RDEDigest Vol8No1

8/20/2019 RDEDigest Vol8No1

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Offi cial Research, Development, and Extension Magazine Vol. 8 No.1

of the University of the Philippines Los Baños March 2016

Recipes using IPB Var 6 Corn Grits and Flour

Exploring Mabini’sUnderworld

Rise of theBt Superwoman PAGE 20

PAGE 6

PAGE 28


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About the cover

FRON

Te cover photo, from Christopher V. Labe of theInstitute of Plant Breeding, features corn, which is a

cereal crop widely grown in the Philippines.

Filipinos consume it as a vegetable although it is agrain crop. Te grains are rich in Vitamins A, C andE, carbohydrates, essential minerals and proteins.

Tey are also rich in dietary fiber and calories, whichare a good source of energy. Te Institute of PlantBreeding started the rice-corn blend program fouryears ago to advocate corn as a healthy Filipino staple.

BACK

“UPLB, known as the center for agricultural research,has been actively exploring and generating agricultural

technologies for the past 100 years. Te best exampleto capture UPLB’s research heritage is through cropvarieties developed in the university. Tis photoshows seeds of the UPLB developed pole sitao variety“UPL PS1” or “Sandigan” which has been wellutilized by farmers for the last 3 decades. rue to itsname, “Sandigan“ has helped farmers from severalgenerations and has stood the test of time with itsstability.” -Ivy Jane W. Madrid

Entitled “Connecting Generations,” this photo by

Ivy won 3rd place during the 2015 OVCRE PhotoContest with the theme “Capturing UPLB’s ResearchHeritage.”

Te OVCRE Information Offi cers Network (ION)is composed of representatives from OVCRE and itssupervised units. OVCRE ION aims to be proactive

in disseminating and popularizing information to aidin the promotion of UPLB’s research and extension

services.

Staff managing editorria Rowena Beatriz Q. Inzon

layout

Regina Mae C. Ongkiko

production/circulation

Jose Elmo H. Azores Alex C. Genil

Reynaldo . MagsinoMichael B. Biguelme

editorial consultant

Florante A. Cruz

advisers

VC Rex B. DemafelisC Susan May F. Calumpang

writers/contributors/photographers

Dr. Wilma A. Hurtada Felicitio M. RodriguezDr. Artemio M. Salazar Jose Elmo H. Azores James DV. Alvarez

Florante A. CruzCarlo G. Custodio, Jr.

Regina Mae C. OngkikoLawrence N. Garcia

Maria Rowena Beatriz Q. InzonLucille Edna P. De GuzmanMiguel Angel P. Cordon

Ivy Jane W. Madrid Joey Ace P. Peralta

Romar Jan C. Edosma Christopher V. Labe

Joan Pauline P. alubo


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In the past eight years, the RDE Digest has been instrumental in promoting the research and publicservice culture of the University of the Philippines Los Baños by sharing stories and news related toresearch, development, and extension (RDE).

In 2015, the Offi ce of the Vice Chancellor for Research and Extension decided to revamp the RDEDigest along with the creation of a new publication--the RDE Chronicle. Te plan was for the

Chronicle to focus on news, while the new Digest will focus on timeless stories which are also RDErelated.

So now we bring you the very first issue of the reformatted RDE Digest. We encourage you to analyzethe current issues plaguing our country. We want to bring you to the places we have seen as wecontinue the pursuit for excellence. We hope that you enjoy the timeless stories we have in store foryou in the coming issues.

With this, we invite you to share your thoughts about the stories told. We welcome contributions,questions, and feedback.

We hope that you will continue supporting the new Digest as you have for the past eight years.

EDITORIAL NOTE

e Editorial Team


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WhAT’s INsiDE?Here’s what we

have in store foryou this issue.

HISTORICAL FEATURE

MicrobialRennet1

2 BIOTECH @ 36and beyond

STORIES FROM THE FIELD

6ExploringMabini’sUnderworld

TECHNOLOGY


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Threatened Land,

Threatened Lives:The Bagobo-Klata of the South

SUCCESS STORY

Rise of the

Bt Superwoman:Rosalie Ellasus

RESEARCH UPDATES

The Magic

of Bees

LIFE HACKS

28Recipesfrom UPLB

14

using IPB Var 6 corn grits and corn flour!


20

24


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Contribute!We accept stories year round!Email us at [email protected].

ANALYSIS An expert’s opinion or view on a pressing

issue. What topic do you want to readabout? Whose opinion do you want toread?

HISTORICAL FEATURE

Tell us the background story behind aUPLB institute or product.

TECHNOLOGY

What UPLB technology do you want to befeatured?


Tell us about your experiences duringfieldwork. Share your funny, exciting, oreven dangerous experiences.

SUCCESS STORY

Do you know someone who started outsmall? Do you know an adapter of a UPLBtechnology who found his or her way tosuccess? Tell us about it!

RESEARCH UPDATES

What research project do you want toread about? Are there any newbreakthroughs from your unit?

