CapSU officials join Vietnam leadership conference

By Niño Manaog

University Extension Associate

To “reinforce their current knowledge in sustaining efforts towards excellence,” six Capiz State University (CapSU) officials led by President Editha L. Magallanes, joined the team of some 84 representatives from the Philippines’s state universities and colleges (SUCs) to attend the International Leadership Training Conference held on September 22–27, 2011 at the Tan Hai Long Hotel in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.

The CapSU delegation was composed of President Magallanes, Dr. Herminia Gomez, vice-president for academic affairs; Dr. Amelita Simon, CapSU Pontevedra campus administrator; Dr. Mae Dumapig, dean of the College of Education, Arts and Sciences and Dr. Jinky Lyn Contreras, dean of the College of Nursing, both of CapSU Pontevedra; and Dr. Pedro Gavino, director of CapSU’s Business Affairs Office.

HEADS OF STATE Us

CapSU President Editha Magallanes (standing, second from left) joins other SUC presidents from across the Philippines, Dr. Luningning Misuarez-Umar and Dr. Nona Ricafort (seated, third and fourth from left), CHED commissioners. They are hosted by no less than Dr. Ben Lee (seated, fifth from left), EDS Business School president.

Organized by the Philippine Association of State Universities and Colleges (PASUC) in collaboration with EDS Business School of Malaysia and the Hawaii-based Akamai University, the international conference featured the expertise of Dr. Premkumar Rajagopal, dean of the Faculty of Business of Aimst University based in Kedah Darul Aman in Malaysia.

In the three-day conference workshop, Rajagopal shared valuable input on the principles and practices related to supply chain management vis-à-vis the challenges encountered in the modern times by the educational leadership in higher education.

According to Dr. Magallanes, educational institutions must offer courses that are needed by the industry. The challenge is to produce graduates whose training, skills and expertise correspond to the current job opportunities in the market, in other words, “to supply graduates needed in the community.”


Dr. Magallanes underscored how CapSU has been faring up to such benchmark. CapSU is prepping the speech laboratory facilities in two campuses which will offer short-term courses that cater to the business process outsourcing (BPO) industries in the market today. To date, CapSU has yet to establish the said facilities in Dayao, Pontevedra and Roxas City campuses to fully prepare for these courses.

Participants from CapSU share light moments with the
conference conveners and guests.

CapSU Burias’s COE beefs up faculty, research

By Trinidad Abao and Genalyn Baranda

Faculty, College of Education

CapSU Burias

During the evaluation led by the Accrediting Agency of Chartered Colleges and Universities in the Philippines (AACCUP) in November 2010, the Bachelor of Secondary Education and the Bachelor of Elementary Education of CapSU Burias College of Education (COE) were granted Level III accreditation. Among other things, AACCUP’s evaluating team advised CapSU Burias to give priority to its research and extension units.

According to Dean Grizelda Lava, part of the achievement in the accreditation is the upgraded profile of human resources in the college. In pursuit of CapSU’s vision of upgrading the quality of education, the College faculty have been highly encouraged to pursue graduate studies in the CapSU system and outside academic institutions.  

Mr. Rodyard B. Madiclum, physical education major completed his degree Master of Arts in Teaching, major in Physical Education at the Filamer Christian University, Roxas City.

In 2010, through the International Fellowship Program of the Ford Foundation, Prof. Genalyn L. Baranda completed her graduate degree in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages from the SIT Graduate Institute in Vermont. To date, Prof. Baranda has also completed her graduate degree in English from the CapSU Poblacion Campus.

Prof. Lady May Celo, the campus guidance counselor, obtained Master in Management from CapSU Graduate School in Mambusao, and also completed the academic requirements for Master of Science in Guidance and Psychology at the West Visayas State University in Iloilo City.

Prof. Angeline Vestidas was granted her master’s degree in Physical Education while Prof. Davidica L. Avelino earned her Master of Arts in Teaching Mathematics, both from the Filamer Christian University.

