Five DA-PCC researchers took their oaths either as newly conferred or upgraded scientists, under the Scientific Career System (SCS) by the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) and the Civil Ser-vice Commission (CSC) in a virtual ceremony held on September 22.

National Genetic Improvement Program (GIP) Coordinator Dr. Ester Flores and Senior Science Research Specialist Dr. Lerma Ocampo have been conferred the rank of Scientist I under the Agricultural Sciences Division effective December 3, 2020 and May 21, 2021, respectively, joining the agency’s growing pool of career scientists.

DA-PCC’s scientist couple Dr. Edwin and Eufrocina Atabay were conferred Scientist II rank on May 21 while Deputy Executive Director for Production and Research Dr. Claro Mingala was upgraded to career Scientist IV effective January 26.

Their significant contributions and noteworthy accomplishments in the agricultural science made them qualified and eligible to the career scientist rank, granted by the Scientific Career Council (SCC), which is the governing body of the SCS.

The SCS is “a system of recruitment, career progression, recognition and reward of scientists in the government service as a means of developing a pool of highly qualified and productive scientific personnel”. Its program is being administered by the National Academy of Science and Technology (NAST).

Meanwhile, Senior Science Research Specialist Dr. Marvin Villanueva was also recognized as the 2021 Outstanding Young Scientist of NAST in the field of Veterinary Medicine. The virtual awarding ceremony was held last July 14 during the 43rd Annual Scientific Meeting.

Significant contributions, accomplishments

Dr. Flores, DA-PCC’s supervising science research specialist, has significantly contributed to the establishment and implementation of separate structured breeding program for riverine and swamp buffaloes; development of a suitable genetic evaluation model for estimation of genetic parameters and estimated breeding values (EBVs); and marker assisted selection, which all paved the way to DA-PCC becoming the only livestock agency in the DA that has a well-organized and -structured breeding program demonstrated with locally produced riverine buffalo and swamp buffalo bulls with EBVs.

These initiatives, coupled with genomic selection using high density single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) genotyping, provide the latest generation of performance and progeny tested Philippine dairy buffalo bulls with pedigree-based and genomic breeding values.

Dr. Flores’ team has also extended their research to cattle and pigs with the development of genetic testing protocol for genes associated with fertility, growth rate, meat yield and quality in commercial swine and cattle breeds.

Dr. Ocampo, on the other hand, is a technical expert in animal reproductive and physiology and works on the development of practical cryopreservation methods suitable for native farm animals and other ruminant species endemic in the Philippines.

Her research contributes significantly in ensuring frozen semen from indigenous farm/food animals as well as endangered wildlife ruminants, which will be added to the core collections of the National Animal Genetic Resources Cryobank Repository.

Dubbed as “Sperm Rescue 911”, she was able to recover live sperm from the epididymis of post mortem testes of slaughtered bucks which were later proven to be physiologically fertile with subsequent embryonic development after utilization thru IVF and embryo culture.

Newly upgraded Scientist IV Dr. Mingala spearheaded the optimization, development and application of molecular-based protocols for the detection of various livestock diseases that have economic and public health importance in the country. These protocols included loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP), polymerase chain reaction (PCR), nested-PCR, as well as combination of nanotechnology (using Nano-gold) in which two of these are now on the pipeline for intellectual property (IP) applications.

He also works with various international and national scientific agencies on Leptospirosis and Tuberculosis surveillance and detection in the Philippines and vaccine development for schistosomiasis while continuously exerting efforts to address pressing concerns in the livestock industry.

Moreover, he completed the Private-Public Partnership Research on Enhancing Milk Production of Water Buffaloes through S&T Interventions as the leader of the Development of health care technologies and practical farm practices project 3 in support of increasing buffalo milk production under the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST-PCAARRD) grant.

Dr. Mingala is concurrently the center chief of the DA-Livestock Biotechnology Center.

Meanwhile, Dr. Edwin is an expert in animal physiology and reproduction and actively engaged in S&T projects and activities directed towards improving fertility of water buffaloes and other ruminant species.

He spearheaded the implementation of Intensified Reproductive Management Program that promotes the use of modern reproductive biotechnologies such as Fixed Time Artificial Insemination, Ultrasonography, and early pregnancy detection to improve the overall reproductive efficiencies in livestock.

Moreover, he leads the conduct of embryo transfer activities for dairy production, which later successfully produced the first calf, named “Pag-asa”, from this technology.

Another reproductive biotechnology and physiology expert is Dr. Eufrocina, whose works are focused on enhancing fertility and reproductive performance of livestock in general through embryo in-vitro techniques, Multiple Ovulation and Embryo Transfer (MOET), cryopreservation of embryos and oocytes, and Fixed Time Embryo Transfer.

Likewise, she spearheaded the team on the use of sex-sorted semen for FTAI which resulted in the birth of first female calf from sexed-semen, named “Liwanag”. Currently, Dr. Eufrocina is involved in the project on semen sexing to boost the local dairy production.

She has also been involved in the development of Intensified Reproductive Management Program dubbed as the Triple E strategy for water buffaloes and other livestock and also established an IP-Technology Commercialization Office and a system which facilitates effective translation of research into products and services for the benefit of the clients, general public and livestock industry.

Outstanding Young Scientist Dr. Villanueva, a graduate of Doctor of Philosophy in Veterinary Medicine at Hokkaido University in Sapporo, Japan, is the officer-in-charge of the DA-PCC’s Research and Development Division.

His research undertakings include (1) food safety especially on antimicrobial resistance and drug residues, (2) livestock biotechnologies (animal health and diagnostics), (3) epidemiology, detection and control of bacterial zoonotic diseases, and (4) addressing operational health problems in ruminant farming. He authored numerous ISI/ Scopus indexed journal articles, electronic book and book chapter with focus on his fields of interests.