LIFE HACKS

Share some life hacks or innovative waysto accomplish something--with the helpof UPLB technologies of course.

Follow the OFFICIAL Research and Extension Social Media Accounts!

UPLBRandE

UPLBResearch

UPLBRandE

UPLBRESEARCH

OVCREUPLB


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TECHNOLOGY


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Last 9-12 February 2016, BIOECH celebratedits 36th anniversary with the theme “BIOECH@ 36 and beyond: Getting more relevant

towards national development.” Te week-long affairincluded events designed to showcase BIOECH’sproducts and its current initiatives. Seminars anddialogues with experts were also held. Tere was alsoa presentation of career opportunities for high schooland college students accompanied by interaction withprivate companies and the sharing of experiencesby former BIOECH staff. Since its establishmentin 1979, the Institute has used its expertise inbiotechnology to serve the Philippine society.

Te start of BIOECH

During the 1970, the Philippines was going throughan energy crisis while Brazil became successful withthe technology of producing alcogas from sugarcaneto run their vehicles. At the same time, there was anincreasing interest in biotechnology as the possibilities

of genetic engineering were being realized in the USA.

Te President at the time, Ferdinand E. Marcos,instructed then Energy Minister Geronimo . Velascoand UPLB Chancellor Emil Q. Javier to explorepotential linkages in Brazil and the USA. Upon theirreturn, they formed two working committees at UPLBto study the possibility of creating an institute. Onegroup headed by Dr. William G. Padolina prepareda program in applied chemistry and another group worked on applied microbiology with Dr. PoncianoS.M. Halos and Dr. Ruben B. Aspiras as members.Te outputs of these groups served as the basis fora proposal submitted to President Marcos for theformation of a national institute for biotechnologicalresearch and development.

On 20 December 1979, the establishment of theNational Institutes of Biotechnology and AppliedMicrobiology in UP Los Baños was approved duringthe 92nd meeting of the UP Board of Regents. InMarch 1980, President Marcos, through Letter ofInstruction No. 1005, directed the National reasury

to release PhP 10 Million out of the Energy SpecialFund for the institute.

6 and beyond

HISTORICAL FEATURE

BY CARLO G. CUSTODIO, JR.

BIOTECH3


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In March 1995, President Fidel V. Ramos issuedProclamation 526 constituting a Network of NationalInstitutes of Biotechnology in the UP Systemconsisting of institutes in UP Los Baños, UP Diliman,UP Manila and UP Visayas. BIOECH - UPLB wasrenamed to National Institute of Molecular Biologyand Biotechnology.

Where we are now

BIOECH’s mandate is to develop cost-effective andenvironment-friendly technologies to produce goodsand services that are comparable or better alternativesto conventional products for use in the followingsectors: agriculture, environment, energy and industry.

At present, BIOECH has four research programs:1) Biotechnology for Agriculture and ForestryProgram; 2) Biotechnology for Food, Feed andSpecialty Products Program; 3) Biotechnologyfor Industry and Environment Program; and 4)

Biotechnology for Natural Products Program.

Te Institute also has a echnical Services Program,a Communication and echnology ransfer Programand the Administrative Services Unit.

Of the four service laboratories of BIOECH, twoare now ISO/IEC 17025:2005 accredited namely, thePhilippine National Collection of Microorganismsand the Central Analytical Service Laboratory.

As of June 2015, BIOECH has 126 core staff, 51have PhDs, 57 MS graduates, and 18 BS degreeholders.

Products for the Filipino people

BIOECH’s products are helping the Filipino people. As an example, Bio N M, a biofertilizer, has been usedin an estimated average of 48,000 hectares annuallyfrom 2010 to 2014. Mixing plants to produce thetechnology is present in almost every region of thecountry.

PHOTO BY LN GARCIA


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From May 2012 to April 2013, the NationalGreening Program implemented by the Departmentof Environment and Natural Resources (DENR)used 156.65 tons of Mykovam. From 2012 to 2015,farmers purchased a yearly average of 29.33 tons ofMykovam. A farmer would only need 5-8 kilos ofMykovam per hectare of tomato plants, or 1 kiloper hectare of coconut trees or 5 kilos per hectare ofcassava plants.

Aside from the two mentioned above, BIOECH hasother biofertilizers intended to help Filipino farmersenhance the growth of their crops. Tese can beclassified as nitrogen fixers, phosphate solubilizers(mycorrhizae and phosphate solubilising bacteria),plant growth-promoting bacteria and compostinoculants. It is interesting to note that thesemicrobial-based biofertilizers can be used in organic

farms under the Organic Agriculture Act of 2010.

BIOECH has also produced animal vaccines,enzymes for different uses, animal probiotics,biopesticides, microbial rennet, virgin coconutoil products, specialty fats and oils, essential oils,bacteriocins of lactic acid bacteria, pili oil,bacteria-derived colorant, microbialexopolysaccharide, PCR-based detection kits for foodand feed bacterial pathogens and diagnostic kits formycotoxins, plant diseases, and red tide toxins.

