A Department of Science and Technology (DOST)-funded initiative, being implemented by the Philippine Coconut Authority-Albay Research Center (PCA-ARC) to mitigate the risks of Coconut Cadang-cadang viroid disease (CCCVd), yielded promising developments in its first year of implementation.
The coconut industry is among the largest contributors to the agriculture gross value added (GVA), a major export earner, and a source of livelihood for over 2.5 million farmers. However, diseases like Cadang-cadang hamper the ability of the industry to continuously deliver its economic role.
Inoculation of LAGT nut-derived seedling (left) and LAGT embryo-cultured seedling (right). (Image credit: PCA-ARC)
A total of 691,068 Cadang-cadang infected palms were still observed in a survey conducted by PCA in 2012–2013. The study reported that with the disease spread rated at 0.1–1.0% per year, a total of 3 million coconut palms or higher, are at risk of being infected in 2032. Valued at $100 per bearing palm, the lack of intervention can result in a loss amounting to $300 million.
In a program review conducted by the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development of DOST (DOST-PCAARRD), Project Leader Maria Czet A. Fulleros reported that the project component, “Transcriptomic Analysis of Healthy and Cadang-cadang-infected Coconut Palms,'' has identified 35 candidate gene primers potentially involved in Cadang-cadang disease progression. This accomplishment will help the team determine the genes contributing to CCCVd tolerance or resistance.
DOST-PCAARRD and PCA-ARC team during the M&E visit of the DOST-funded program, “Virology and Vaccine Institute of the Philippines: Development of Mitigating Strategies for the Coconut Cadang-cadang Threat” at PCA-ARC, Guinobatan, Albay. (Image credit: CRD, DOST-PCAARRD)
Meanwhile, the project, "Application of Antisense Technology for the Coconut Cadang-cadang Disease: A Proof of Concept Study" led by Dr. Cristeta A. Cueto continues to explore antisense technology—a biotechnology tool that will be used to induce coconut resistance against CCCVd.
“The outputs of the program will aid in establishing a strong foundation for future coconut breeding initiatives and genetic analysis. This may lead to more strategic methods, including the development of quality CCCVd-tolerant/resistant coconut planting materials to mitigate the risks of the CCCVd disease, eventually boosting coconut farm productivity and farmers’ income… We at the DOST will continue to fund R&D programs that will deliver solutions to challenges encountered by the coconut industry,” said DOST Secretary Renato U. Solidum, Jr.
DOST-PCAARRD’s Crops Research Division (CRD) key personnel also conducted a monitoring and evaluation (M&E) visit at the PCA-ARC headquarters to support the team as they enter their second year of implementation. DOST-PCAARRD also assisted the team in preparing their research and development (R&D) proposals, one of which aims to complement their ongoing efforts and strengthen the advancement of knowledge on CCCVd.
Sa gitna ng mataas na potensyal ng sampalok at mga produkto nito sa merkado, nakararanas pa rin ng mababang produksyon ang industriya nito sa Pilipinas.
Dahil dito, tinututukan ng Tamarind Research & Development (R&D) Center ng Pampanga State Agricultural University (PSAU) ang paglikha ng mga inobasyon sa produksyon ng sampalok na makatutulong sa mga lokal na magsasaka. Ang programang ito ay pinondohan ng Department of Science and Technology (DOST) sa ilalim ng Niche Centers in the Regions (NICER) for R&D Program at sinusubaybayan ng DOST-Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development (PCAARRD).
Sa tulong ng proyektong “Development of S&T-based Production Management Strategies for Tamarind,” natukoy ang pagsasagawa ng ‘grafting’ o paghugpong, ‘girdling,’ ‘pruning,’ at paggamit ng ‘biological control agents (BCA),’ ‘oriental herb nutrient (OHN),’ at ‘plant growth promoter (PGP)’ bilang mga epektibong pamamaraan upang mas mapataas ang produksyon at kalidad ng sampalok sa bansa.
Ayon sa punong-tagapangasiwa ng programa na si Dr. Mary Grace B. Gatan, naitala sa kanilang pag-aaral na ang pagsasagawa ng girdling tuwing Marso ay nakatulong sa pagtaas ng produksyon ng ‘pod’ ng sampalok na aabot sa 390%. Tumaas din ang kalidad ng mga sampalok ng 465% sa tulong ng proseso ng pruning pagkatapos ng pag-ani tuwing Abril.