Among others, faculty from the College also attended seminar workshops on technical writing and proposal making, joined in-house reviews, and participated in symposia and other activities designed to enhance the writing skills and research capability of students and faculty.

Through the years, the College has also been prolific and proactive in producing researches which won recognition for faculty and student researchers. For one, the study titled “Farmers’ Impressions and Expectations of the RDE Activities of CapSU” by Dr. Geronimo L. Gregorio and Dr. Evelyn Gregorio was awarded Best Paper in the local symposium, Best Paper in the university symposium, and second runner-up in the regional research symposium.

Meanwhile, the “English Proficiency of Student Entrants at the College of Education in CapSU Burias Campus from 2005 to 2008” authored by Mr. Gerard Lee Atienza, Prof. Genalyn L. Baranda, Clea Marie Geca, and Mariel Lozada was cited Best Paper in the Local Level, Best Paper in the University Level, and 4^th Runner-Up in the Regional Level.

The “Status of Mathematics Instruction as Perceived by College Students at CapSU Burias” by Dr. Evelyn L. Gregorio and Ronel Vaje was named Best Paper in the local level and cited first runner-up in the university level.

Another study titled “Student Teachers’ Readiness to Teach Mathematics at CapSU: An Assessment” authored by Dr. Evelyn L. Gregorio, Prof. Milagros Potato, and Joan Barion was also cited best paper in the local and university levels.

The COE is mandated not only to produce quality teachers who could be globally competitive but also increase the involvement of the faculty members and students in research activities through appropriate and acceptable rewards and incentives.

UPLB, Southern Luzon, Marinduque, Aklan named PASSAGE best papers

By Nio Manaog, with reports from Mark Sibug, Rodyard Madiclum and Ricky Eradon

Three schools from Luzon and one university from Visayas garnered the top prizes for the best paper presentations in the 15th Biennial Conference Workshop led by the Philippine Association of Agri-vironment Educators and Entrepreneurs, Inc. (PASSAGE) held Oct. 18–20, 2011 in Roxas City.

Out of the 16 papers presented for the Environment Category, “Banana Leaves: A Mitigation Technology for Reducing Methanogens in Cattle” by Gondelina Radovan of the Southern Luzon State University (SLSU) clinched the top prize. The “Pesticide Residue Analysis of Selected Solanacious Crop in Tacurong City and Isulan, Sultan Kudarat” by Teodorico Junsay Sr. of the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist, South Cotabatao and Rolando Hechanova of Sultan Kudarat State University (SKSU) won second.

Romeo Caturao of the University of Antique won third for his “Fatty Acid Profile of Pseudodiaptomus Annandalie (Copepdia:Calanoida) Fed with Different Microalgae.” Dr. Guillermo Legada. Jr. served as moderator while Dr. Josefina Dizon, Dr. Francisco Lopez and Engr. Marlon Bonite served as evaluators.

Topping the 22 papers of Entrepreneurship and Economics category was Diosdado Zulueta’s “From Eerie Worms into Flying Germs: Butterfly Conservation, Farming and Marketing for a Sustainable Livelihood in Marinduque” from Marinduque State College.

This is followed by the “Bio Physico-Chemical Attributes of Mature Nuts of Coconut Hybrids as Quality Indices for Economic Utilization” by Dr. Geronimo Gregorio, et.al. and the “Design and Development of Jatropha Gas Stove” by Engr. Pedro Celo, et.al., both of Capiz State University (CapSU). Dr. Genoveva Labaniego facilitated the session while Dr. Virgie Callo- Etis, Dr. Pedrito Pontillas and Dr. Aladino Leccio served as evaluators.

AWARD-WINNING EDUCATION PAPERS  
(from left ) Dr. Rowena Baconguis of UPLB, Dr. Mae Dumapig
of CapSU Pontevedra and Dr. Evelyn Gregorio of CapSU Burias
deliver their winning presentations. 