BIOECH will continue to search and produce moretechnologies, products and services that will helpaddress the needs of the Filipino society. Currentresearch endeavors of the Institute include secondgeneration biofertilizers, biocontrol agents,reduced-risk insecticides, thermotolerant high-ethanolyielding yeast cultures, improved microbial rennet,natural functional food ingredients, and specialty oils.

BIOECH is striving, in collaboration with partners,to commercialize its technologies and make thesemore accessible to stakeholders. ■

CONRIBUE O HE RDE DIGES

ell us the story behind a UPLB institution or a product.

We accept historical feature stories year round.

Email your stories to [email protected].

PHOTO BY LN GARCIA


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For many, caves might be the scariest of allplaces, a world of the unknown oftentimes

associated with the works of darkness and evil.

PHOTO BY JDV ALVAREZ


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Exploring Mabini’s

UnderworldBY JAMES DV. ALVAREZ AND FLORANTE A. CRUZ


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W orking for a naturalhistory museum, weget to explore places

that are probably interesting onlyto researchers and scientists. Inthe past, our forebears trekkedmountains, scanned forests anddove into the depths of seas.Now, we have gone into the vastunderworld of Philippine caves. With headlights to give us vision, we now enter places of completedarkness enveloped by deafeningsilence.

For many, caves might be thescariest of all places, a worldof the unknown oftentimes

associated with the works ofdarkness and evil. And for some,caves are places for tourism andrecreation. But for us, they areliving laboratories, places of learning and discovery,the main reason why we explore them in search ofbats, birds, frogs, snakes, insects and even microbes.

Te municipality of Mabini in Pangasinan is havento a number of caves both of ecotourism andscientific value. Fully geared, a team of biologists and

researchers from the Museum of Natural History andstudents of the BIO 154 Cave Ecology course visiteda portion of the Cacupangan Cave, a 4-kilometerstretch oflimestone andunderground riverbeneath the landsof at least fourbarangays.

We had to leaveLos Baños onFriday night(9 April 2015) for the 7-hour travel to Mabini,Pangasinan. It was tiring but everyone in the team were all excited to experience what would await us.Early morning the following day, we were welcomedby friends from Balincaguin Conservancy and thelocal government of Mabini headed by Mayor CarlitosReyes.

On board an old truck, we travelled along the bumpyand winding road to the main mouth of Cacupangan

Cave System. Te name of the cave was derived fromthe “kupang” trees (Parkia timoriana ) widespread allover the area and line the road leading to the cave. Teplace is neat, perfect for camping, since the frontageof the cave has been developed by landowners into aquaint resort.

Tere are small pavilions for picnics and charcoalstoves for visitors who wish to grill their food. Clearand ice-cold water flows through a pipe from the

cave. Tecommunitiesnear the areaactually get water fromthe cave forhouseholduse.

It was a long,sleepless travel but the camp must be set. Everyonelooked for their own spot perfect to pitch their tentsand hammocks. While some collected dry leavesto put under their tents to serve as cushion, otherspreferred to rig their quarters on cemented pavements. A group of students even forgot to bring the poles fortheir tents.

“Even the young is forgetful,” the older onescommented with glee.

‘‘With headlights to give us vision, we now enter places of complete darkness enveloped

by deafening silence.”


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PHOTO BY FA CRUZ


▲A student and MNH staffcollect shrimps living inside the cave.

▲Whip spiders could be found on theinner walls of the cave.


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Right after setting up camp, the team were organizedinto groups. Each student was tasked to conducta simple exploratory project as part of the courserequirements. Before entering the cave, we were givenhouse rules for the three-day camp as well as policiesto be followed when exploring the cave. Our guides inBalincaguin reiterated the golden rule for cavers, “Nohelmet and headlight, no entry.”

wenty students did their individual short-termprojects. A team collected bats inside and outside thecave while another mapped the cave and the specificlocation of bat roosts. One student swabbed the batshoping to isolate microorganisms from them. Te cavehas also become a “crime scene” - bat carcasses havebeen laid on the cave floor and surrounded by crimescene tapes; students will monitor what insects and

other arthropods will feed on the dead bats. Even theair inside the cave, suspected to carry both good andbad microorganisms was checked.

Te other group was more amused of the plantsaround the cave though the vegetation is not likethe lush evergreen forest that you find in mountains.Guava, cainito and figs were abundant, perfect for batsand birds which really love the delicious fruits. Smallherbaceous plants such as begonias and aroids live well on the moist and cool walls of the cave entrance where cold water freely and continually flows from.Noxious weeds like hagonoy (Chromolaena odorata )also flourish in the place. But trees do not grow asbig as those we find in forests because of the pressurefrom kaingin and harvesting by locals for charcoalproduction.

