Brazil stands out in 23rd Siargao International
Surfing Cup
By John Glenn A. Platil
SURIGAO CITY, Oct. 3 (PIA) – As the over-all winner
of this year’s International Surfing Tournament, Raoni Monteiro of Brazil
bagged a total of $12,000 prize money, on top of free airfare from Siargao to
his next destination, courtesy of Skyjet Airlines.
Monteiro gladly and proudly received the award on
September 28, 2017.
According to Steve Robertson, general manager of
the World Surfing League, Brazil gave wide publicity to Cloud 9, which was also
beautifully featured in other countries.
“For the first time in history, thousands of
surfing fanatics tuned in, completely fascinated by the enormous coverage
accorded to Siargao by foreign media all over the world,” said Robertson.
Costa Rica’s Tomas King placed second and received
a $6,000 prize; trailing behind were Nic von Rupp of Portugal and Lucca Mesinas
Novaro of Peru, scoring third and received $4,000 each.
Siargao’s very own Piso Alcala, together with Kiron
Jabour of Hawaii, Mitchell Parkinson of Australia and Cristobal de Col of Peru
shared the fifth place, and each received a $2,000 prize.
Ranking 9th, Mitchell James of Australia, Jhonny
Corzo of Mexico, Nelso Cloarec of France and Andy Criere of Spain received
their respective $1,500 prize.
John Mark Tokong of the Philippines, Blake
Thornton, Nick Callister and Riley Laing of Australia received $1,250 each as
they ranked 13th.
It should be noted that the international tilt was
upgraded to a QS3,000 event from a QS1,500, the highest recorded point-scoring
grade in recent memory.
World Surf League officials who supported the
life-changing event were Will Hayden-Smith, Sam Norwood, Misha Robb, Tom
Bennett, Tom Chaminade, Mark Clift, Chris Binns, Steve Robertson, Daichi Uda,
Jon Hayman, Kye Angel, John Shimooka, and Brad Gerlach. (PGO-SDN/PIA-Surigao
del Norte)
Filipino-developed plant food supplement wins
Japanese excellence award
By Hans Joshua V. Dantes
BUTUAN CITY, Oct. 3 – A research team from the
Department of Science and Technology-Philippine Nuclear Research Institute
(DOST-PNRI) bagged the 2017 Excellent Research Team of the Year Award by the
Japan-based Forum for Nuclear Cooperation in Asia (FNCA). The team was awarded
for developing the Plant Food Supplement (PFS) through the successful use of
radiation technology.
The Japanese government recognized the project for
its great potential in helping spur the development of Philippine agriculture
and attaining food security. It is also eyed to help mitigate the effects of El
NiΓ±o and climate change that ravage farmlands in the countryside.
The research team was led by Career Scientist Dr.
Lucille Abad, who heads DOST-PNRI’s Chemistry Research Section. With just 3.2
liters per hectare of water mixed with the right proportion of the PFS, the
formulation was proven effective in increasing the yield of rice, mungbean, and
other crops by over 20 percent.
Field tests also showed that rice applied with PFS
had improved resistance against tungro bacilliform virus and bacterial leaf
blight. Further, fields sprayed with PFS had higher survival rate after a
violent storm compared with nearby fields that had no PFS.
PFS are developed from natural polymers such as
carrageenan, a common industrial ingredient extracted from seaweeds.
Irradiation degrades polymers to form natural bioactive agents that can improve
the health and increase the growth and yield of various crops. The carrageenan
used for the PFS was irradiated at PNRI’s state-of-the-art electron beam
irradiation facility in Diliman, Quezon City, which is the first facility of
its kind in the country dedicated to semi-commercial services.
After successful field experiments on rice, which
proved the advantages of and benefits from FPS, the PFS project was officially
launched in November 2015. The following month, DOST started the widespread
testing of PFS in Luzon, Panay Island, Zamboanga, and Davao.
As such, PNRI produced several tons of PFS for
field test purposes and these were applied to thousands of hectares of
ricefields in selected provinces of Regions 2 and 3, specifically in
Tuguegarao, Cagayan, Ilagan, Isabela and in Pulilan, Bulacan.
The development of the formula began under a
cooperative project with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) back in
2009. The PFS project was funded by the DOST-Philippine Council for
Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources (PCAARRD) while the field trials were
co-implemented by Dr. Gil Magsino of the National Crop Protection Center (NCPC)
of the University of the Philippines-Los BaΓ±os.
The research team’s achievements will be presented
at the 18th FNCA Ministerial Level Meeting in Astana, Kazakhstan on October 11,
2017. The FNCA is a Japan-led cooperation framework for peaceful applications
of nuclear technology. Among the participating countries are Australia,
Bangladesh, China, Indonesia, Japan, Kazakhstan, Korea, Malaysia, Mongolia, the
Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam. (DOST-PNRI/PIA-Caraga)
AEWs profiling to strengthen DA extension services
By Vanessa P. Sanchez
BUTUAN CITY, Oct. 3 – Agriculture is oneof the
major players in the Philippine economy. In 2015, the agricultural sector had a
nine percent share in the 2015 Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the country
based on data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).
Meanwhile, agricultural extension is important in
facilitating technology transfer to boost production and income of the farmers.
This service used to be under the Department of Agriculture (DA), but with the
full implementation of the Local Government Code of 1991 or Republic Act 7160
in June 1992, it was transferred to the Local Government Units (LGUs).
With this, the DA was left with limited control
over the agriculture extension workers (AEWs), who are on the frontline of
extending agricultural services to the farmers and other stakeholders.
Based Dr. Tito Contado’s Country Report of
Decentralization of Agricultural Service Delivery, the devolution of
agricultural extension services faced a number of challenges such as limited
number of AEWs, as well as limitation in their mobility due to shortage of
operational funds for travelling of LGUs.
Contado was a former professor in the University of
the Philippines Los BaΓ±os
Considering this problem, DA will profile the
existing AEWs to determine and assess the gaps, issues and experiences of the
LGUs, with regard to delivering extension services to the agricultural sector.
It will also assess various extension activities relative to the Research and
Development Regulatory System. By profiling the AEWs, DA hopes to better its
services and provide a more effective extension delivery system.
“The information will help the national government
to determine and address the logistical and technical needs of the AEWs, to
equip them so they can better serve the public,” DA Caraga Field Operations
Division Chief Rebecca Atega said.
“Strengthening the extension services will maximize
agricultural production while minimizing production costs, which will
eventually lead to attaining the department’s mission of food security and
sufficiency,” she added.
For Caraga, a total of 740 AEWs and 107 Local
Farmer Technicians (LFTs) were targeted for profiling. All LGUs undertaking
agriculture and fishery extension services, particularly all municipal, city,
and provincial agriculture and veterinary Offices will be covered by the
profiling activity. (DA-Caraga/PIA-Caraga)
DTI reminds Surigao biz owners on ICC/PS policy for
imported cement

SURIGAO CITY, Surigao del Norte, Oct. 3 – The
provincial office of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Surigao del
Norte reminded all concerned establishments and individuals regarding the new
policy on Import Clearance Certificate/Product Standard (ICC/PS) for imported
cement.
Provincial Director Celestino Negapatan said that
under the new guidelines for mandatory certification of portland cement and
blended hydraulic cement with pozzolan, only cements sourced from foreign
manufacturing plants holding a valid Philippine Standard (PS) License, shall be
permitted to be imported into the country.
All cement importations shall also be required of
an Import Commodity Clearance (ICC), except those imported by cement
manufacturers with an operating Integrated Cement Plants (ICP) in the
Philippines.
Negapatan also said that importations with PS
Licenses issued under DAO 4:2008 shipped prior to the effectivity of DAO
17-02:2017 or on April 12, and which arrived in Philippine ports no later than
15 days from said date, are exempted for the ICC requirement.
