Baños and PhD in Plant Physiology from Pennsylvania State University, USA.
Protacio hails from Guinobatan, Albay.