As we entered the cave, the cold water dampened ourclothes and filled our boots making it diffi cult to walk.On the walls and within the piles of rocks are creepy

crawlies like whip spiders and vinegaroons. Hidingin crevices in the muddy floor are brown to brightorange Hirtipes crabs waiting for their prey. Looking

PHOTO BY FA CRUZ

▲MNH staff, curators, and technicians

with students of BIO154 Cave Ecology.


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into the water, you will find the slimy eels trying toescape for fear of being stepped upon. After all, theyare pulutan perfect with a bottle of ice-cold beer.

As we reached the place people called the “LoggedRoom,” the deafening silence was replaced by‘clicking’ sounds and wingbeats of the unseencreatures crazily flying above us. Te scent of flowing water suddenly became stinky because of the moundsof bat guano. Using our mist nets, we caught fourspecies of bats inside the cave. From these bats, astudent collected ectoparasites which feed on the bat’sblood.

Some students looked for their “frog prince” - themale frogs that attract females using their golden“voice.” Tey stayed out late at night to record frogcalls, identifying differences between and among

species inside and outside the cave. We even had ateam to collect reptile specimens, unfortunately, theydid not find any.

Caving is never complete without appreciating theunique and astonishing rock formations patientlyformed by water dripping through the ceiling and walls for hundreds of years. Tere were stalagmites onthe ground, stalactites from the ceiling; and at someplaces, they sometimes meet and form a column. Forsome people, they are merely solid rocks but for cavebiologists like us, a growing formation is as alive as achild that matures through the years.

A cave is also a perfect place to feed a photographer’shunger for bewildering subjects. Friends fromBalincaguin are also cave photographers who taughtus the basic skills for lighting and capturing images ina place of total darkness. Tere were white formationsand perfectly engineered ceilings of stalactites.Mabini’s caves are still biologically unexplored.

While most fear to venture inside caves, the Museumconsiders them as a wellspring of new knowledge.Caves are our portals to unravelling the beauty ofnature hidden in the dark. ■


ell us stories of your experience while doing fieldwork.

We accept stories year round. Email us at [email protected].


▲Common short-nosed fruit bat(Cynopterus brachyotis)


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PHIL-LIDAR 1 UPLB FLOW DATA GATHERING IN BALANAC RIVER, PAGSANJAN, LAGUNA.

University of the Philippines Los Baños, as a research institution, is one of the state universities that

was selected for the Disaster Risk and Exposure Assessment for Mitigation (DREAM) program funded

by the Department of Science and Technology (DOST). One of the objectives of Phil-LiDAR 1 UPLB

is to acquire river ow data for ood simulation programs. The Data Validation Team from Phil-LiDAR

1 conducted river ow data gathering in Balanac River in Pagsanjan, Laguna using a mechanical ow

meter deployed along identied points in the river. The generated data will be used to determine the

behavior of the river given specic precipitation levels. Phil-LiDAR 1 UPLB aims to generate 3D and high

resolution ood hazard maps, useful for disaster risk management, for two-thirds of the river basins in

the Philippines.

PHOTO AND CAPTION BY JOEY ACE PERALTA,

1ST RUNNER UP IN THE 2015 OVCRE PHOTOCONTEST


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CENTERFOLD


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The Bagobo-Klata of the SouthBY MARIA ROWENA BEATRIZ Q. INZON AND LUCILLE EDNA P. DE GUZMAN


Threatened Land,

Threatened Lives:

PHOTO BY MRBQ INZON


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Datu Danny walks ahead of us, with aconfident gait, on a narrow path and stops.Te 26-year-old Chieftain of the Bagobo-

Klata tribe points to a fenced area where a religioussect lays claim to a portion of the tribe’s ancestraldomain. He then waves his hand to the eastern side where a larger part of the land is now occupied by aprivate banana plantation. Up on the slope, he says, ishis meager land where he and his family grow abacaand other crops for their daily subsistence.

As we reach the end of the trail, Datu Danny clutchesthe air and points to a spot where the house hegrew up in once stood - the house where his father,the tribe’s former Chieftain, was gunned down byunknown men.

Te fight for ancestral domain

Datu Danny’s personal fight is a reflection of thelarger fight of the Bagobo-Klata, a fight that involves50 families trying to uphold their ancestral rights overthe land they sustainably till.

Te Bagobo-Klata or Guiangan ribe of Brgy. ManuelGuinga, ugbok District, Davao City is one of theIndigenous Peoples (IP) identified by our DA-BARfunded project “Documentation of IndigenousKnowledge for Climate Change Adaptation,” as a wellspring of sustainable agricultural practices.

A big portion of the ancestral domain of theBagobo-Klata was fenced off and claimed by areligious sect known as the Kingdom of Jesus Christ,Te Name Above Every Name, Inc., a Philippine-based Restorationist church. Founded and led by Apollo C. Quiboloy, the sect started its incursion intothe Bagobo-Klata ancestral domain in 2000 when itbuilt a mansion with a landscaped-garden for tourists.

On the other hand, the entry of Sumifru, a large-scalebanana plantation, added yet another threat to the

Bagobo-Klata’s lands.