Royal cement, for example, which was manufactured
in July 2017, should already bear the ICC sticker and the PS mark.
He also reminded concerned establishments not to
accept nor sell any imported cement that do not comply with the ICC
requirement.
The consuming public was also encouraged to be
vigilant and to report non-compliance committed by the establishments to DTI
Surigao del Norte Provincial Office. (DTI-Surigao del Norte/PIA-Surigao del
Norte)
AASSA-NAST PHL calls for synergy among researchers,
scientists and stakeholders
BUTUAN CITY, Oct 2 (PIA) – The international
symposium organized by the Association of Academies and Societies of Sciences
in Asia (AASSA) and the National Academy of Science and Technology, Philippines
(NAST PHL), supported by the InterAcademy Partnership (IAP) and the Department
of Science and Technology (DOST) Philippines held in Tagaytay City, has called
for collaboration among scientists, researchers, private and public sectors to
produce tangible results from the different scientific researches through
translational research.
Dr. Michael Barber, a member of the expert panel of
the IAP, emphasized the importance of cognitive diversity, collaboration, and
engagement of researchers with policy makers for the success of translational
research. According to him, science in the academies can affect the achievement
of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). He challenged the science community to
think about how science advice can be translated to mechanisms, framework, and
tools for the attainment of the SDGs.
AASSA President, Dr. Yoo Hang Kim, said that the
disconnection between and among basic science researchers, implementers, and
end users must be addressed through translational research. He encouraged the
researchers to put prime consideration to the end users of the study. Relevance
of research is important in integrating translational research to societal
policies.
During the two-day activity, topics related to
translational research were tackled, such as metrics for success, communications
strategy, financing mechanism, agriculture and biological sciences,
translational research through science and engineering education, translational
research in health, social sciences, and policy.
Experts from different parts of Asia, including the
Philippines, and Australia presented the results of their studies, including
the challenges they faced in making their projects successful. They emphasized
the importance of synergy and collaboration in the process. Different
strategies were also presented on how to best communicate science.
Resolutions summarizing the recommendations of the
AASSA-NAST PHL International Symposium were presented to DOST Secretary
Fortunato T. De La PeΓ±a by the AASSA President Dr. Yoo Hang Kim and NAST
Philippines Academician William G. Padolina during the closing ceremonies of
the international symposium.
In response, Secretary de la PeΓ±a elaborated that a
scientist alone cannot do the full translation of research. The support of
other stakeholders, in public and private sector, is very important. The
communication of research results in an appropriate and timely manner will make
its utilization possible.
AASSA-NAST PHL International Workshop recommended 6
action points for science academies and their networks that include (1)
formulating and developing strategies on how member academies can share and
learn from best practices in research translation; (2) promoting and supporting
multi- and trans-disciplinary research to realize real and holistic impacts on
the community; (3) advocating and supporting ethics and scientific robustness
in the conduct of research; (4) communicating in an appropriate and timely
manner to all key stakeholders the available knowledge or technologies from
researches for their utilization; (5) training and mentoring young talents on
research translation by providing innovative platforms for learning and
development, including mobility among academies; and (6) promoting
collaborative initiatives among academies to help in the attainment of the
SDGs.
For higher educational institutions, it was
recommended that the teaching of research translation in science and technology
be imbedded in STEM degree programs, as a critical link to the supply chain of
new concepts, devices and systems.
On the other hand, funding agencies should
recognize and support technology transfer as a critical step in the process of
research and development, either through adoption and commercialization by the
private sector or deployment by mandated government agencies as part of
national and local programs.
Lastly, all R&D Stakeholders are encouraged to
collaborate in the formulation of the Research and Development Agenda, in order
to focus resources on priority issues. The national government is urged to
provide an enabling and conducive environment to realize the full cycle of
research and development in relation to the sustainable development goals
adopted by the United Nations.
The Academy expressed its hope that the results of
the international symposium will be favorably considered by the concerned
sectors of the society in the different AASSA-member countries. (PIA-Caraga)
