Important milestones for national development – Abayon

By Sally R. Villasis

The Aklan State University (ASU) President, Dr. Danilo E. Abayon recently urged researchers to consider important milestones that ASU can contribute to national development not to mention the Aquino administration’s five Key Result Areas.

Dr. Abayon stressed that ASU already mainstreamed its research program with the edge of having natural fiber or the Piña fabric as the main commodity within the mainstream program. The native pineapple reached international acclaim of having produced the best fabric. Currently, the Department of Science and Technology declared the ASU as the Natural Fiber Resource Center.  

Speaking during the 2012 University Research and Development In-House Review held at ASU Review Center on July 25-26,Abayon said, “our studies for natural fiber resource development center of the university; studies within the realm of renewable energy, bio-energy and of course our studies on climate change; all can be mainstreamed in the agenda program of this region and that is tourism,”.

He also stressed that researches and researchers have to level-up. “If now we are confronted with a lot of data, we have to transform these data into another level of what we call knowledge,” Abayon added.

Researchers from the five campuses of ASU presented a total of 36 research papers. Of these, six are on-going, 23 are proposed while seven were completed.

Awarded as the best papers for Agriculture, Fishery and other fields (Category A) were: “Development of Edible Products from Banana Pseudostem Core and Banana Core after Harvesting the Mature Fruits” (proposed) authored by Dr. Alma I. Irader et.al; Biofertilizer Produced from Different Farm Wastes:  It’s Influence on the Yield of Rambutan (Nepheliumlappaceum, Linn)” (on-going) authored by Dr. Marilyn E. Romaquin et. al;and,“Population Structure of Native Pig (Susdomesticus) in the Province of Aklan” (completed) authored by Dr. Molly L. Naigan et.al.

For Education, Health and Eco-Tourism (Category B), the best papers were: “Level of Mathematical Anxiety among High School Students of Aklan State University” (proposed) authored by Dr. Edna I. Gonzales et.al; “Thinking and Learning Preferences of Freshmen BSEd students in ASU, Banga, Aklan” (on-going) authored by Dr. Gonzales et.al; and,  “Family Planning Program’s Influence over Non-FP Users FP Practices from Selected Six Barangays in the Municipality of Banga, Province of Aklan, Philippines” (completed) authored by Prof. Carol Joy Palma-Remaneses.

Awarded as best presenters were: Prof. Eva R. Orlina, Dr. Lelisa J. Teodosio, Dr. Molly L. Naigan, Dr. Edna I. Gonzales and Prof. Carol Joy Palma-Remaneses.

Recognizing the expertise of the ASU’s partner institutions, panel evaluators were invited to assist in achieving the goal of enhancing the research and development initiatives of ASU.For Category A, the panelists were Dr. Camelo V. Ambut, Intellectual Property Officer of Western Visayas College of Science and Technology and Manager of Innovation Technology Support Office; Prof. Marilou J. Ang-Lopez, Faculty, School of Technology of the University of the Philippines in the Visayas; and Mr. Victorico Nabor, Senior Service Research Specialist and Rice Action Officer of Department of Agriculture-Regional Field Unit 6. For Category B, the panelists were Dr. Vicente Z. Handa, Professor IV of West Visayas State University; Dr. Ambrosio R. Villorente, Member, ASU Board of Regents; and Dr. Benny A. Palma, former ASU President and University Professor VI.

Dr. Mary Eden M. Teruel, Director of Research and Development Services Unit expressed her appreciation to the researchers for the significant roles they play towards attainment of the University’s research and development agenda.