A group of eight-member National Technical Committee for the Gawad Saka came to the Visayas State University (VSU) on July 12-13, 2013 for field validation of the nomination of Dr. Erlinda A. Vasquez, professor of PhilRootcrops and 2012 Regional Gawad Saka Outstanding Agricultural Scientist awardee, to the 2013 National Gawad Saka Search for Outstanding Agricultural Scientist. 

The Technical Committee is composed of Dr. Teodoro S. Solsoloy of the Department of Agriculture-Bureau of Agricultural Research (DA-BAR), Dr. Roberto F. Rañola, Jr. of the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB), Dr. Edralina Serrano of UPLB, Dr. Tereso A. Abella of Central Luzon State University, Ms. Digna L. Sandoval, Engr. France Gayzel F. Caceres, Ms. Mara Shyn M. Valdeabella, and Mr. Wilson Villoria II from DA-BAR.

 The group was warmly welcomed by VSU President, Dr. Jose L. Bacusmo, together with Dr. Othello B. Capuno, VP for Research and Extension; Dr. Marcelo A. Quevedo, OIC-Director of PhilRootcrops; and Prof. Alan B. Loreto, Executive Officer.

Dr. Vasquez expounded her two research work on “Biological Control of Cassava Red Spider Mite (Tetranychus kanzawai) Using Predatory Mite (Amblyseius longispinosus)” and the “Sweetpotato Weevil (SPW) Pheromone” to the evaluators.

 In the first study, Dr. Vasquez revealed that the technology is being used by the Matling Industrial and Commercial Corporation (MICC), owner of the biggest cassava plantation in the Philippines located in Malabang, Lanao del Sur.

 Dr. Vasquez explained that red spider mite is the most serious arthropod pest attacking cassava in which the immature and adult mites suck the sap of the plant that causes defoliation at high infestation resulting to low yield and low starch content.  She added that high reproductive rate, short life (1-2 weeks) of the red spider mite and faster development of acaricide-resistant population can cause severe outbreaks especially during prolong dry season.

Dr. Vasquez found out that the predatory mite, Amblyseius longispinosus, is the most suitable and efficient biocontrol agent among the available natural enemies of cassava red spider.  Thus, MICC adopted the mass rearing for mass production for continuous supply of the predatory mite to combat the acaricide-resistant population.

Moreover, Dr. Vasquez elaborated her second study on “Pheromone for the Control of Sweetpotato Weevil.”   She defined pheromone as the chemical released by an organism to communicate with other individuals of the same species.  According to her, the sex pheromone in sweetpotato weevil control is only attracting the male weevils.  Its uses included monitoring of weevil population in the field, reduce weevil population by luring adults into trapping or killing device, and mating disruption.

Dr. Vasquez also mentioned the advantages in using pheromone in pest control such as: being environmentally-friendly since pheromone is biodegradable and is dispensed in very minute amount; no health risk to users since it is not toxic; no health risk to consumer because it has no direct contact to agricultural products; and compatible with other control measures.

After her discussion, questions were raised by the panel of evaluators how feasible and effective the technologies work once utilized in the field.  They were even brought to the experimental site where they actually saw how the sweetpotato weevil pheromone attracted the male sweetpotato weevils and got trapped and killed.

The group also had a chance talking with some sweetpotato farmers in Dulag, Leyte who are using the technology in their sweetpotato farms to validate how the technology works in the field.

Gawad Saka is an annual event of DA in cooperation with other government institutions, non-government organizations and the private sector which aims to give due recognition and to pay tribute to dedicated individuals and institutions whose exemplary accomplishments in their respective fields of endeavor and contribution in the country’s agricultural development are deemed worthy of emulation.

This year, BAR proposed to send the winners of Outstanding Agricultural Scientist and Researcher abroad with the objective of capacitating them with advanced agricultural technologies.  JFMBaldos

There is a reason for the Visayas Consortium for  Agriculture and Resources Program  (ViCARP) and its lead institution, the Visayas  State University (VSU), to celebrate. This is because for the first time in the history Philippine Council for Agriculture, Forestry, and Natural Resources Research and Development (PCARRD), one of the 13 councils of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), that an R & D consortium has won  three major awards—the Tanglaw Award, the PANTAS for Research Administrator and the P A N T A S for Researcher/Scientist categories.