Te encroachment left most of the Bagobo-Klatafarmers landless; they had no choice but to work asfarm laborers in the plantation.

▲The Bagobo-Klata farmers had no choice but to

work as laborers in the banana plantation that leftmost of them landless.


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Adding insult to injury, the community members who have already lost their lands were also losingtheir once environmentally-stable and healthy lives.Tey are continuously exposed to aerial spraying ofpesticides which they believe are the cause of theirconstant headaches. Some say that the pesticides arethe roots of the recent pregnancy miscarriages in thecommunity.

Te fight against nature’s imbalance

For the Bagobo-Klata, losing a part of one’s arableproperty coupled with the uncertainty of regularlyproducing their own food from a smaller piece of landis a fight they have acknowledged.

In their remaining lands, the tribe plant abaca,assorted root crops, cereals, banana, coconut, andcoffee. Men and women engage in subsistencefarming. Children are trained at a very young age tohelp out in farm work. Every family heavily relieson abaca, the main and most important commodity

grown in the area, as their major source of income.On the average, an abaca farmer can harvest 100 kg/ week at PhP 30-50.00/kg. Unfortunately, landslidesfollowing a series of heavy rains occurred in 2008,making the tribal families lose majority of their abacastands. Disheartened, most of the farmers have notgone back to abaca growing ever since.

According to the Bagobo-Klata, the rainy seasonbecame so unpredictable that farmers do not know

the right time to plant their crops anymore. Tey havealso observed that it is now hotter than it used to be.In the past, they can still work in the fields even untilhigh noon. Due to the intense daytime heat, they havecut short their work time and are forced to insteadstart very early in the morning.

Te struggle for survival

Even if they are more than 25% of the country’spopulation, indigenous peoples remain among themost disadvantaged. Te struggle in claiming their

PHOTO BY MRBQ INZON

▲Datu Danny narrating the Bagobo-Klata’s experiences.


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ancestral domain has long been their concern -most of the IPs are upland dwellers and depend ontraditional kaingin or swidden agriculture as a meansof livelihood. Te lack of tenurial security of theirtraditional lands bears even more pressures to themarginalized tribal communities.

In addition, climate change has become a majorthreat to the livelihood of many IP farmers. Despitehaving little or no responsibility for current and futureclimate changes,the IPs are theones likelyto suffer themost from theconsequences. And becausethey inhabit the

most fragile ecosystems and depend on its naturalresources, they are the first to suffer the brunt of theimpacts of climate change.

But even if there are possible imminent diffi cultiesahead, the IPs have better chances of survival ascompared to their modern, input-intensive farming

‘‘The struggle in claiming their ancestral domain has long been

their concern.”

counterparts. IPs have intimate understanding of theenvironment and many of their indigenous farmingpractices are largely hinged on traditions that aredeeply rooted in their lands.

Because of this rooting, their indigenous knowledge,customary laws, and practices have contributed to theprotection of the forest, preserving biodiversity, andenabling them to adapt and even mitigate climatechange.

Like most IPs,the Bagobo-Klata are greatadapters.Tey havebeen knownto adapt and

accept realities surrounding them and their strugglefor survival – even those against climate-inducedproblems.

Practicing crop diversification is one major adaptationof the Bagobo-Klata to climate change. Familieshave learned not to rely on just one crop in their

▲The fenced area claimed by the religious sect “The Kingdom ofJesus Christ, The Name Above Every Name, Inc.”

PHOTO BY JPP TALUBO


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farm because if that one crop fails, this can result tostarvation for the whole family.

Teir remarkable respect for nature is also a given.Tey know how to nurture the forest, which isalso a source of food, lumber, medicine and otherservices. So in order to prevent landslides, they plant

native hardwood trees such as almaciga ( Agathis philippinensis ), karengag (Cinnamomum sp.), bansilay(Cratoxylum sp.), blising and sedar (Dacrycarpus sp).Tey plant tiger grass (Tysanolaena maxima ) nearthe riverbanks not only to prevent erosion but alsoas another source of income when made into softbrooms for selling.

Co-existence with man and nature

Although the threats to their land and livelihood

has subsequently weakened some of the traditions,beliefs and practices of the Bagobo-Klata, the tribe’sresolve to adapt and live as a community remainsuntarnished.

PHOTO BY MRBQ INZON


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Datu Danny breathes in the hot air and looks atthe horizon spread across the green fields of hiscommunity.

He then bids us goodbye, saying, “Our struggle tofight for our land may not bring back the life of myfather, but combating the potentially more dangerousproblem of climate change may save our people.” ■


ell us stories of your experience while doing fieldwork.

We accept stories year round. Email us at [email protected].

Troughout the process of reclaiming their ancestraldomain and addressing the challenges brought aboutby the changing climate, the inherent trait to cope,adapt and fight for their rights to land, territory,resources and self-determination still remains.

While their ancestral domain issues may be agargantuan problem for the long-term, most of theBagobo-Klata are ready to fight a battle against twosimultaneous foes.