Samantala, ang paghugpong ng mga puno ng sampalok, kabilang ang mga naka-‘interstock,’ ay nagbunga ng prutas sa loob lamang ng 2 taon. Ito ay mas maaga kumpara sa mga hindi hinugpong na puno ng sampalok.
Sa kabuuan, ang Tamarind R&D Center ay nakagawa ng 5,300 na hinugpong sampaloc. Ito ay naging susi sa pagpapalawak ng mga taniman ng sampalok sa Central Luzon na aabot sa 121 ektarya.
Ang proyektong “Genomic Characterization for Improvement of Sour and Sweet Tamarind Varieties” naman ay nakagawa ng isang talaan tungkol sa mga katangian ng 5,200 prutas at 2,600 bulaklak ng sampalok. Nakapagtayo rin sila ng koleksyon na mayroong 540 uri ng sampalok mula sa iba’t ibang bahagi ng bansa.
Ibinahagi ni Adrian B. Bantequi, lider ng proyekto, na naging malaking bahagi ang resulta ng proyekto upang maiparehistro ang kauna-unahang rehistradong barayti ng maasim na sampalok, ang ‘PSAU Sour 2,’ sa talaan ng National Seed Industry Council (NSIC). Tatlo pang linya ng sampalok (‘PSAU Sour 1,’ ‘PSAU Sour 3,’ at ‘Nueva Ecija’) ang inihahanda para sa pagpaparehistro ng mga ito sa NSIC.
Bilang susunod na mga hakbang, ipagpapapatuloy ng Tamarind R&D Center ang pagpapatibay sa mga nasabing teknolohiya at pagsusulong sa akreditasyon ng mga punlaan ng mga matamis at maasim na sampalok mula sa Department of Agriculture-Bureau of Plant Industry (DA-BPI).
Bamboo is a versatile and sustainable resource with significant ecological, economic, and societal benefits. In the Philippines, bamboo is utilized for a wide range of products including construction materials, furniture, handicrafts, musical instruments, farm and fishing tools, and pulp and paper. However, the growth of the bamboo industry is hindered by the lack of reliable, timely, and accessible statistics and market information.
To estimate the country’s bamboo resources and institutionalize a bamboo inventory system, the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST-PCAARRD) and the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB) are partnering in a three-year program, “Bamboo Resources Inventory and Technology-Enabled Mapping in the Philippines (BRITEMAP).”
The BRITEMAP Program builds on the completed DOST-PCAARRD-funded project, “Enhancing the Various Policy Initiatives on Bamboo: Developing a Harmonized System for Community-based Inventory of Bamboo Resources in Key Production Areas in the Philippines,” led by Dr. Ramon A. Razal of UPLB. This initiative generated bamboo resource projections in Regions I, VI, and X using the developed inventory protocol. Additionally, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Region II funded a project that developed a mobile application for bamboo inventory and estimated the region's bamboo resources.
Recognizing the need to align the bamboo inventory efforts of various agencies, the DTI, Forest Management Bureau (FMB) and the Ecosystems Research and Development Bureau (ERDB) of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and DOST-PCAARRD led a workshop and a series of meetings to harmonize the existing bamboo inventory systems.
The BRITEMAP Program will scale-out the harmonized community-based bamboo inventory in 11 regions — Cordillera, Central Luzon, CALABARZON, MIMAROPA, Bicol, Central Visayas, Eastern Visayas, Western Mindanao, Southern Mindanao, SOCCSKSARGEN, and CARAGA. It also advocates the inventory system’s institutionalization through its three project components.
Project 1, “Community-based Inventory and Mapping of Bamboo Resources in the Philippines Aided by a Mobile Application (COM-APP BRITEMAP),” led by Program Leader Pastor L. Malabrigo, Jr., will extend the bamboo inventory to 11 regions and capacitate key stakeholders to ensure effective implementation and sustainability of the community-based bamboo inventory protocol.
Project 2, “Mapping Bamboo Resources and Mobile Application and Dashboard Development in the Philippines (MAP-APP BRITEMAP),” led by Dr. Cristino L. Tiburan Jr. will generate detailed bamboo distribution maps and estimates of available bamboo resources. It also aims to enhance and roll out the mobile application and web dashboard, providing a technological edge to the inventory process.
