A true daughter of Bato, Catanduanes has achieved a singular feat in her professional life: becoming the first Filipina to be recognized as Outstanding Woman Engineer by the ASEAN Federation of Engineering Organizations (AFEO) recently.
The honor was given to Engr. Juana Torrano-Tapel, who retired as the Assistant Director of the Department of Agriculture’s Bureau of Agricultural & Fisheries Engineering (DA-BAFE) in 2024, during the 44th CAFEO in Bandung, Indonesia last Oct. 20-22, 2026.
“This recognition holds profound significance for me, not only as a personal milestone, but because I am the first Filipina Engineer to receive this distinguished award,” she said in a social media post.
She expressed her gratitude to organizations and colleagues who have been instrumental in her professional journey – Philippine Technological Council, PTC Women Engineers Network, Philippine Society of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineers (PSABE), Women Engineers of AFEO, International Network of Women Engineers and Scientists APNN, and others – as well as the National Meat Inspection Service, Professional Regulation Commission, Bureau of Agricultural and Fisheries Engineering – BAFE, and Commission on Higher Education where she previously worked.
Engr. Jane also dedicated her plaque and trophy to husband Isidro Tapel Jr. and children John Isidro III, Jaymel and Janedelia.
A daughter of Ceferino Torrano and Angela Pereyra Tañalas, she studied at Batalay Elementary School and Bato Rural Development High School before finishing her Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Engineering at the Gregorio Araneta University Foundation in 1985 and her Bachelor of Science in Education at the Central Lyceum of Catanduanes in 1988.
Four years later, she earned her Master in Management at GAUF, where she would receive her Doctor of Philosophy in 2014.
She passed her Career Service Professional exam and Agricultural Engineering licensure exam in 1985 and her Professional Board Examination for Teachers in 1989.
In 2005, she went to work with the National Meat Inspection Service (NMIS) in 2005, where she stayed until 2018.
In December 2019, she was appointed as Director III of DA-BAFE where she undertook big-ticket engineering projects such as the implementation of the National Abattoir Development Program and the Meat Establishment Improvement Program.
Dr. Tapel was instrumental in the passing of Republic Act 8559 (the Philippine Agricultural Engineering Act of 1998), RA 10915 (Philippine Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering Act of 2016), and RA 10601 (The Agricultural and Fisheries Mechanization Law) including the promulgation of its Implementing Rules and Regulations.
In 2022, she was elected as the first Filipina chairperson of the International Network of Women Engineers and Scientists – Asia Pacific Nation Network (INWES-APNN) during the INWES-APNN Annual General Assembly held at the Institution of Engineers Malaysia (IEM) in WISMA, Petaling Jaya, Malaysia