Vol. 8 No. 5 September - October 2014 Bimonthly issue

INSIDE: 3 LBSC holds Techno Forum: Handa KNB sa Oras ng Kalamidad? 3 ERDB’s researches presented in 24th IUFRO World Congress 4 ERDB’s bamboo and rattan gallery

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The ERDB participants to the 399th Foundation Day parade held on

Sept. 17, 2014 headed by Mr. Angelito Exconde (center), Supervisor,

Los Baños Experiment Station (LBES), ERDB.

T wenty-four fishermen from Barangay Ginoong Sanay and Pinagdilawan conducted a cross-

visit at the ERDB’s bamboo and rattan demonstration areas on October 3, 2014. The fishermen are cooperators of ERDB’s Partner-Bond Project which is being implemented in Talim island. The project is headed by Vienna O. Austria with Marla V. Cambay and Ma. Theresa M. Valencia as co-activity leader and project staff, respectively. The cooperators represent the 2 POs, Samahang

Mangingisda ng Barangay Ginoong Sanay and Samahang Mangingisda ng Barangay Pinagdilawan. Bamboos, which are abundant in Talim Island are made into various types of furniture such as sofas, cabinets, tables, chairs and a lot more. It is their main source of living, while lake fishing is only secondary. In her welcome remarks, ERDB OIC Dir. Portia G. Lapitan emphasized the continuous commitment of ERDB to transfer ERDB’s technology to the grassroots and mentioned DENR Secretary Paje’s instruction to consider the “inclusive growth” in implementing projects which is the centerpiece of President Aquino’s administration. It means putting the poor at the center of the development that no one is left behind.

The participants visited the Los Baños Experiment Station (LBES) wherein For. Digno C. Garcia explained the different facilities of the LBES at the Makiling Forest Reserve in Los Baños, Laguna. The participants were toured by For. Garcia and Mr. Edgardo Castillo around the LBES covering the demonstration areas of ERDB on agroforestry, bambusetum, rattan genebank, medicinal plants, and forest nursery. The participants also had the chance to see the Mt. Makiling mudspring.

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Talim island fisherfolks visit ERDB’s demo areas and gallery

The Talim island cooperators together with the ERDB

Partner-Bond team and some LBES staff.

I n celebration of the 399th Foundation Day of the Municipality of Los Baños, the Ecosystems

Research and Development Bureau (ERDB) joined the 140 delegates in the civic parade held on Sept. 17, 2014. The delegates came from government offices, NGOs and private individuals. With the theme, “Bayan Ko, Ikinararangal ko, Pagpupugay sa Ambag ng Los Baños sa Mundo”, the parade started from the Olivarez Plaza up to the General Paciano Park Compound, old Municipal Covered Court, Los Baños, Laguna. Los Baños Mayor Caesar P. Perez welcomed the

ERDB joins 399th Foundation Day of Los Baños

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ERDB joins 399th Foundation Day … from page 1

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Talim island fisherfolks… from page 1

The group visited the Forest Products Research and Development Institute’s (FPRDI) and where briefed on technologies on the utilization of wood

products. They were also exposed to FPRDI’s newly developed technologies on the engineered bamboo processing equipment. To further enliven the interest of the cooperators in planting bamboo, they were toured at the bamboo and rattan gallery where they saw the various end-products of bamboo and rattan that were collected locally and internationally. Dr. Aida B. Lapis, former Deputy Project Director of ITTO-Philippines ASEAN Rattan Project who initiated the putting up of the gallery narrated how the gallery came about. Impressions were delivered by Mr. Clemente Olvida

