KNIGHTHOOD. Dr. Mary Ann Pelagio Sayoc (right), a scientist with expertise in agriculture, receives the Knighthood in the Order of Orange-Nassau from Ambassador of the Netherlands to the Philippines Saskia de Lang in Makati on Monday (April 26, 2021). Sayoc was honored for her dedication in promoting the Netherlands relations with the Philippines. (Photo courtesy of the Netherlands Embassy in the Philippines)
MANILA – Scientist Dr. Mary Ann Pelagio Sayoc on Monday received a Knighthood in the Order of Orange-Nassau “in recognition of her tireless dedication in promoting The Netherlands relations with the Philippines”.
Ambassador of the Netherlands to the Philippines. Saskia de Lang, conferred the award on Sayoc, who heads the Philippine-Dutch Fellows Network, Inc. (PDFNI), the alumni association of Filipino professionals who have studied in The Netherlands.
Through PDFNI, she has been actively promoting Filipino-Dutch friendship and leveraging Dutch education in contributing to nation building.
“I am very proud to announce that it has pleased His Majesty King Willem Alexander to award a Knighthood on a leading personality of the Dutch Filipino community. It is a recognition of exceptional merit to The Netherlands," de Lang said in a news release after the conferment at the Netherlands Residence in Makati.
The Order of Orange-Nassau is awarded to individuals for longstanding meritorious service to society.
“Beyond proud of my mom for all the work she has done in advancing Philippine-Dutch bilateral relations. Such a well-deserved recognition. Shall we start calling her Dame Mary Ann of the Order of Orange-Nassau?” daughter Francine wrote on Facebook.
Sayoc is also the public affairs lead for the East-West Seed Group (EWS), a Philippine company founded by Dutch seedsman Simon Groot with Filipino seed trader Benito Domingo in 1982.
Since its establishment, EWS has become a dominant market leader in vegetable seeds in the Philippines and expanded its operations to Asia and Africa.
Sayoc, in her various capacities, has significantly contributed in realizing efforts aimed at transforming Philippine agriculture and boosting productivity of local farmers.
She is also the chairperson of the Philippine Seed Industry Association and was instrumental in the involvement of Dutch expertise in the scoping mission on establishing the National Seed Technology Park, the first step for the planned multi-year collaboration between the Philippines and the Netherlands on horticulture development.
Sayoc is likewise a board member of the Dutch Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines (DCCP) since 2014, together with a number of Dutch-Filipino companies.
Through DCCP, she has selflessly made her knowledge and experience available to Dutch companies that are interested in doing business in the Philippines.
"We are extremely happy and proud to announce that our very own DCCP chairwoman Mary Ann Pelagio Sayoc has been decorated as a member of the Order of Orange-Nassau,” DCCP posted on its Facebook page.
“This Dutch order of chivalry is a token of merit for her continuous effort to strengthen Dutch-Philippine relations through various initiatives including as a founding member of the Dutch Chamber of Commerce in the Philippines. We want to congratulate MaryAnn on this well-deserved achievement.”
Prior to her move to the seed industry in 1998, Sayoc was involved with the International Training Center on Pig Husbandry, an institution created by the Netherlands government through Barneveld College and the Philippine government through the Department of Agriculture Agricultural Training Institute. (PR)