Project 3, “Imperatives of Policy and Leveraging Stakeholders and National Entities towards Institutionalizing BRITEMAP (IMPLEMENT BRITEMAP),” led by For. Noel L. Tolentino consults with key stakeholders to formulate a policy mandating the regular inventory and mapping of bamboo resources at the national level.
Project inception meeting attended by UPLB project teams, DOST-PCAARRD, external evaluators, and resource persons from DOST 4A, DOST-PHIVOLCS, DENR-FMB, DTI R2, and DTI-NCRO. (Image credit: SERD, DOST-PCAARRD)
Held last June 3, 2024, the inception meeting was attended by evaluators – Dr. Florentino Tesoro and Atty. Ray Thomas Kabigting, with representatives from DOST Region IV-A, DOST Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS), DENR-FMB, DTI Region II, and the DTI National Capital Regional Office as the Philippine Bamboo Industry Development Council (PBIDC) Secretariat.
Through the BRITEMAP Program, DOST-PCAARRD and UPLB aim to institutionalize a harmonized community-based bamboo inventory system in the Philippines that will provide holistic, reliable, and up-to-date data and information on bamboo resources, significantly boosting the country's bamboo industry, and leveraging its ecological, economic, and societal benefits.
To promote and encourage youth to engage in the agriculture, aquatic, and natural resources (AANR) sector, the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST-PCAARRD) opened its doors to 23 outstanding students from Philippine Science High School (PSHS) regional campuses in CALABARZON, Bicol, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, and Ilocos for the Science Immersion Program (SIP). It was held from June 24 to July 12, 2024 at DOST-PCAARRD, Los Baños, Laguna.
Anchored to the SIP of PSHS, the three-week immersion focused on science and technology (S&T) and research and development (R&D) activities such as mentoring sessions, S&T enrichment activities, and R&D immersion site visits. These implementation strategies aim to enhance the participation of PSHS students in the AANR sector and encourage them to become the next generation of S&T leaders.
Twenty-three students from PSHS regional campuses in Luzon completed their 3-week science immersion program in DOST-PCAARRD. (Image credit: Frances Efraim T. Valdez, SERD, DOST-PCAARRD)
Comprehensive learning experience
The first week of the immersion program consisted of lecture sessions from the AANR subsectors that covered topics such as crop science, environment and natural resources, livestock, poultry, aquaculture, and climate change. Lecturers were distinguished experts from the Council of the Elders (COELs) and the DOST-PCAARRD R&D network..
The mentees also visited the DOST-PCAARRD Innovation and Technology Center (DPITC) exhibits and the Department of Agriculture - Bureau of Plant Industry (DA-BPI) Los Baños for their first R&D field trip. During this visit, they were introduced to AANR R&D and technologies.
Participants during the goat milking experience at the Small Ruminant Center in CLSU. (Image credit: Frances Efraim T. Valdez, SERD, DOST-PCAARRD)
Hands-on activities and field visits The mentees participated in hands-on experiences, such as planting parsley in Tagpuan and harvesting lettuce at DA-BPI’s Indoor Cultivation System (ICS), providing practical insights into modern agricultural practices..
To deepen their understanding of climate change and the environmental and natural resources sectors, the participants, guided by their mentor Dr. Rogelio Serrano, also visited the Makiling Botanical Garden and the Geographic Information System (GIS) Laboratory at the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB) College of Forestry. They also engaged in R&D hands-on activities at DOST-PCAARRD-funded project sites in Brgy. Concepcion Banahaw, Sariaya, Quezon.
In collaboration with the UPLB Institute of Agroforestry, the mentees also immersed themselves with community farmers in Mt. Banahaw, whose primary livelihood is upland farming.
The mentees then visited the R&D sites in Central Luzon State University (CLSU), which was done in partnership with Central Luzon Agriculture and Resources Research and Development Consortium (CLAARRDEC).
Participants experienced production of mushroom spawn bags in Techno Village, Cabisuculan, Nueva Ecija. (Image credit: Frances Efraim T. Valdez, SERD, DOST-PCAARRD)
Sites visited included the Keeping A Modern Agricultural Landscape through Integrating CLSU-Generated Technologies (KAMALIG), Ramon Magsaysay Center for Agricultural Resources and Environmental Studies (RM-CARES), Small Ruminant Center (SRC), CLSU Itik Pinas farm, Center for Tropical Mushroom Research and Development (CTRMD), Freshwater Aquaculture Center (FAC), Techno Village, and ICCEM museum.