For Education, the paper titled “Facing the Challenges of Ensuring a Healthy Community: Experiences from Two Local Government Units” by Belinda Lalap and Rowena Baconguis of the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB) won the top prize; followed by “Special Education Program: An Intervention for Children with Special Needs” by Mae Dumapig and Nilda Contreras and “R&D Activities and Resource Capability Assessment among State Colleges and Universities in Western Visayas” by Evelyn Gregorio, et.al, both of CapSU. Dr. Susan Dangan served as moderator while Dr. Carolina Santillana, Dr. Herminia Gomez and Dr. Dominador Garin served as evaluators.

Then of the 20 papers presented under Food Security, Agricultural Productivity and Sustainable Development, the paper titled “Women’s Economic Empowerment through Green Revolution Amidst Skyrocketing Prices (GRASP) Project” by Helen Navarra, et.al. of Aklan State University (ASU) placed first.

This is followed by the “Production Performance of Ratooned ICRISAT Sweet Sorghum Varieties as Influenced by Planting Density and NPK Fertilizer” by Federito Launio and Geronimo Gregorio of CapSU; and “Performance Evaluation of Sweet Sorghum Lines for Bio-Ethanol and Grains Under Pangasinan Conditions” by Cesar Della, et.al. of Pangasinan State University. The session was moderated by Dr. Mary Ann Martelino and papers were evaluated by Dr. Florie Gapido, Dr. Rosa Albino and Dr. Francisco Romera.

Winners were awarded certificates of recognition and cash prizes during the closing program.

Leccio assumes PASSAGE presidency

VIVO ALADINO LECCIO

Dr. Aladino Leccio will lead 

PASSAGE from 2011 to 2013.

By Niño Manaog

Dr. Aladino L. Leccio, vice-president for administration and finance of the Capiz State University, officially took oath as president of the Philippine Agri-vironment Educators and Entrepreneurs, Inc (PASSAGE) during the Closing Program of the 15th PASSAGE Biennial Conference-Workshop held on October 20, 2011 at the San Antonio Resort in Lawis Baybay, Roxas City.

An active advocate and member of the association in many capacities and involvements, Leccio was named PASSAGE Outstanding Extensionist in 2003 and Gurong Patnubay Awardee in 2009.

Along with Dr. Leccio, the following officers were elected to their respective posts—Dr. Josefina Dizon, Vice President for Luzon; Dr. Jaime Sunico, Vice-President for Visayas; Dr. Josephine Subong, Vice-President for Mindanao; Dr. Mae Dumapig, Secretary; Dr. Carolina Santillana, Treasurer; and Dr. Francisco Lopez, Auditor.  Dr. Florie Gapido and Dr. Francisco Romera will serve as Council members. Former president Dr. Virgie Callo-Etis will serve as Ex-officio member.

Dar, Gregorio named best agri leaders, workers

By Nio Manaog and Susan Dangan

Dr. William Dar/ICRISAT Photo

In the 15th Biennial Conference-Workshop held October 18–21, 2011 at the San Antonio Resort in Lawis Baybay, Roxas City, the officers and members of the Philippine Agri-vironment Educators and Entrepreneurs, Inc (PASSAGE) the council conferred awards for two achievers in the field of agricultural work and leadership.

In the closing Program held on October 20, 2011, the 2011 Agriculture Administrator Award was conferred on Dr. William D. Dar, director general of the India-based International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) for having been “an exemplary achiever whose efforts made outstanding impacts on agricultural development toward food security.”

Dr. Geronimo Gregorio

The 2011 Agricultural Researcher Award was conferred on Dr. Geronimo Gregorio, vice-president for research and extension of the Capiz State University, for “being an achiever in agriculture whose accomplishments made outstanding impact on agricultural development.”

The winners received plaques of recognition and cash prizes.

PASSAGE speakers share insights on biodiversity, climate change

(From left) Dr. Ro-ann Bacal, Capiz Board Member
James Magbanua and Gov. Victor Tanco, Sr.