of Samahang Mangingisda ng Barangay Ginoong

Sanay and Mr. Romeo Cerafica of Samahang

Mangingisda ng Barangay Pinagdilawan during the

closing program. Dir. Portia G. Lapitan assured the

cooperators that the bamboo nurseries will

participants. He mentioned that each of us has his/her own role to play in maintaining cleanliness and peace and order in the town of Los Baños. Ms. Georgia Lovell, Chair, Direct Aid and Program Committee of the Australian Ambassador to the Philippines delivered the inspirational message. She congratulated the people of Los Baños on their anniversary. She said, “Australia and the Philippines enjoy the warm friendship and we are here to help the Philippines in times of need”. She further said the Australian government has allotted $ 170 M dollars as a donation to the Philippines. Loyalty awards were given to municipal employees who have served the Los Baños Municipal government for 10, 20, 30, 35 and 40 years. Likewise, Mayor Caesar Perez was given a loyalty award for his 25 years of leadership to the Municipality of Los Baños. Cong. Joaquin Chipeco, Jr. mentioned his proposed bill to turn Los Baños into a city. He said Los Baños has 150,000 inhabitants while the only requirement to become a city is only 100,000. He also added that the income of Los Baños is P 200 M while the requirement for the conversion into a city is P 250 M. The occasion also served as a venue for the turning over of the check from the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) for Grassroots Participatory Budgeting Process. The initial check

ERDB OIC Director Portia G. Lapitan giving the welcome remarks

during the visit of Talim island cooperators.

amounted to P1,568,000 for the livelihood activities of Los Baños. One of the guest speakers during the occasion was Laguna Gov. Ramil Hernandez. In his speech, he said he supports the initiative to convert Los Baños into a city although this will be a great loss to the province of Laguna. Gov. Hernandez announced his accomplishments during his 100th day of serving the province of Laguna. He mentioned his proposal to have an extension office in Calamba for the tourism and provincial disaster preparedness departments. The other accomplishments which he mentioned were the shortened period for claiming medical assistance from 3-6 months to 10 days, increase of 6.67% for basic and social services, proposal for the Coastal road project from Taguig to Bay, Laguna (to start on the 1st week of August 2014), quick processing of papers for the purchase of medicine, additional benefits for the orange card, and the increase in the number of scholars from 6,000 to 10,000 students. For the 9 provincial hospitals, he likewise assured the public on his plan to digitally connect these hospitals for easy access of information (e. g. availability of vacant rooms etc.). Finally, he mentioned that he already ordered the release of allowance for the Barangay Nutrition

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T he Los Baños Science Community (LBSC) hosted the Techno forum: Handa KNB sa Oras ng

Kalamidad? on Sept. 11, 2014 at the NCAS (New College of Arts and Science) Auditorium, UPLB. Dr. Enrique P. Tolentino, Vice Chancellor for Community Affairs welcomed the participants including the barangay captains of Los Baños, the Sangguniang Barangay members, and the members of the LBSC community. Dr. Primo Garcia, Chair of Technoforum Committee 2014 mentioned the activities for the 3-day event which includes the wonderama exhibit at the Copeland Gym at UPLB, techno forum at the NCAS Auditorium and awarding at the SEARCA auditorium, UPLB.

Dr. Garcia mentioned that the forum serves a venue to promote science and technology to the general public. The first speaker was Ms. Bernadette Lucillo, PAG-ASA Weather Specialist based at the National Agrometeorology Station (NAS) at UPLB. Ms. Lucillo tackled the topics: Description of Los Baños, Normal Rainfall of NAS- UPLB, Typhoons in Laguna from 1989-2014 and Rainfall Advisories, Classification and Measurement. The second speaker, Mr. Elvis Cruz, Assistant Regional Director of the Office of Civil Defense IV-A discussed the following topics: 1) Why do typhoons frequently visit the Philippines?; 2) Philippine Disaster Risk Profile; 3) Republic Act 10121 on Disaster Risk Reduction; 4) Key Players in DRRM; 5) NDRRMC (OPCEN Operations Center) Information Flow; 6) Concept of Operation; 7) Recent Experiences in Disaster Response and Rehabilitation (Typhoon Yolanda (Haiayan) experience; 8) DRRM Efforts Rehabilitation and Recovery; and 9) Typhoon Glenda Experiences Response.

The last speaker was Mr. Martin Q. Imatong, LGU DRRM Consultant discussed the topic “Paghahanda sa Kalamidad: Mga Aral para sa Barangay”. He presented the following: 1) The Philippine Disaster Risk Profile; 2) Volcanoes in the Philippines; 3) Earthquake Activity in the Philippines; 4) Tsunami; 5) Human Induced Disaster; 6) World Risk Index Report 2012; 7) Earth’s natural events; 8) Quick facts about R.A. 10121; 9) Network of DRRMCs and 10) NDRRMC coordination During Emergencies. During the open forum several questions were asked by the barangay officials. There was a question if the LGU-

LBSC holds Techno Forum: Handa KNB sa Oras ng Kalamidad?