We go on silent as the Datu reconnects with theessence of the land, right there where his forbear wasfelled by a type of atrocity commonly attributed toland disputes.

PHOTO BY JPP TALUBO

▲The Bagobo-Klata plant tiger grass near the river-

banks to prevent erosion. They also make soft broomsout of the grass for additional income.


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Rise of the Bt Superwoman

SUCCESS STORY

BY REGINA MAE C. ONGKIKO

We all need heroes.

We need heroes to inspire usand to fight for us.

This is the story of Rosalie Ellasus.

PHOTO FROM ROSALIE ELLASUS


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Heroes come from different races and places,and they fight for different causes. oday,amidst the ongoing issues concerning the

current state of biotechnology in our country, aSuperwoman continues to stand strong.

Te journey

It seemed like being a hero came naturally to RosalieEllasus. Before dabbling in the field of biotechnologyand farming, she was already one of the so-called“modern heroes”—an Overseas Filipino Worker inSingapore.

Despite graduating with a degree in medicaltechnology, Rosalie worked as a domestic helper,thinking she might be able to provide her family with a better

future. Alwaysthe heroine, sheput others beforeherself.

A better job offerbrought her toCanada, where she continued working as a domestichelper. Nevertheless, Rosalie continued searching forvarious ways to maximize her skills and capabilities.

She worked during the day and attended sales andbusiness classes during the night. Her training broughther back to Singapore when she was offered a job as anexecutive—no longer a domestic helper.

Unfortunately, a few years later, her husband died.Soon after that sad event, she gave up her job andreturned to her homeland, San Jacinto, Pangasinan.

When she made this big decision, she had no idea thatan adventure was waiting for her.

Finding her calling

How does one start again after many years of beingaway? Unfazed, Rosalie was driven by love for herchildren. From her savings, she bought a 1.3-hectarefarm and attempted to produce corn. However,problems such as pests, weeds, and crop diseasestopped her from selling her produce at a good price.It wasn’t easy at all. It was tedious and tiring, and attimes she was discouraged—but she never gave up.

Rosalie continued searching for easier ways to earnfrom her land. In 2001, she attended the IntegratedPest Management – Farmers Field School (IPM-FFS)and word about field trials for Bt corn reached her.Bt corn is genetically modified corn that is resistantto the destructive Asian corn borer (ACB). Bt stands

for Bacillus

thuringiensis , asoil bacteriumthat producesnatural toxinsthat kill larvaeof ACB.

During that time, Bt corn was already commerciallyavailable here in the Philippines. “Nag-volunteer ako.Nag-demo trial kami sa field ko,” Rosalie recalls. “Tedifference was amazing!”

Te Bt corn yielded 7.2 tons per hectare, whenconventional corn can only yield 4.2 tons per hectare.Te production cost was lower, and in turn, shehad higher profit. Chemical spraying was no longerneeded. Sure the seeds were more expensive, but thecost of land preparation was significantly lower, as wellas the labor needed.

Rosalie never looked back. She expanded her farmand became an active advocate of biotechnology. She

PHOTO FROM FREEPIK

‘‘It was tedious and tiring, andat times she was discouraged--

but she never gave up.”


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has travelled all over the Philippines and the worldbecause she is frequently invited to talk to farmers andshare her experiences. Her fame skyrocketed in 2007 when she was chosen to be the first ever recipient ofthe Kleckner rade and echnology Advancement Award. Te award was given for “exemplaryleadership, vision and resolve in advancing the rightsof farmers to choose the technology and tools that will improve the quality, quantity and availabilityof agriculturalproducts aroundthe world.”

Although awardsand speakingengagementsare overflowing,Rosalie remains

the humblefarmer heroine. She grows rice during the rainyseason and maintains a piggery. She also served as amunicipal councilor for three terms. Years ago, whileserving as a domestic helper abroad, Rosalie hadno idea that she would be a famous biotechnologyadvocate.

Bt corn used to be a controversial issue, and up tonow, there are still those who are against Bt crops. Ofcourse, there are also people, who like Rosalie, supportbiotechnology with all their might.

Te controversial decision

Rosalie was one of the many farmers who were waiting for Bt eggplant to become available. With

the SupremeCourt’srecentdecision, theBt eggplantfarm she was readyingmight notbecome a

reality afterall. Bt eggplant does away with the excessive use ofpesticides and results in an additional income of PhP50,000 per hectare.

“Let me speak on behalf of Filipino biotechnologyfarmers--we are vehemently disappointed and

PHOTO FROM CROP LIFE ASIA

‘‘Let me speak on behalf ofFilipino biotechnology

farmers--we are vehemently disappointed and shocked.””

▲Rosalie’s life is just one of the many

that biotechnology has changed for thebetter.


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23RDE Digest

shocked,” Rosalie answered when asked about herreaction to the Supreme Court’s decision.