By Susan Dangan

With reports from Fatima Sustento and Martin Villaluna, Mae Dumapig and Elisa Delmindo

In the two days of the convention, PASSAGE invited a number of resource speakers coming from private and public entities to share their insights on education, climate change, biodiversity and entrepreneurship.

These included no less than Cong. Eulogio Magsaysay of the Alliance of Volunteer Educators (AVE) party list and Gov. Victor Tanco of the province of Capiz. They also sought the expertise and experience of Dr. Ro-ann Bacal of the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) 6; Dr. Juan Pulhin of the University of the Philippines Los Banos (UPLB); Capiz Board Member James Magbanua; and Cong. Antonio del Rosario who was represented by Mrs. Melanie Arancillo.

In the first day assembly, Gov. Victor Tanco stressed that his government will prioritize tourism in his province that national events such as the PASSAGE convention.

In his speech read by Dr. Arnulfo Ecleo, Cong. Magsaysay noted the crucial problem facing the environment. Foremost, Magsasay considered the vital role of the educators in creating a productive research culture across SUCs that will produce results in the institutions and the communities. Magsaysay stressed that educators imbibe in their students basic critical skills which could virtually prepare them for life. Provided with needed competencies, graduates will be well equipped with what they need to market themselves.

The second day featured Dr. Roann Bacal, regional director of NEDA 6 who shared key information and insights on how institutions can beef up the efforts of climate change mitigation and biodiversity assessments. Bacal also presented on how the government considers its country’s outlook through achieving something concrete to counter the effects of climate change.

Then, Mr. James Magbanua, a noted businessman in Capiz who also works in the medical field, shared invaluable insights on how individuals can effect change in the community in the face of helping the society to undertake survival mechanisms. A success story, Magbanua said that the change comes from within. Before he can effect change in the community, an individual must work hard and be determined to weather the odds in his endeavors.

For her part, CapSU President Editha Magallanes hoped that the convention will not only be an avenue for participants of knowing research results that can help mitigate climate change but also inspire them in helping provide solutions to problems in the environment.

Magallanes promotes CapSU’s best practices

By Mary Jane Arroyo 

CapSU President
Dr. Editha Magallanes

In the Plenary Session of the 15th PASSAGE Biennial Conference-Workshop held October 19, 2011 at the Lake House 2 in San Antonio Resort, Lawis Baybay, Roxas City, Dr. Editha Magallanes, president of Capiz State University, promoted the best practices of the university in many areas and priorities of concern.

Featured were the achievements in faculty promotion through the NBC 5th Cycle of the Department of Budget and Management. Magallanes took pride in CapSU’s thrusts for income generation, research and extension linkages, military training-oriented curriculum, and other initiatives that have benefited CapSU.

CapSU faculty are also currently involved in book writing as per agreement contract with Malabon City-based Mutya Publishing; while HRM majors recently took advantage of the training skills services of Astoria Plaza’s Hotel on Wheels. Magallanes also featured the latest research involvements in mushroom, sweet sorghum and upland rice. After Magallanes’s presentation, Mutya Publishing and Astoria Hotel personnel promoted their services to the members of attending SUCs.

UPLB's Pulhin stresses everyone’s role for biodiversity, climate change

Dr. Cora Navarra and Niño Manaog

Advance the body of knowledge on biodiversity and climate change through cutting-edge research.”

This was stressed by Dr. Juan M. Pulhin, the University of the Philippines Los Banos (UPLB), during the formal Opening Program.

The esteemed UPLB forestry professor Pulhin urged all convention participants on their key roles in their respective endeavors to pursue programs and projects that concretely help address the issues of biodiversity and climate change.

Given the scenarios of the modern environment, educators and entrepreneurs have the potent role to promote strong science and policy action interlink. For this concern, engaging the decision makers from the government institutions like DENR, NEDA and other key institutions can help.“We are given two choices—we wait and see until catastrophe overtake us or be more proactive and provide social checks and balance to correct the structures,” Pulhin said.

