By Frances Batara

Three fourth-year Bachelor of Science in Agriculture students from the College of Agriculture, Food, and Sustainable Development will receive a research grant of P25,000 after qualifying for the Philippine Society of Science and Technology, Inc. (PSSST) Thesis Grant Program. 

Specializing in soil science, Sarah Jean Robles, David Reyes, Jr., and Benalyn Mangligot are set to conduct their studies with the guidance of their advisers, Dr. Janet Villamor and Dr. Dinah Marie Dayag. The results of their research will be presented during the PSSST Annual Meeting and Scientific Conference in 2026, a forum for the exchange of ideas and knowledge among soil scientists, technologists, and planners.

The three students expressed their gratitude to PSSST for selecting their thesis proposals and recognizing the importance of the grant for the implementation of their research and the production of their manuscripts. They were among the ten who were chosen for the program of PSSST. 

Dr. Villamor and Dr. Dayag expressed their full support to the student-grantees and home for more students from the university to qualify under the program in the future. “I hope this will not just inspire other students to major in soil science but to contribute valuable findings to shape the future of soil and agricultural research and practices, ” Dr. Dayag added.  

During the application process, capsule research proposals submitted by various state universities and colleges offering BSA programs were evaluated following the National Soil and Water Research Agenda. The criteria for selecting the grantees include technical aspects, entrepreneurial value, intellectual property rights potential, gender sensitivity, and compliance with existing laws. 

The PSSST Thesis Grant Program focuses on advancing soil health and management through research on soil biodiversity conservation, organic agriculture, pollution mitigation, watershed and water resource management, erosion assessment, rainwater utilization, fertility rehabilitation of problem soils, and the development of soil and water databases and laboratory test methods.

PSSST is a non-stock, non-profit scientific organization in the Philippines dedicated to promoting the advancement of soil science and technology, mobilizing knowledge-sharing among soil scientists, serving as a forum for the exchange of ideas, and establishing partnerships locally and abroad for soil development and conservation.