NSU launches Food Research and Development Center

The President of Naval State University, Dr. Victo C. Cañezo, Jr. leads the Inauguration and Ribbon Cutting ceremony of the first Food Research and Development Centre (FRDC) in the Province of Biliran, situated in its main campus, last January 28, 2019. The newly opened FRDC is a collaborative project between the Department of Science and Technology, The Department of Trade and Industry, and NSU. It is situated at the right wing of the NSU-Hostel.

Dr. Cañezo, warmly expressed his gratitude to the project partners and everyone who joined the event through his welcome message. He said that the FRDC will not only help the community in producing tested and quality products but will also serve as a training ground for the young, aspiring food scientists of the school.

DOST Biliran turns over Abaca Stripping machine to Kawayan farmers

Mayor Udi Espina of Kawayan with DOST staff

The DOST-PSTC Biliran Provincial Director, Dr. Romeo Dignos together with the Municipal Mayor of Kawayan, Honorable Mayor Rodolfo “Udi” Espina spearheaded the turnover ceremony of one unit Abaca-Stripping Machine to the Farmers Association of Barangay Villa-Cornejo Kawayan, Biliran on the January 21, 2019.

The stripping machine was part of the project “Establishment of Abaca Fiber Processing Facility” funder under the DOST-8 GIA Program which is implemented by the LGU-Kawayan, Biliran. The project is primarily aimed to increase production of good quality abaca fiber for the target beneficiaries.

5 Biliranon's qualify for 2018 JLSS

Five out of the 202 passers from Region 8 of the 2018 Junior Level Science Scholarship (JLSS) conducted on October 20, 2018 are from Biliran. They are the following, with the corresponding Program they qualify, the school they are enrolled, and their respective courses:

(1) RA 10612, CORCILLES, MARY JOLLE SANOSA, EASTERN VISAYAS STATE UNIVERSITY, BS ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
(2) RA 7687, DEJARLO, CATHERINE JOY TENOSO, NAVAL STATE UNIVERSITY, BS INFORMATION SYSTEMS
(3) RA 7687, FUERTES, LEONARD VAPOROSO, NAVAL STATE UNIVERSITY, BS COMPUTER SCIENCE
(4) RA 7687, NOTARION, RACHEL PENARANDA, EASTERN VISAYAS STATE UNIVERSITY-TACLOBAN, BS ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING
(5) RA 10612, VIVERO, PAULINE MAE GARING, NAVAL STATE UNIVERSITY, BSE BIOLOGY.

FNRI pushes Project ANAK in Biliran

FNRI staff  Ms. Dorado and Ms. Viajar with Biliran PNC members

The Food and Nutrition Research Institute (FNRI) of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) successfully conducted its advocacy on project ANAK here in the province of Biliran with the help of the DOST Biliran Provincial Science and Technology Center and the Provincial Nutrition Council of DOH on January 17-18, 2019. The advocacy was aimed to seek the commitment of the Municipalities of Cabucgayan and Biliran, who have high prevalence of malnutrition, to adopt and implement the Project ANAK strategy.

Project ANAK or “Accelerated Nutrient Advocacy for Kids” is a model delivery system for complementary feeding intervention aimed to alleviate the malnutrition problem among children from six months to two years old. Ms. Julieta B. Dorado, Supervising Science Research Specialist and Ms. Rowena V. Viajar Science Research Specialist II both of DOST-FNRI served as resource persons during the advocacy.

DOST-VIII trains Culaba Fisherfolks in advance fish drying

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The PSTC-Biliran in coordination with the Local Government of Culaba conducted a training on dried fish processing last November 22-23, 2018 in Brgy. Habuhab, Culaba, Biliran. The participants of this training were the members of Habuhab United Fishers Association (HUFA).

“We are grateful to have a training like this so that we can do the proper process and can improve our products”, a participant said in dialect in appreciation to the training conducted.

Loving "Bahalina", pride of the Visayans

sample label of Coconut wine in Cabucgayan

Coconut wine had been the traditional pride of the "Waray" speaking people of Eastern Visayas. Immigrants to these islands in central Philippines, and even the entire archipelago joined the Leyte-Samar natives in loving these fermented wine from coconut toddy, which has about 10% alcohol. And this "Tuba," as they locally call it, was the best the Samareneos could offer to Ferdinand Magellan's army during the country's early history.

I am a light drinker and I appreciate the taste of good coconut wines. But my obsessions in having to see "bahalina" as valuable as grape wines started when I realized many in the rural coconut planted areas depend on the industry, which was not even given emphasis on improving. Well, drinking may not be acceptable to many, but "grape wines" from the west is well accepted. So why not improve the coconut wine and package it to be known if not like the popular grape and other fruit wines, the rice wine of Japan, and others but at least establish its own name not to remain as a lowly local drink even considered as a "poor man's wine".

The coconut wine industry needed much more attention from researchers and government support agencies. There are several researchable areas I discuss below, these include: process standardizaton, identification and use of appropriate yeast strains, formulation studies, equipment design, and process improvement.