Everyone was urged on his important role to play to take the second choice. After all, the future of the generations depends on preparing and adapting to climate change.

Colors, communities open 15th PASSAGE convention

By Gerard Lee Atienza and Niño Manaog

Photos by Ralph Gerard Cadiz

Colorful dance and song numbers and warm welcome for the national delegations formally opened the 15th Biennial Conference-Workshop of the Philippine Association of Agri-vironment Educators and Entrepreneurs, Inc. (PASSAGe) in the Lakehouse 2 of San Antonio Resort in Lawis Baybay, Roxas City.

COLORS AND COMMUNITIES

(Clockwise from top left) Members of the delegation from the University of Rizal System Tanay (URST) anticipate the day ahead; CapSU Dayao students dance the popular tinikling; Gov. Victor Tanco livens up the morning audience; CapSU personnel greet the day with their beaming smiles; and CapSU Pontevedra high school students render a Rihanna number, to the delight of the audience.

The Capiz State University under the leadership of Dr. Editha Magallanes, lead convener and Dr. Aladino Leccio, PASSAGE’s vice-president at large, offered the 30 delegations their warmest welcome and ushered them in to the formal plenary session.

The program featured the performances of the Hugyaw Dance Group of CapSU Burias, CapSU Roxas City Main Campus Choir and numbers rendered by selected students of CapSU Dayao and CapSU Pontevedra.

After invited speakers and guests delivered their greetings and insights, the province of Capiz led by Gov. Tanco welcomed the participants before PASSAGE officials opened the activities towards lunchtime, at which time they were all hosted for lunch by the provincial government at the poolside in the Villareal Sports Stadium in barangay Tiza, Roxas City.

CapSU hosts PASSAGE’s 15th nat’l confab

By Cora Ferrer Navarra and Niño Manaog

Capiz State University

123rf.com

Roxas City—On October 18, 2011, all roads lead to the San Antonio Resort on the coastline of Lawis Baybay in this city for the 15th Biennial Conference-Workshop of the Philippine Association of Agri-vironment Educators and Entrepreneurs, Inc. (PASSAGE).

Anchored on the theme “The Role of Educators and Entrepreneurs in Biodiversity and Climate Change,” the national summit will feature the sharing of knowledge, information and research activities of 30 state universities and colleges (SUCs) and local government units (LGUs) across the country.

Hosted by the Capiz State University (CapSU) under the dynamic leadership of President Editha Magallanes and Dr. Aladino Leccio, vice-president for administration and finance and PASSAGE’s vice-president at-large, this year’s national event will convene some 150 educators and entrepreneurs of said SUCs throughout the archipelago.

Around 100 competing and non-competing participants will present their papers and research studies across a number of fields covered by the mandate of PASSAGE. Seventeen papers were read in Education; 28 will be presented in Environment; 27 in Entrepreneurship; and 30 will be featured in Food Security, Sustainable Development and Agricultural Productivity.

Highlight of this year’s summit is the conferment of awards to two achievers in agricultural work and leadership. The 2011 Agriculture Administrator Award will be conferred on Dr. William D. Dar, director general of the India-based International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) for having been “an exemplary achiever whose efforts made outstanding impacts on food security and agricultural development.”

The 2011 Agricultural Researcher Award will be conferred on Dr. Geronimo Gregorio, CapSU’s vice-president for research and extension, for “being an achiever in agriculture whose accomplishments made outstanding impact on agricultural research and development.”

According to Dr. Leccio, the success of CapSU’s national sponsorship is assured “because it is well planned and supported by the CapSU system led by President Editha Magallanes.” Dr. Magallanes is backed by supportive campus administrators across the province, whose human and technical resources are fully maximized to benefit this year’s undertaking, Leccio said.