“Te Supreme Court should have listened to thevoices of true farmersfirst before deciding. We believe they

don’t feel the plightof farmers in ourcountry. Tey shouldhave made efforts toconsult with bothbiotech and non-biotech farmers inorder to make a fairdecision.”

According to Rosalie, the decision was “paranoid”and will significantly affect the lives of millions offarmers and their families as well. “What will happento marginal corn producers and marginal hog raisersif we will not adopt a crop that is promising like Btcorn?”

Keep moving forward

Rosalie has proven over and over again that shedoes not give up easily. Tough disappointed by

the decision, she will not stop advocating aboutbiotechnology.

“When I volunteered for the demo trialsof Bt corn before, the farmers in mytown also observed the big difference andsignificant benefits of Bt corn. Te dreamof farmers was instilled in thisinnovation!”

She is surprised that the Supreme Courtruling will actually cease the innovations,

which might have significantimplications on world food security,environment, health care and scientificadvancement.

Rosalie is just one of the many farmers whoselives were changed because of biotechnology. “Tebiotechnology method was the major reason why Ibecame passionate in farming,” she fondly recalls.

From a domestic helper,she became a well known

biotechnology advocatehere and abroad. “Ibelieve that in my ownlittle way and withno regrets, that I amcontributing to foodsecurity and sustainabiity. Along with other people,I was able to help opendoors for marginal

farmers for them to have a better life.”

Our heroine is ready to face more obstacles butshe needs our help. “I am appealing to the generalpublic and to all the farmers around the world. Letus face these challenges by working hand in hand.Let us be unified for the advancement and globalcompetitiveness of Philippine agriculture.” ■

‘‘We believe theydon’t feel the

plight of farmersin our country.”

‘‘...in my own little wayand with no regrets,

that I am contributing to food security and

sustainability .”


Whose story do you want to know about next? Email us at [email protected].

▲Rosalie has been invited by variousorganizations in different countries all overthe world to share her story.

PHOTO FROM GMA NEWS


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24 RDE DigestPHOTO BY RC EDOSMA

Te M AGICof

BEESMIGUEL ANGEL P. CORDON

RESEARCH UPDATES


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25RDE Digest

Bees are one of nature’s wonder insects. Teyplay a bigger role in our lives than we perceive.Bees are the only source of honey. Honey,

the most common among bee products, provides anumber of different uses from adding flavor to yourbreakfast to curing various ailments such as burnsand sore throats. Honey is also being used as a naturalalternative to beauty products. It can be used as amoisturizer, pore cleanser, and, when mixed withcoconut oil, as hair conditioner. Bees are also activepollinators. Many crops benefit from bee pollinationlike eggplant, lettuce, and coconut.

Another bee product that most people are unaware ofis bee propolis. Beepropolis, or beeglue as some wouldcall it, is a resinous

substance thatthe worker beesuse to repair theirhoneycombs.

According toprevious studies,propolis has been widely used as a therapeuticagent. It is even being used as antiseptic and anti-inflammatory agents in Eastern European countries.

However, there are no local research studies to test thetherapeutic properties of propolis and make use of itshealing abilities.

Medical breakthrough

o answer that, Dr. Maria Amelita C. Estacio fromthe UPLB College of Veterinary Medicine, with thesupport of the Department of Agriculture-Bureau of Agricultural Research (DA-BAR) and the PhilippineNuclear Research Institute (PNRI) initiated theproject entitled “Apitheraphy in Animals: Clinicalesting and Terapeutic Application of FormulatedBee Products as Anti-Microbial and Wound Healing

Enhancing AgentUsing AnimalModels.”

Te projectaimed to create a wound dressingas aid for animalsand humansalike. Parts of theobjective were also

to provide an alternative to the traditional antibiotic-laden wound patch currently used in incisional andsutured wounds and to compare how the bee propolis

PHOTO BY RMC ONGKIKO

Bee propolis: a resinous substance that worker bees use to repair their combs.

It has been widely used as atherapeutic agent.


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26 RDE Digest

wound patch differ from the antibiotic-laden woundpatch in terms of effi cacy.

When asked why she decided to focus on bees and beepropolis in particular, Dr. Estacio said that there is alot of potential with bees and bee propolis, especially with regards to health. She pointed out that basedon other papers and researches, bee propolis hasother health benefits aside from wound healing. Beepropolis has been found to have anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, anti-ulcer, anti-viral and anti-fungalproperties.

With her project, Dr. Estacio wanted to focus onproducing an alternative to traditional wound patchesthat would work faster and more effectively. Dr.Estacio, along with PNRI Biomed Section Head Ms.Zenaida de Guzman, UPLB Bee Program coordinator

Dr. Aimee Lynn Dupo, and their staff, found out thatbee propolis makes wounds heal faster as compared tothe antibiotic-laden wound patches.

Te wounds treated with bee propolis left smallerscars too. Tere were also no side effects found

PHOTOS BY RMC ONGKIKO

▲A sample of the propolis alginate dressing.

▼The research team doing a demo of theprocedures and processes.