Ms. Bernadette Lucillo, PAG-ASA Weather Specialist answers a question during the Technology Forum: Handa knb sa Oras ng Kalamidad held on Sept. 11, 2014 at the NCAS Auditorium, UPLB. Also in photo are L-R Asst. Prof. Pinaflor Taylan, UP Open University; Mr. Elvis Cruz, Assistant Regional Director, Office of Civil Defense IV-A; and Mr. Martin Q. Imatong, LGUDRRM Consultant.

T wo research abstracts of the DENR’s Ecosystems Research and Development

Bureau (ERDB) were presented during the 24th International Union of Forest Research Organizations (IUFRO) World Congress held in Salt Lake City, Utah, USA on October 5-11, 2014.

Abstracts are about the two current research projects of ERDB titled “Establishment of Hydrometeorological Stations in National Power

ERDB’s researches presented in 24th IUFRO World Congress

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Executive Advisers : Portia G. Lapitan

Antonio M. Daño

Editorial Adviser : Veronica O. Sinohin

Managing Editor : Marla V. Cambay

Layout : Liberato A. Bacod

Circulation : Eduardo M. Tolentino

Photographer : Gino S. Laforteza

Vol. 8 No. 5 September - October 2014

Contribution from all employees are welcome as per guidelines set in ERDB Memo dated Aug. 31, 2007.The ERDB Info Journal is produced bimonthly in coordination with all

ERDB’s researches presented … from page 3

Corporation-Managed Watershed Reservations” and “Rehabilitation Strategies and Ecotourism Development for Mined-Out and Waste Dump Areas in Bagacay, Hinabangan, Western Samar, Philippines.” ERDB Senior Science Research Specialist Angelito B. Exconde presented the poster at the Congress. The 24th IUFRO World Congress is themed “Sustaining Forests, Sustaining People: The Role of Research.” The Congress is held every 4 to 5 years in various parts of the world to bring together scientists from many disciplines that focus on forests, natural resources, and people. In the Philippines, along with ERDB, the Department of Science and Technology’s Forest Products Research and Development Institute, and

Scholars (BNS), Bantay Lawa and a total of P5M anniversary bonus of the employees of the Laguna Provincial Capitol.

ERDB joins 399th Foundation Day … from page 2

I n an effort to promote the importance of bamboo and rattan in the Philippines, the Ecosystems

Research and Development Bureau (ERDB) established the bamboo and rattan gallery. The gallery serves as a repository of relevant research outputs, literatures and information including photos of various species and products of bamboos in the Philippines and neighboring countries. Dr. Aida B. Lapis, a retired Scientist, and former OIC Chief of the Grassland and Degraded Areas Research Division and Deputy Project Director of ITTO Philippines ASEAN Rattan Project initiated the establishment of the gallery which formally opened on February 21, 2007. According to her, “this is the only gallery or museum in the Philippines focusing on bamboo and rattan.” She further said, “ERDB has embarked on research and development (R&D) on bamboo since 1978”. Most bamboo production technologies emanated from ERDB research outputs that led to bamboo and rattan plantation protocols now being adopted nationwide.

ERDB’s bamboo and rattan gallery

The gallery showcases the Philippine native bamboos and rattan and their production, crafts and cultural influence to the Filipino way of life in both the low and high end of social ladder. It also displays the ingenuity and uniqueness of the ASEAN peoples in coming up with versatile bamboo products such as furniture, musical instruments, kitchen utensils, baskets, trays, bags, mats, clothing and other functional decorative materials. Various materials or crafts were categorized under the following themes: cultural, farm implements, decorations, utility, musical and others. To date, a total collection of 272 bamboo and 195 rattan products can be seen in the museum from ASEAN and other countries: Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Japan, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam and China. Edible rattan shoots (dried and bottled) and bottled fruit wine are also on display. The gallery is open to the public from 8:00 AM to 5:00