CapSU has also worked with the provincial government of Capiz led by Gov. Victor Tanco, the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) led by Dr. Patricia Licuanan and the Department of Agriculture- Bureau of Agricultural Research (DA-BAR) led by Dr. Nicomedes Eleazar.

Established in 1981 at the University of the Philippines Los Baños, PASSAGE has since become a conglomerate of investigative minds working for innovation and development. 

Dumalag FITS Center showcases high hybrid rice yields

By Niño Manaog

University Extension Associate

Capiz State University

To showcase the harvest of hybrid rice in their municipality, the Farmers’ Information and Technology Services (FITS) Center based in Dumalag, Capiz, in partnership with the local government of Dumalag and the Department of Agriculture (DA), hosted the Fiesta sa Palayan in Barangay San Rafael, Dumalag, Capiz on October 7, 2011.

Through the efforts of the Dumalag FITS Center led by Manager Ronelyn de Tomas, Dumalag’s third hybrid rice harvest festival event showcased the best yield of the municipality.

The Fiesta sa Palayan was witnessed by representatives of the local government of Dumalag led by Mayor Lilia Castro, the Department of Agriculture Regional Field Unit 6 (DA-RFU 6), representatives of a seeds company and farmer representatives from the town of Dumarao, Capiz who were considered potential adopters of the hybrid rice technology.

Featured in the program were the testimonies of Jimmy Febrada and his cousin, Glicerio Febrada, both of sitio Agbay-ang in Barangay San Rafael, Dumalag, Capiz, who produced the highest yields in their farms in the last cropping season.

Local officials join the stakeholders in

celebrating the farmers hight yield for the year.

From July to October this year, 45-year-old Jimmy Febrada recorded an average of 176 bags per hectare planted to NSIC Rc 210H or Mestizo 23; while 44-year-old Glicerio Febrada harvested 173 bags of NSIC Rc 124H, otherwise known as Mestizo 6, or Bigante for the same cropping.

According to Bernie Protacio, information service specialist of Dumalag FITS Center, Jimmy Febrada discovered the goodness of hybrid rice by accident. At first, he was not convinced of its quality and high yield. But when he used the leftover seeds of neighbor farmer Amelita Panes for the first cropping this year, the three bags of Mestizo 8 or TEJ yielded a total of 176 cavans, a far cry from the usual 29 cavans of inbred variety he used in the same area. Based on Dumalag FITS Center’s records, the average yield of the farmers planting hybrid rice is normally high, while inbred rice normally posts lower figures than the hybrid counterparts in the same areas.

Meanwhile, there is also the story of 45-year old Billy Fruponga of barangay Duran of the same town who has been planting the Bigante variety for four years. For the last cropping season, Fruponga yielded some 140 cavans from the 10 kilograms of rice seeds he planted in one hectare, as compared to the 30-sack yield of the 212 variety he yields from direct seeding. According to Teresa Badilla, technology services specialist at Dumalag FITS Center, farmers are taught the conventional practices in farming in growing hybrid varieties, from cultivation to land preparation to weeding to farm maintenance. Badilla said that the high average yield of the hybrid rice in Dumalag, particularly Bigante, is attributed to its compatibility with the soil of the municipality.

For her part, Manager Ronelyn De Tomas takes pride in the fact that Dumalag is considered reputable for the hybrid rice production. According to De Tomas, farmers from the neighboring towns of Capiz and even Bingawan, Iloilo go to their office to coordinate on the purchase of seeds and consult them for the same concerns.

De Tomas also said that the hybrid rice is a hit among their local farmers, because of their staunch campaign to promote its viability through the conduct Farmers Field Schools across the barangays and the full support of the local government for this undertaking.

CapSU supports WESVARRDEC’s Darag chicken production program

By Nino Manaog

University Extension Associate

Capiz State University

Photos by Bede Ozaraga and Kimar Gargarita

Bede Ozaraga Photo

In the inception meeting held recently at the Residence Hotel in Iloilo City led by the Western Visayas Agriculture and Resources Research and Development Consortium (WESVARRDEC) on the Development of Sustainable Production System for the Darag Native Chicken (Gallus gallus domesticus) in Western Visayas, the Capiz State University (CapSU) counted among four state colleges and universities (SUCs) in the region tasked to undertake the said pioneering project.