Each site prepared hands-on research activities where the mentees experienced farming activities such as fishing, feeding, planting, egg harvesting, goat milking, and tilading making. These practical experiences enriched their understanding of various agricultural practices and technologies.
The mentees also participated in an aquaculture R&D immersion at DOST-PCAARRD-funded project sites in Sampalok and Yambo Lake in San Pablo, Laguna. Led by their mentor, Dr. Blesshe Querijero, and Prof. John Vincent Pleto, who is also the leader of the project, “Development of Models for Assessment and Monitoring of the Seven Lakes of San Pablo.”
Participants experienced layering of organic fertilizer materials at the Ramon Magsaysay Center for Agricultural Resources and Environmental Studies (RM-CARES). (Image credit: Frances Efraim T. Valdez, SERD, DOST-PCAARRD)
Among the activities conducted were water sampling, water quality measuring, and data collecting from boat rafts. They further explored developments in aquaculture at the University of the Philippines Los Baños Limnological Research Station.
The mentees also visited the Dairy Training and Research Institute (DTRI) and the Philippine Carabao Center (PCC) in UPLB, where they observed livestock animals and learned about dairy sector research.
S&T enrichment and career guidance
For these activities, the participants experienced a microbusiness simulation game for youth entrepreneurship in collaboration with the University of the Philippines Institute for Small Scale Industries (UP ISSI) and Deutsche Sparkassenstiftung für internationale Kooperation (DSIK) Philippines. This interactive board-based game promotes critical thinking and financial literacy in effectively managing microbusiness.
The final week included career counseling, research mentoring, and exposure to S&T success stories, enriching students' knowledge of S&T developments and guiding them on potential careers in the AANR sector.
Participants experienced data collection in Sampalok Lake, San Pablo, Laguna. (Image credit: Frances Efraim T. Valdez, SERD, DOST-PCAARRD)
Celebrating achievements and fostering future leaders
On July 12, 2024, the Socio-Economics Division (SERD) of DOST-PCAARRD wrapped up the activity through a completion exercise attended by DOST-PCAARRD Deputy Executive Director for R&D Juanito T. Batalon. He highlighted the role of the youth in the future of the nation’s food security and sustainable development. He noted that young people’s innovation, commitment, and enthusiasm are pivotal in advancing the AANR sector.
The 23 students received certificates of completion and participation during the graduation ceremony. Moreover, special awards were given to selected students with exemplary performance in the capsule proposal writing, slogan-making, and AANR examination.
The youth science program is one of the Council’s interventions to address the declining interest and lack of engagement among the youth in the AANR sector. By nurturing future leaders in AANR, DOST-PCAARRD ensures a sustainable future for the industry and the nation's food security.
Photo of the ST&I community (left) and UPLB-FMR team (right) during the Sectoral Committee Hearing of the NGPA bill on February 21, 2024. (Image credit: SERD-PAG)
Research and development (R&D) is crucial in driving economic growth and addressing global developmental challenges. In the Philippines, public investment primarily drives R&D, but adherence to the government’s financial management system has hindered research and development institutions’ (RDIs) effectiveness and efficacy. Filipino scientists have reported difficulties with the lengthy and complex procurement processes, which delay and compromise the quality of their research.
Policy constraints and the need for reform
In response, the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST-PCAARRD) commissioned a project to examine policy and institutional constraints impacting R&D. Titled “Assessment of Policy Constraints to the Effective and Efficient Conduct of Public R&D in the Philippines,” the project was led by Prof. Nelson Jose Vincent B. Querijero from the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB).
DOST, DOST-PCAARRD, and UPLB-FMR representatives with Senator Angara during the first public hearing on the NGPA bill on October 17, 2024. (Image credit: SERD-PAG)
The study identified gaps in the 2016 Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of the Republic Act (RA) 9184 such as Section 53.6 on scientific, scholarly, and media services, which lacked clarity and specific guidelines. This mode of procurement, intended for highly specialized research needs, was underutilized with only one out of 48 sampled RDIs taking advantage of it due to its unclear application.
Strategic advocacy and stakeholder engagement
The UPLB-Financial Management Reform (FMR) team proposed recommendations to address these issues, including amending and clarifying Section 53.6 of the Government Procurement Reform Act’s IRR. To leverage these recommendations, the Council funded the follow-up project, “Advocating Policy Reforms Towards Effective and Efficient Conduct of Public R&D in the Philippines,” which aims to lobby the adoption of the earlier project’s recommendations.