ViCARP had endorsed this year for  the Tanglaw Award Philippine Root  Crops Research  and Training Center  (PhilRootcrops), VSU President, and ViCARP - Regional R and D Coordinating  Council Chair, Dr. Jose L. Bacusmo, PANTAS ( Research  Administrator  Category) and  VSU  Vice President for Administration and  Finance and College of Engineering Dean and  Professor /Scientist, Dr. Roberto C. Guarte, for  the PANTAS (Researcher/Scientist category). All three endorsees had won the awards. What is the significance of winning the Tanglaw and the PANTAS Awards and why should every consortium has to work so hard to win these awards? The Tanglaw Award was first granted by PCARRD in 1974. The Tanglaw is a Filipino word that means light. It is granted to an outstanding institution that has contributed significantly to the national research system particularly in the advancement of Philippine agriculture, forestry and natural resources research and development. PhilRootcrops of VSU is this year’s Tanglaw awardee and will get a Php 1-million grant for station development, capability building and upgrading of facilities plus a trophy. PhilRootcrops will be represented by its current Director, Dr. Julieta R. Roa. The second time that PhilRootcrops had won the Tanglaw Award. The first time was during the administration of Dr. Marianito R. Villanueva, the first Director of PRCRTC (now PhilRootcrops). ViSCA (now VSU) had also won the Tanglaw Award during the administration of former President Fernando A. Bernardo. The PANTAS Award, on the other hand, was first granted by PCARRD in 1976. PANTAS means sage, a wise man, or an intellectual. For PCARRD, this award “is a fitting description for one whose management of science and pursuit of research undertakings does not only manifest intelligence and knowledge but also perseverance, creativity, and resourcefulness.” PANTAS has two categories-Research Administrator and Researcher/Scientist. Former VSU administrators like Dr. Fernando A. Bernardo (ViSCA) and Dr. Paciencia P. Milan (LSU) had won this award. This year’s PANTAS (Research Administrator Category) awardee is VSU President, Dr. Jose L. bacusmo. He will get a cash prize of Php 100-thousand pesos plus a trophy. VSU’s Vice President for Administration and Finance, Dr. Roberto C. Guarte, the PANTAS (Researcher/Scientist category) awardee will bag a cash prize of Php 100-thousand, a Php 1-million research grant and a trophy. The awards will be given at the Dusit Hotel in Makati City on November 10, 2010 in time for the PCARRD’s 38th anniversary celebration.

Tudela, Camotes, Cebu - Five PhilRootcrops staff teamed as festivalgoers to the 5th Cassava Festival held at the Municipal Gym on May 20, 2006 Saturday.

The team who represented the Center consisted of Prof. Julieta R. Roa the Head of the Center's Extension and Socio-economics Division who supervised the over-all Center participation, Luzvisminda Ternura who took charge of the sales, Ma. Elsa Umpad who manned on putting up an exhibit, William Hubahib who did the documentation and Lucenita Estoy who took charge in cooking demonstration.

Different rootcrop-based food products were displayed in the exhibit booth shared between the Center and the Municipal Department of Agriculture. The products included cassava chippy, cassava cookies, cassava grates and Kabkab. Freshly cooked pitsi-pitsi was served to guests who visited the booth. Also, bottled sweetpotato pickles were displayed and sold at the booth. Hand-made romblon bags that were also on sales decorated the booth along with posters on rootcrop technologies.

Prof. Roa and Ms. Umpad served as judges of the Cassava-based food-cooking contest while Mr. Hubahib chaired the board of judges in the Booth contest, all held in the afternoon of the same day.

The teams participation was in response to the invitation of the officials of the municipality through its Municipal Agriculture Officer Ms. Vicky Nocellas.

