THE MARIANO Marcos State University (MMSU) once again proved its supremacy in research and development as it captured seven of the 15 awards in three categories, namely, best paper, best poster, and best undergraduate thesis given by the Ilocos Agriculture and Resources Research and Development Consortium (ILARRDEC) during its 18th Regional Symposium on R&D Highlights held at the Teatro Ilocandia, Aug. 10-11.

The other awards were shared by the Don Mariano Marcos Memorial State University (DMMMSU), 5; and Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR)-Regional Office I, Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice)-Batac, and Department of Agriculture (DA)-I, each with one award.

In the research category, the papers from MMSU entitled “Participatory approach in the selection of indigenous vegetables” by Prof. Maura Luisa Gabriel, Ms. Leticia Lutap, Ms. Noralyn Legaspi, Prof. Buenaflora Asiao, and Dr. Miriam Pascua; and “Varietal improvement, conservation and mass propagation of mango (Mangifera indica) and other fruit crops by Dr. Gliceria S. Pascua, Ms. Melvilyn Leaño, and Ms. Zenaida Pugat placed first and third, respectively.  The paper  “Carbonated rice hull (CRH) improves the water productivity and yield of some dry season crops” by Mr. Noel Ganotisi, et al of PhilRice, settled for the second place.

On the other hand, DMMMSU got the first and third places in the development category for their papers “Provincial beekeeping industry model:  Its application to the province of La Union” and “NARDTI demonstration apiary”, respectively.  The paper by DENR-I entitled “Tiger grass farming and broom making in Bagulin, La Union” emerged second.

In the poster competition, MMSU – just like in the previous years – almost bagged all awards in the information for dissemination (ID) and technology for dissemination (TD) categories. It pocketed all the awards in the ID category with its papers: “Dagiti barayti ti tarong a maimula iti panagtudtudo” by Ms. Leticia Lutap and Mr. Rolando Ruguian; “Dagiti kabaruanan a kamatis a pataud ti MMSU para panagtutudo” by Ms. Marylis Nalundasan and Dr. Miriam Pascua; and “Kabaruanan a mais para Luzon” by Prof. Martina Tinguil, Ms. Corazon Sabuco, and Mr. Federico Pascual getting the first, second, and third places, respectively.

In the TD category, MMSU placed third for the poster “STEAM-MSTAP: Programa a mangpadur-as ti agrikultura” by Dr. Carmelo Esteban, Dr. Marivic Alimbuyuguen, et al.  The first and second places went to DA-1 for its poster “CPAR:  Stratehiya ti pannakaiyallatiw ti teknolohiya para ti nasaysayaat a panagpatanur ti bawang ti Pasuquin, Ilocos Norte” and to DMMMSU for its poster “Produksyon ng royal jelly para sa karagdagang kita sa pag-aalaga ng pukyutan”, respectively.

Moreover, in the undergraduate thesis category, MMSU’s entry entitled “Anticholesterolemia tea from catsclaw  (Uncaria tomentosa) and lemon grass Cymbopogon citrates (DC. Ex Ness Stapf.)” by Daphne Christy P. Rupisan, a biology graduate, got the highest award.  The entries of DMMMSU were adjudged second and third places for the theses “Design and construction of a separating machine for powdered products” by Raquel Santiago and “Tolerance of different high value citrus seedlings to citrus Tristeza virus (closterovirus)” by Marenil Gatmen, respectively.

During the awarding ceremony graced by Mayor Hernani A. Braganza of Alaminos City, Pangasinan, recipients of the 2006 Best Techno Pinoy Center were also recognized.  They were: Batac FITS Center, Batac, Ilocos Norte as Best Techno Pinoy Center; Ayusan Norte FITS Center, Vigan City, first runner-up; and Bacarra FITS Center, Bacarra, Ilocos Norte, second runner-up.  The Outstanding Magsasaka Syentista (MS) were cited during the program.  They were: Mr. Nestor Acosta of Batac, Ilocos Norte as Most Outstanding MS; Mr. Eliseo Pera of Balaoan, La Union, first runner-up; and Mr. Pablo Abocado, second runner-up.

Winners received cash awards of P5,000 P4,000; and P3,000 for the first, second, and third places, respectively, in the research and development categories.  For the thesis and poster categories, cash awards of P3,000, P2,500, and P2,000 were given to the winners. The outstanding MS and best Techno Pinoy Center awardees were further given P3,000 (first), P2,000 (second), and P1,000 (third).