In May 2023, the FMR Team organized a roundtable discussion with key stakeholders, including DOST-PCAARRD, DOST, Government Procurement Policy Board (GPPB), Commission on Audit (COA), Department of Agriculture-Bureau of Agricultural Research (DA-BAR), Department of Environment and Natural Resources-Environmental Research and Development Bureau (DENR-ERDB), and the Commission on Higher Education (CHED). The discussion provided valuable insights for the team's lobbying strategies and activities, which they continued to pursue until a policy window presented itself last year.
Prof. Querijero shared the findings of the FMR project during the TWG meeting of the NGPA bill on February 1, 2024. (Image credit: SERD-PAG)
The UPLB-FMR team and DOST-PCAARRD seized the advocacy window as Congress began deliberating on new procurement reform bills to amend RA 9184 or the “Government Procurement Reform Act” (GPRA).
On October 17, 2023, Assistant Professor Maria Kristina Alinsunurin represented the team at the Senate Committee on Finance Hearing. She discussed the study's findings with Senator Juan Edgardo "Sonny" M. Angara. The project team and DOST-PCAARRD engaged in ten technical working group meetings to develop and refine the procurement reform bill.
During the discussions, DOST, UPLB-FMR Team, and the broader Science, Technology, and Innovation (ST&I) community highlighted the procurement law's vagueness and misalignment with scientific needs, which impeded the progress of R&D activities and stifled the growth of the R&D workforce. The scientific community persistently lobbied for a dedicated procurement mode tailored to the unique needs of the scientific community and R&D/ST&I activities.
Members of the Technical Working Group with the legislative staff of Senator Angara during the TWG meeting of the NGPA bill on February 1, 2024. (Image credit: SERD-PAG)
In February 2024, DOST-PCAARRD organized a writeshop to draft provisions that could favor the STI community, such as Direct Acquisition and Direct Negotiation for Innovation. Acd. William G. Padolina of the National Academy for Science and Technology (NAST), Atty. Rissa Flor Ofilada of the UP Procurement Office, Engr. Ernilyn Brown of NAST, Ms. Nova Z. Navo of NAST, and the UPLB-FMR Team attended the writeshop.
This advocacy, amplified by the voices of scientists and researchers, led the key proponents of the bill including the GPPB and the Procurement Service - Department of Budget and Management (PS-DBM), to agree on drafting a procurement mode specifically for the ST&I community.
As a result, in March 2024, Senator Angara introduced and sponsored a bill, “Direct Procurement for Science, Technology, and Innovation (ST&I),” which included a new procurement mode. During the bill’s interpellations, DOST-PCAARRD and the team provided technical backstopping support to defend the bill’s provisions.
DOST-PCAARRD writeshop regarding NGPA bill, joined by Acd. William G. Padolina of the National Academy for Science and Technology (NAST), Atty. Rissa (Flor) Ofilada of the UP Procurement Office, Engr. Ernilyn Brown of NAST, Ms. Nova Z. Navo of NAST, and the UPLB-FMR Team on February 3, 2024. (Image credit: SERD-PAG)
Legislative success and implementation
Finally, on July 22, 2024, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. signed the bill into law as RA 12009, incorporating the “Direct Procurement for Science, Technology, and Innovation (ST&I)” provision. This new law allows ST&I agencies to directly procure necessary equipment, supplies, and services from capable suppliers for R&D activities and pre-commercial goods and services. This provision is expected to streamline the process of effective and efficient public R&D. Additionally, the law introduced concepts such as the “Most Economically Advantageous Responsive Bid,” Green Public Procurement, eMarketplace, and Inclusive Procurement Program to enhance efficiency, transparency, and accountability in public procurement.
The ST&I community now looks forward to developing the law’s Implementing Rules and Regulations to ensure that it reflects the intent of the provision for effective implementation.
This accomplishment is a testament to the significance of the Council’s Policy Analysis and Advocacy banner program in supporting policy research that provides science and evidence-based information for more informed policymaking. Through this program, policy recommendations and reforms were crafted to create a more favorable policy landscape for science, technology, and innovation, thereby encouraging investment in the development of the agriculture, aquatic, and natural resources (AANR) sector.
