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Archives
May 1-31, 2007
Rillo wins 2007 Gawad Saka for outstanding agricultural scientist
By Jude Ray P. Laguna
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| Erlinda P. Orillo |
Erlinda P. Rillo of the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA)-Albay, an expert in makapuno embryo culture, is this year’s awardee for the Gawad Saka outstanding agricultural scientist.
Rillo was chosen out of the three finalists who made it in the category. She will receive the award during a simple ceremony at the Malacaņang Palace in June.
Rillo is division chief III and a Career Scientist IV as conferred by the Department of Science and Technology (DOST). Her fields of specializations include coconut crop protection, tissue and embryo culture, and plant micropropagation, which she continually improves at her base at the PCA-Albay Research Station in Banao, Guinobatan, Albay.
One of her greatest contributions in this field is the rehabilitation of makapuno farms in the country despite the minimal funding given to her to pursue her research. Her research work paid off when she developed media formulations that enabled the commercial production of makapuno seedlings. This eventually led to the improvement of the Philippine coconut gene pool and revival of makapuno plantations in the country.
Currently, an additional 100 hectares have been planted to makapuno or a 25 percent increase in area planted. Her work has uplifted the lives of coconut farmers in the Bicol region.
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| Makapuno embryo culture, Dr. Rillo’s pioneering work and contribution in R&D. |
Rillo’s significant accomplishment have made her as one of the most sought after scientists/experts in the field of makapuno tissue culture.
Other two finalists for this award were Dr. Lutgarda S. Palomar of the Leyte State University (LSU) and Dr. Louella Rowena A. De Jesus of the Southern Tagalog Integrated Agricultural Research Center (STIARC).
Dr. Palomar, head of the Department of Food Science and Technology of LSU, is an expert in the fields of food science and technology, product development, and nutrition and dietetics. Despite the limited funding from the state university, Dr. Palomar managed to source out and generate funds for her research and extension activities.
She collaborated with both national and international agencies and helped various agriculture communities by providing them with alternative sources of livelihood, from food processing to packaging and getting their products to the market.
A number of her technologies have been submitted for patenting. Her latest achievement involves enhancing food processing techniques by optimizing the formulation of ingredients using the response surface methodology. This statistical methodology explores the relationship between several explanatory variables and one or more response variables. Put it this way, you conduct a number of experiments to come up with the optimal or the most favorable conditions to come up with better tasting, more nutritional food with minimal waste of ingredients. Also, her achievements have been recognized by the science community and rural farmers.
The other finalist, Dr. De Jesus, a senior agriculturist of DA Region IV-B, is known for her pioneering work on controlling the spread of mango pulp weevil. Her research work on mango pulp weevil and the technologies developed are being applied by mango growers to control the spread of the pest in Palawan.
While working closely with the Philippine Nuclear Research Institute (PNRI), her initial findings showed the potential of irradiation treatment to quarantine the infestation of the mango pulp weevil. Her research has been mostly in the Southern part of Palawan, specifically the town of Brooke’ Point, where the pest was first found and identified.
Currently, Dr. De Jesus is studying the morphology of the mango pulp weevil, which will lead to more methods of how controlling, if not eradicate, the pest, which has been a bane to mango producers of Palawan and the mango export industry as a whole.
This year’s winner was judged based on a prudent evaluation and field validation conducted by the National Technical Search Committee (NTSC) that later came up with a recommendation to the National Executive Committee and the Board of Judges of the 2007 Gawad Saka Search for Outstanding Achievers in Agriculture and Fisheries. 
May 1-31 2007 Articles:
:: BAR celebrates Farmers and Fisherfolk Month; showcases 5 commerciable R&D technologies
:: 2nd Regional Techno Forum head starts in Luzon B Cluster
:: BAR and OptiServe collaborate for ICT community-based initiatives
:: Rillo wins 2007 Gawad Saka for outstanding agricultural scientist
:: BAR links with DLSU-Manila on ITMSI program
:: SMIARC intensifies RDE for all commodities
:: BAR conducts IP awareness and training workshop
:: BAR spearheads pre-implementation meetings on ludong and abaca
:: ICT to boost DA programs and services
:: Benefits from the ‘Queen’
:: Securing a sturdy ground for the duck industry
:: BAR leads synergy meeting on sweet sorghum initiatives
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