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27RDE Digest

during the course of the research, addingto the practicality of using the beepropolis wound patches. In-vivo testingof the wound patches was conductedon laboratory animals at the College ofVeterinary Medicine.

Te BEENE and UPLB Bee Program

Te bee propolis used in making the wound dressing came from the localstingless bees. Tese bees are found herein the Philippines. Te stingless bees wereprovided by the Beekeepers’ NetworkPhilippines Foundation Inc or BEENE.

BEENE is the first national beekeepinggroup registered with the Securities and

Exchange Commission (SEC) as a non-stock non-profit organization. Teydo research on bees as well as conductsymposiums, seminars, and workshops.BEENE was conceptualized because ofthe UPLB Bee Program.

Te UPLB Bee Program is a multi-disciplinary,integrated research and development programestablished on 27 February 1989. It aims to promote,formalize, coordinate, and integrate all bee-relatedresearch and extension activities in UPLB. It hasbeen recognized as the National Center of Excellencefor Bee Research and Development since 2004. Teprogram spearheaded the development of innovative ways of beekeeping like the use of ionizing radiationin bee disease control and the use of Artificial NeuralNetwork (ANN) among others.

Te propolis’ future

Presently, the bee propolis wound dressing is not yetcommercially available. Dr. Estacio mentioned thatfor this to happen, further testing and studies must bemade and prioritized.

Her project is only the first thrust in making thisproduct available to the public. With the positiveresults of the project, researchers started looking fordifferent veterinary companies, as well as humanpharmaceutical companies that are interested to putbee propolis health products into the local market.

Te new bee propolis-based wound dressing willindeed provide a better alternative to the traditionalantibiotic-based wound dressings. Once the product

is available, it will be beneficial to a wide sector ofpeople, as well as medical and veterinary doctors.Local beekeepers would also have additional incomefrom the production of propolis from stingless bees.

Bees are truly wonderful insects. Tey provide food,help the environment through pollination, and now,their propolis is being used to heal wounds.

With Dr. Estacio’s research, more people would takeinterest in these little insects, thus increasing thenumber of pollinators helping the environment, whilealso helping the beekeepers of the Philippines. ■


Miguel was an intern last 2015. If you’re interested to apply for an

internship, or if you just want to contribute stories, email us at

[email protected]. We look forward to it!

▼Dr. Estacio with her team viewing theskin sample on the monitor.


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28 RDE Digest

LIFE HACKS

Korn Polvoron INGREDIENTS:

1 cup corn our

½ cup all purpose our

1 cup sugar (white, brown, or muscovado)

1 cup powdered milk

6 tablespoons melted butter

COOKING PROCEDURE:

1. In a mixing bowl, combine the powderedmilk and sugar.

2. In a heated frying pan, combine and toastthe corn our and all purpose our until thecolors turn light brown. Make sure to stir while toasting to prevent the our from

being burnt. Turn off the heat afterwards.

3. Add the mixture of powdered milk andsugar.

4. Stir well until every ingredient is welldistributed and while the mixture is still hot.

5. Pour in the melted butter or margarine andmix well.

6. After mixing, let it stand for at least 10minutes to allow the butter to cool. This willmake the mixture more intact.

7. Scoop the mixture using a Polvoron molder.

8. Wrap the scooped Polvoron usingcellophane or Japanese paper.

Recipes developed by Dr. Wilma A. Hurtada (College of Human Ecology) and

Mr. Felicito M. Rodriguez (College of Human Ecology) in coordination with

Dr. Artemio M. Salazar (Institute of Plant Breeding, College of Agriculture)

Photos by Christopher V. Labe (Institute of Plant Breeding, College of Agriculture)

Write up by Jose Elmo H. Azores (Offi ce of the Vice Chancellor for Research and Extension)

Recipes from UPLB


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29RDE Digest

Korn Champorado

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup corn grits

Cocoa

Sugar (white, brown, or muscovado

Evaporated milk

COOKING PROCEDURE:

1. Soak the corn grits in water for 20 to 30 minutes.

2. Soak the cocoa and sugar in water untilmelted.

3. Cook the soaked corn grits according topreferred consistency.

• Modify the consistency by adjusting the water to be added.

• Make sure that the corn grits are alreadysoft before adding the melted cocoa andsugar.

4. Add cocoa and sugar according to taste.

5. Serve with evaporated milk.

Korn Pastillas

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup corn our

2 ½ cups powdered milk

2 ½ cups sugar white, brown or muscovado

1 large can evaporated milk

¼ teaspoon vanilla essence

2 tablespoons butter

1 cup water

COOKING PROCEDURE:

1. In a large bowl, mix the corn our,powdered milk, and evaporated milk.

2. In a pan, cook the mixture over low heatuntil it reaches a texture similar to adough.

3. Scoop the mixture and mold intocylinders.

4. Roll each molded cylindrical mixture onsugar.

5. Wrap the molded mixture in cellophane or wax paper.


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Documents

RDEDigest Vol8No1