Under the auspices of the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Resources Research and Development (PCARRD) channeled through WESVARRDEC, CapSU will make use of its R&D personnel along with those of the West Visayas State University (WVSU), Central Philippine University (CPU) and Aklan State University (ASU).

A collaborative effort of said four SUCs, the SUCs will undertake their respective components of the program. WVSU is tasked to develop a native chicken breeding and hatchery management system that would ensure stable supply of both breeder and slaughter native chickens of predictable performance and consistent quality in commercial quantities. CPU will develop and establish a feed production and distribution system for free-range native chickens while ASU will establish the production of Newcastle Disease vaccine and the distribution systems for the same purpose.

Of the five components identified, CapSU will contribute for two projects. For its part, CapSU will produce and distribute a stable supply of ethno-botanical antihelmintics and develop a range area (pasture) enhancement protocol for the darag native chickens, which will be based at the College of Veterinary Medicine of CapSU Dumarao in Codingle, Dumarao, Capiz.

Bede Ozaraga Photo

According to Dr. Bede Ozaraga, project leader and campus administrator of CapSU Dumarao, CapSU will take charge of the third component, or the production and distribution of ethno-botanical antihelmintics for free range native chicken.

Ozaraga acknowledged the prevalence of internal parasitism in native chicken and the present high cost of commercial veterinary antihelmintics for poultry. Most important, Ozaraga also declare their unavailability at the barangay-level which reduces the potentials of native chicken in Western Visayas.

According to Ozaraga, because the control relying entirely on commercial dewormers is threatened by the widespread occurrence of drug resistance, such circumstances require every possible effort to use ethno-botanicals available in the locality.

In particular, using ethno-botanicals sourced from ipil-ipil (Leucaena leucocephala) and bunga ((Areca catechu)—can reduce the parasitic burden to tolerable level because “these plants contain potential constituents as cheap sources of antihelmintics that complement the commercially manufactured parasitic drugs against internal parasitism.”

CapSU President Editha Magalanes (second from right), WVSU President
Pablo Subong, Jr. (third from right) and WESVARRDEC Director
Joseph Edward Idemne  (far right) are joined by Dr. Bede Ozaraga,
Prof. Ma. Sylvia Ozaraga and Dr. Evelyn Tomambo (from left),
darag production program project leaders after
the MOA signing at WVSU.

The component led by Mrs. Sylvia Inting Ozaraga, project leader for the fifth project, or the establishment of range enhancement and free range management protocol for darag breeder chickens, hardened chicks and slaughter native chickens, will require a number of activities.

First, CapSU will determine the influence of the herbage yield and botanical composition of pasture on the growth and reproductive performance of free range native chicken; and determine optimum stocking rates for the chickens. Then, it will establish and develop a ranging yard which will produce native chickens of predictable production performance and consistent quality. Likewise, CapSU will develop free-range native chicken production modules suited to small-farm conditions in rural areas.

Copy of the Memorandum of Agreement
signed by CapSU, ASU, WVSU and
CPU, WESVARRDEC and PCARRD

In the same meeting led by PCARRD and WESVARRDEC, Dr. Synan Baguio, supervising science research specialist and Dr. Edwin Villar, livestock research division director, both of PCARRD presented to the SUC representatives the terms and conditions of the funded project and the responsibilities of the collaborating agencies. The PCARRD officials likewise briefed the SUCs on the schedule of monitoring and evaluation and the delivery of outputs from the project.

Promoted by WESVARRDEC Director Joseph Edward Idemne, the program is supported by ASU President Danilo Abayon, CPU President Teodoro Robles, WVSU President Pablo Subong, Jr., and CapSU President Editha Magallanes.