UP REPSS holds 4th Annual Scientific Conference and 8th General Assembly Meeting in Lucban, Quezon
- Written by Ailene M. Florece
- Published in News
© OVCRE/Jose Elmo H. Azores
The UP Society of Research, Extension and Professional Staff (UP REPSS) conducted the 4th Annual Scientific Conference and 8th General Assembly Meeting on March 15-17 at the Batis Aramin, Lucban, Quezon, with the theme “REPS Responding to the Challenges of Sustainable Development Goals.” The three-day event consisted of paper and poster presentations, plenary sessions, business meetings, and team building and outdoor activities. The participants gathered to listen to 21 poster presentations; 2 special plenary sessions; and 18 oral paper presentations, 6 of which are competing papers.
Dr. Emil Q. Javier attended the event as keynote speaker during the opening ceremony and encouraged the REPS and UPLB to give focus on activities which will address good health and well-being, one of the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals. He mentioned that UPLB should be responsible in promoting fresh and whole foods to the public and in fostering the growth of agribusinesses in the country. Dr. Susan May F. Calumpang, Assistant to the Vice-Chancellor for Research and Extension, and Mr. Alexis M. Mejia, Staff Regent, were also invited for a Special Session to discuss matters and updates on the REPS rights and welfares. For the Special Plenary Sessions, Dr. Juan M. Pulhin was invited to speak on the topic “Integrated Natural Resource and Environment Management: RDE Implications”; while Ms. Dianne Kristine P. Cornejo, representing Assistant Secretary of Health Maria Bernadita T. Flores, discussed the “Philippine Plan of Action for Nutrition (PPAN) 2017-2022” of the National Nutrition Council.
Among the competing papers, the Best Paper was awarded to the group of Dr. Visitacion C. Huelgas from the College of Agriculture and Food Science - Institute of Plant Breeding (CAFS-IPB) for their paper “Multi-Crop Data and Information Management system for the National Germplasm Repository.” On the other hand, the following are the winners of the poster presentation:
- 1st Place – “Formulation of High Fiber Food Products with Enzymatically-Modified Dietary Fiber from Cacao Pod Husk” by Teresita J. Ramirez, Arsenia B. Sapin, Fides Z. Tambalo and Maria Katrina N. Alaon;
- 2nd Place – “Non-Destructive Screening for Coconut Wrinkled 1 (Cnwri 1) and Modified Green Fluorescent Protein 5 (Mgfp5) in two Philippine Maize Inbreds Using Fluorescent Microscopy by Kaclyn Nicole R. Uy, Monique D. Barile, Olivia P. Damasco, Maribel M. Zaporteza and Antonio C. Laurena; and
- 3rd Place – “Germplasm Conservation Techniques for Medicinal Plants” by Maria Lea H. Villavicencio, John Christopher M. Polinar, Nestor C. Altoveros, Teresita H. Borromeo, Visitacion C. Huelgas, Hidelisa D. De Chavez, Jonathan C. Descalsota and Aileen A. Mercado.
New officers of UP REPSS were also elected during the business meeting. Dr. Fe M. dela Cueva (CAFS-IPB) and Mr. Arnold T. Abuyog (CHE) were voted as the new President and Vice President of UP REPSS respectively.