In light of the challenges of climate change, the persistence of poverty and food insecurity, and the increasing demands of rootcrops for industrial uses and micro and small enterprises, PhilRootcrops must respond with strategies that are effective leading to efficiency in rootcrop production and sustainability of efforts. Strategic Planning activities were in line with this response starting with two sessions in 2009 that built on previous planning initiatives.

The third session of PhilRootcrops Strategic Planning was held on June 10-11, 2010 at Kissbone Cove in St. Bernard, Southern Leyte. Fourteen PhilRootcrops Research and Development Council (PRDC) members participated, all programs represented, led by the director, Dr. Julieta R. Roa. Dubbed as 2020 Vision, this Strategic Plan will form part of the document that will be presented to the meeting of the PhilRootcrops Advisory Board that will soon be requested. Under Presidential Decree 1107, which created PhilRootcrops, the Advisory Board is headed by the Secretary of Agriculture with members including the President of the Visayas State University, PCARRD, PhilRootcrops Director, and two private sector representatives.

The draft eight-page Strategic Plan in colored format was presented, and further fleshed out from the different program research and development agenda: varietal improvement and production, postproduction, mechanization, and social science and extension. Shared core values, key principles and approaches, the delivery system, the RDE network, the programs and organizational chart were refined. Foremost was the revised articulation of the vision into “Creating wealth, enhancing health, improving lives through roots and tubers”.

Left out by its very popular look-alike, the coconut, sago palm has almost taken the route of the forgotten crops. Thanks to the 1st Philippine Sago Symposium. The route sees a bright detour towards promising possibilities.

Held on the 28th of July at the ODREX Audio-Visual Room of Leyte State University in Baybay, the 1st Philippine Sago Symposium opened the gate for new discussions on sago research. Sago researchers from the state colleges and universities in the Philippines and from Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology (TUAT) and Rikkyo University from Japan served as the participants in the symposium along with some sago farming practitioners and interested individuals.

During the Opening Ceremonies, Dr. Paciencia P. Milan (LSU President) welcomed the participants while Prof. Algerico M. Mariscal the Director of the Philippine Rootcrops Research and Training Center (PhilRootcrops) presented the rationale of the one-day symposium. Prof. Mariscal stressed that with an abundant sago palm plants in the Philippines, the symposium hopes to meet the following objectives: a) to identify research gaps and formulate the sago research and development agenda, b) to establish linkage among sago researchers in the country and abroad, and c) to exchange research results to be used to promote various sago utilization possibilities.

With the objectives at hand, the symposium proceeded with several paper presentations on sago researches. After each presentation, the table is laid open for open forum and discussion.

Later in the afternoon, Engr. Alan B. Loreto of PhilRootcrops demonstrated on the use of Sago Starch Extracting Machine. Shortly after, the sago-farming practitioners proceeded to demonstrate processing of sago starch into a delicacy locally known as suman.

The symposium is jointly organized by the LSU, TUAT, Visayas Consortium for Agriculture and Resources Program (VICARP) and PhilRootcrops.

Commencing with a Certificate of Attendance distribution, the symposium at least left the participants with an assurance that; after all, sago will never be in the journey of forgotten crops.

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About PhilRootcrops

The Philippine Root Crop Research and Training Center (PhilRootcrops) is a government research, development and training institution for root and tuber crops: cassava, sweetpotato, taro, yam, yambean, arrowroot and other rootcrops.
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Vision, Mission & Goal

Vision
Creating wealth, enhancing health, improving lives through roots and tubers
Mission
To provide the national leadership in formulating and implementing strategic root crop research and development programs that can reduce poverty and food insecurity
Goal
To generate and promote root crop innovations and information that can improve the lives of stakeholders along the root crop value chain.

Contact Information

DR. EDGARDO E. TULIN
Director
PhilRootcrops, VSU,Visca, Baybay City, Leyte, Philippines 6521-A
Telephone / Fax No.: +63 (053)563-7229 Trunkline: +63 (053) 565 0600 local 1063
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Email: [email protected] | [email protected]
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