College of Agriculture and Food Science
activated. updated.
December 1-31, 2017 Official Publication of the UPLB College of Agriculture and Food Science
CAFS-UPLB remains as top performing school
O nce again, the College of Agriculture and Food Sci-
ence (CAFS)-UPLB emerged as the lone top per-
forming school in the 2017 licensure examination for agricul-
turists (LEA) conducted by the Professional Regulation Com-
mission last November 28-30.
The CAFS’s examinees registered a passing rate of 99.22
%, with 128 passers out of the 129 who took the examina-
tion; a far cry from the national passing percentage of 38.25,
with 2,883 passers out of 7,537 takers nationwide. A school is
considered as top performing school if it has 50 or more ex-
aminees and at least 80% passing percentage.
The CAFS graduates who are included in the top 10 slots
are: (5th) Mary Shaddeline L. Zafra, 86.33 %; (6th) Jhon Mark
O. Trinidad, 86.17 %; (8th) Angel Mae D. Manato, 85.83 %;
(8th) Bernard B. Panabang, 85.83 %; (10th) Jose Emmanuel I. De
Luna, Ardel L. Dela Peña, Alexander C. Garcia and Maria
Kenneth Lane R. Suplito, 85.50 %.
The CAFS remains as the top performing school since
the licensure examination started in 2003. (Imelda M. Gesmun-
do, with information from PRCBoard.com)
CAFS Publications Project
conducts 2nd seminar-
workshop on writing
T he CAFS Publications Project, in collaboration with
the Institute of Crop Science (ICropS) and the Post-
harvest Horticulture Training and Research Center (PHTRC),
conducted the second part of a series of seminar-workshop
on Writing for CAFS Extension Publications and Digital Media
last December 1 at the PHTRC training room.
Aimed at improving the writing skills of participants, the
whole day activity was attended by faculty, researchers and
extensionists from the ICropS and the PHTRC.
Apolinario L. Lantican, project leader, introduced the vari-
ous extension publications such as the Aggie Green and Gold
(AGG) and CAFS Monthly Newsletters, TheAgriTourist maga-
zine, and the various books, leaflets and brochures at the Ag-
riBookstore. He also encouraged the CAFS constituents to
write manuscripts for possible publication as textbooks, refer-
ence materials and extension bulletins/pamphlets.
Volume 6 No. 12
Dr. Matilde V. Maunahan, associate editor of
TheAgriTourist, provided some tips on news and
feature writing while Catherine E. Lee, AGG asso-
ciate editor, oriented the participants about the
guidelines in writing for CAFS website. Maria Em-
blem O. Grulla, content manager of the ICropS
webpage, discussed the web and social media pag-
es of ICropS and PHTRC.
After the lectures, the participants had experi-
enced hands-on writing of straight news and fea-
ture articles. Some of their outputs were later
subjected to comments and suggestions for im-
provement.
Also present during the seminar-workshop
were Dean Enrico P. Supangco who congratulated
the project staff in his message and Associate
Dean for Research and Extension Jocelyn D. Labi-
os who discussed the role of CAFS extension pub-
lications and digital media in research and exten-
sion. Dr. Lorna E. Sister and Leonisa O. Artes
(extension coordinators of ICropS and PHTRC,
respectively) as well as other project staff also at-
tended the activity.
As per evaluation by the participants, the sem-
inar-workshop was relevant and useful to them.
Likewise, they lauded the resource persons who
showed competency and effective delivery of lec-
tures.
The first part of the series of seminar-
workshop was launched last September 5 at the
National Crop Protection Center auditorium
while the third part is scheduled on February 2018
at the Institute of Plant Breeding. (Apolinario L. Lan-
tican)
“The experience of ages have shown that a
man who works on the land is purer, noble,
higher and more moral…..Agriculture should
be at the basis of everything.”
Nikolai Gogol
Page 2
IPB Seminar Series
launched anew
T he Institute of Plant Breeding (IPB) conduct-
ed a lecture-seminar entitled “Seed Produc-
tion of Open-pollinated Vegetable and Cereal Crops”
last December 12 at the jam-packed IPB Seminar
Room.
The resource speaker was Agripina O. Rasco,
university researcher of the National Seed Founda-
tion, IPB. She discussed how to produce quality seed,
maintain varietal purity and prolong the life of the
seed.
