Mariano Marcos
State University

GS student named best oral presenter at UC confab in Malaysia

By Ian Paul Villanueva

Julius Pablico, a Master of Science in Animal Science student of Mariano Marcos State University (MMSU) Graduate School, was named Best Oral Presenter at the 11th University Consortium for Graduate Education in Agriculture and Natural Resources (UC) Graduate Forum 2026 in Serdang, Malaysia, on August 18 and 19.

Representing his co-researchers from MMSU and Dalhousie University in Canada, Pablico bested other research presenters from other international institutions who competed at the forum under the subtheme “Innovating Research for Sustainable Food Security.”

His co-researchers include MMSU faculty member Dr. Sean Vidad, alongside a team of researchers from Dalhousie University’s Faculty of Agriculture.

Their study titled “Effects of Brown Seaweed Meal on Blood Glucose, Growth, Meat Quality, and Intestinal Health of Ross 308 Broiler Chickens” investigated the effects of incorporating brown seaweed meal into the diets of these birds, addressing concerns about nutrition, sustainable feed resources, and poultry production.

“As one of the youngest participants who presented at UCGF 2026, the experience was both overwhelming and life-changing,” Pablico said. “My goal in going to Malaysia was to learn from distinguished fellow researchers across Southeast Asia and to share research output that can benefit our farmers and contribute to the scientific community.” He also expressed deep gratitude to MMSU for its unwavering support in advancing research with a meaningful impact.

Besides Pablico, Ma. Joy Theresa Agcaoili also participated in the forum as a presenter under the subtheme “Nutrition, Food Safety, and Public Health for Future Food Security,” where she presented their study titled “Indigenous Food Plants as Sources of Health-Promoting Microbes.” Agcaoili is an MS in Biology student at the MMSU-GS and currently serves as a Science Research Analyst at the MMSU Research Directorate.

Featuring the theme “Building Research Capacity for Food Security: Innovating Solutions for Sustainable Systems,” this year’s iteration of the annual event brought together 37 graduate students from 13 member institutions of the UC. The forum was hosted by Universiti Putra Malaysia and co-organized by the UC Secretariat and the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA).