Marcelo C. Blando, is a retired Philippine

Brigadier General Brigadier general or Brigade general is a military rank used in many countries. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries. The rank is usually above a colonel, and below a major general or divisional general. When appointe ...

turned gentleman farmer. He graduated from the

Philippine Military Academy The Philippine Military Academy ( fil, Akademiyang Militar ng Pilipinas / es, Academia Militar de Filipinas) also referred to by its acronym PMA is the premier military academy for Filipinos aspiring for a commission as a military officer of ...

in 1960 and commanded the Philippines’

1st Scout Ranger Regiment The Scout Rangers, known officially as the First Scout Ranger Regiment,https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2011/11/26/751758/scout-rangers-legend-continues is a Philippine Army unit specializing in anti-guerrilla jungle warfare, raids, ambushes, ...

and the Philippine Army's 7th Infantry (Kaugnay) Division. A classic "arms-to-farms" story, in the late 1980s Blando was a leading figure in the

Reform the Armed Forces Movement The Reform the Armed Forces Movement, also referred to by the acronym RAM, was a cabal of officers of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) known for several attempts to seize power in the Philippines during the 1980s and 1990s. In 1986, som ...

(RAM), involved in the failed 1989

coup d'état A coup d'état (; French for 'stroke of state'), also known as a coup or overthrow, is a seizure and removal of a government and its powers. Typically, it is an illegal seizure of power by a political faction, politician, cult, rebel group, m ...

that almost toppled the administration of then President

Corazon Aquino Maria Corazon "Cory" Sumulong Cojuangco-Aquino (; ; January 25, 1933 – August 1, 2009) was a Filipina politician who served as the 11th president of the Philippines from 1986 to 1992. She was the most prominent figure of the 1986 People ...

. After three years of incarceration, Blando was granted amnesty by the Philippine government and officially retired from the

Armed Forces of the Philippines The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) ( fil, Sandatahang Lakas ng Pilipinas) are the military forces of the Philippines. It consists of three main service branches; the Army, the Air Force, and the Navy (including the Marine Corps). The ...

in 1991.

Background

After his military service, Blando ventured into farming and is now fostering a new revolutionary struggle, which he brands as the "Reform the Agriculture Movement". Its main agenda is to reduce poverty and to eradicate hunger by advocating modern agricultural practice in the countryside and farmer empowerment through institutional development. Highlights of Gen. Blando's activities include being founding chairman of the Paitan multi-purpose cooperative, and later the chairman of the much larger

Pangasinan Pangasinan, officially the Province of Pangasinan ( pag, Luyag/Probinsia na Pangasinan, ; ilo, Probinsia ti Pangasinan; tl, Lalawigan ng Pangasinan), is a coastal province in the Philippines located in the Ilocos Region of Luzon. Its cap ...

Farmers' Co-operative. He was also founding president of the Mango Industry Network. From 1996 to 2004, he was chairman of the

Provincial Agriculture and Fisheries Council and was elected chair of the Regional Agriculture and Fisheries Council in 2004, representing Region 1, made up of four provinces (

Ilocos Norte Ilocos Norte, officially the Province of Ilocos Norte ( ilo, Probinsia ti Ilocos Norte; tl, Lalawigan ng Ilocos Norte), is a province of the Philippines located in the Ilocos Region. Its capital is Laoag City, located in the northwest corner ...

Ilocos Sur Ilocos Sur, officially the Province of Ilocos Sur ( ilo, Probinsia ti Ilocos Sur; tl, Lalawigan ng Ilocos Sur), is a province in the Philippines located in the Ilocos Region in Luzon. Located on the mouth of the Mestizo River is the capital ...

and

La Union La Union (), officially the Province of La Union ( ilo, Probinsia ti La Union; Kankanaey'': Probinsyan di La Union;'' Ibaloi'': Probinsya ne La Union;'' pag, Luyag/Probinsia na La Union; Tagalog'': Lalawigan ng La Union),'' is a province in th ...

). Other significant activities include:Selected as "Farmer Scientist" on mango by Philippine Council for Agriculture Research Resources Development (PCARRD), Department of Science and Technology (DOST); :Active participant in Community Based Participatory Action Research under the Bureau of Agricultural Research,

Department of Agriculture (Philippines) The Department of Agriculture (abbreviated as DA; fil, Kagawaran ng Agrikultura) is the executive department of the Philippine government responsible for the promotion of agricultural and fisheries development and growth. It has its headquarte ...

; :Agriculture Representative for Region I Association of Non-Government Organizations; :Agriculture Representative (farmer) Region I Development Council - San Fernando, La Union; :Co-operator in field trials of BT, RR and Stack Trait corn conducted by

Monsanto Company The Monsanto Company () was an American agrochemical and agricultural biotechnology corporation founded in 1901 and headquartered in Creve Coeur, Missouri. Monsanto's best known product is Roundup, a glyphosate-based herbicide, developed i ...

Philippines The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no), * bik, Republika kan Filipinas * ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas * cbk, República de Filipinas * hil, Republ ...

; :Member of National Biosafety Committee under Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI); :Involved in the development of information and communication technology (K-Agri Net) to be adapted by farmers. Blando is married to the former Nelia Tidor of Balungao, Pangasinan

References

* Coronel, Sheila "Coup Fails, Manila Says Amid Fighting" ''New York Times'', December 4, 1989.
"EX-GENERAL IN THICK OF FOOD REVOLUTION"
Biotechnology Information Center News, January 2005

{{DEFAULTSORT:Blando, Marcelo Philippine Military Academy alumni Filipino generals Filipino farmers Living people People from Pangasinan Philippine Army personnel Reform the Armed Forces Movement Year of birth missing (living people)