Both academic staff and administrative staff work-
ing on seed production attended this monthly IPB
Tuesday seminar which is aimed to inculcate the cul-
ture of professional exchange of ideas and enrich-
ment of knowledge. More importantly, young aca-
demic and administrative staff value the new
knowledge they learn in these seminars.
The seminar series was re-launched after the
CAFS restructuring in March this year. The first semi-
nar was held last November with Director Glenn N.
Baticados of the UPLB Center for Technology Trans-
fer and Entrepreneurship delivering a lecture on
“From Research to Revenues: Commercialization of
IPB Technologies and Products”.
The IPB Seminar Committee is chaired by Dr.
Lourdes D. Taylo with Dr. Apolonio M. Ocampo,
Claudette D. Oraye and Jiamay Jae R. Apacionado as
members. (Laureano B. Lanosia, Jr./Lourdes D. Taylo)
OTHER NEWS*
 Dean Supangco attended the ASEAN Technical
Meeting and Multi-stakeholder Policy Dialogue on
Higher Education, Research and Extension for
Food Security and Sustainability inn Southeast
Asia held last December 6-7 at Jakarta, Indonesia.
 The CAFS, represented by ICropS Director Edna
Aguilar, discussed “Agriculture Technology: Op-
portunities for Collaboration and Sharing of Best
Practices” during the 24th Joint meeting of Philip-
pine-Chinese and Chinese-Philippine Business
Councils held last December 7 at Dusit Thani
Hotel, Makati City.
 The CAFS delegates, led by Associate Dean for
Instruction Tonette P. Laude, received the Certif-
icate of Friendship from the Center for Culinary
Arts at Katipunan Avenue, Loyola Heights, Que-
zon City last December 7.
*Information taken from CAFS Facebook page
CAFS Monthly Newsletter
FOREIGN TRAVELS*
 Dr. Antonio G. Lalusin, associate professor, Insti-
tute of Crop Science (ICropS); attended the 3rd Asian

Cassava Breeders Meeting; Kasetsart University, Bang-
kok, Thailand; December 2-7
Dr. Elpidio M. Agbisit, Jr., director and associate
professor, Institute of Animal Science; served as
speaker for the swine seminar, “Nutrition and Breed-
ing Management Strategies”; Bali, Indonesia; Decem-
ber 3-7
 Dr. Filma C. Calalo, assistant professor, Agricultur-
al Systems Institute; attended the Food Security Con-
ference; the Asia-Pacific Rural Advisory Services Gov-
ernment Workshop; and the Southeast Asian Regional
Advisory Services Formation Workshop; Jakarta and
Bogor, Indonesia; December 5-7
 Dr. Edna A. Aguilar, director and professor,
ICropS; attended One Health Conference; Bangkok,
Thailand; December 13-16
 Renerio P. Gentallan, Jr., instructor, ICropS; par-
ticipated as a short-term visiting scholar at the Gradu-
ate School of Life and Environment; Tsukuba, Ibaraki,
Japan; December 3-17
*Prepared by Imelda M. Gesmundo and Erlinda A. Balot
Erratum: November 2017 Issue; page 1, column 2,
paragraph 1, line 1;
National Crop Protection Cluster should read as:
National Crop Protection Center.
The College of Agriculture Monthly Newsletter
is published through the Office of the Dean,
College of Agriculture and Food Science,
UPLB, College, Laguna
Advisers: Dean Enrico P. Supangco
Associate Dean for Instruction Tonette P. Laude
Associate Dean for Research & Extension Jocelyn D. Labios
Editor/Layout Artist: Apolinario L. Lantican
Contributors: Erlinda A. Balot, Imelda M. Gesmundo,
Laureano B. Lanosia, Jr., Apolinario L. Lantican and
Lourdes D. Taylo
Circulation Officer: Venecia B. Batain
FEEDBACK
For comments/suggestions and article
contribution, just e- mail:
apolinariolantican@yahoo.com
Editor, CAFS Monthly Newsletter
AgriBookstore, IH Complex,
UPLB Campus, College, Laguna
We encourage every CAFS constituent to
submit articles about CAFS activities, personnel news
and other significant events on or before the last Monday
of the month. Thank you.