LUMNI LUMNI LUMNI N TE TE TE VISAYAS STATE UNIVERSITY A Quarterly Publication of the Visayas State University Alumni Association Inc. Volume 6, Number 3, July—September 2008 VSU Alumni Association Office Visayas State University Visca Baybay, Leyte Philippines 6521-A Tel: (053) 335-0889 Email: [email protected]VISAYASSTATEUNIVERSITY Alumni Association Inc. Our Vision The VSU alumni as proactive, committed, socially responsible, environmentally concerned and globally competitive individuals who radiate the university's ideals of excellence. Our Mission To empower the VSU alumni in pursuing relevant endeavours that will have impact in community development. Visayas State University Alumni Notes A Quarterly Publication of Visayas State University Alumni Association Inc. Editor-in–chief ELISEO R. PONCE Associate Editor LADY FATIMA G. PALERMO Contributors ULDERICO B. ALVIOLA JESUS FREDDY M. BALDOS LADY FATIMA G. PALERMO Photo Credits ULDERICO B. ALVIOLA JESUS FREDDY M. BALDOS LADY FATIMA G. PALERMO MARILYN R. PLATERO Consultant ANABELLA B. TULIN nowing that the 84 th VSU Anniversary would gather alumni from the different parts of the country and abroad, the Alumni Association did not hesitate to setup a booth for the occasion. The booth featured a photo exhibit of alumni activities throughout the years. Souvenir items like umbrellas, mugs, and t‐shirts were also put on display. *** Meanwhile, three alumni who are successful in their own fields were present for the celebration to share their expertise. A popular and regular attendee of the VSU anniversary, Mr. Rey Evangelista (’91) from PBA’s Purefoods Chunky Giants conducted a basketball clinic to VSU’s basketball varsity teams. He brought them up‐to‐date with basketball fundamentals like dribbling, defence, and shooting. On the other hand, Dan and Rex Bernardo, both sons of former ViSCA Pres. Fernando A. Bernardo and Dr. Emiliana Bernardo, delivered a seminar at the newly inaugurated Information and Communications Technology building last August 12, 2008. A Professor and Endowed Chair in Corn Breeding and Genetics at the University of Minnesota, Dr. Rex Bernardo (‘81HS ‘83), discussed his work on plant breeding, particularly on corn, while, Dr. Dan Bernardo (‘79HS), a Senior Software Engineer of Sun Micro System in Boston, tackled “Fault Diagnosis and Management”. ALUMNI IN ACTION VSU 84 th Anniversary INTRAMURALS 2008! Rankings Intramurals ‘08 1 CE Tigers 2 CA Supersonics 3 CEAI Bravehearts 4 CVM Vipers 5 CAS, CFNS, Nursing Titans SU students had a respite from classes and exams as they focused their energy on the Intramural Games last September 17‐20, 2008. Five competing teams fought for the number one spot though sing and dance competitions and sports. For the first time, the women’s sepak takraw was included in the games while the women’s soccer was held for the second time. Moreover, the Miss Intramurals pageant was revived and a search for Mr and Miss Intramurals was staged.
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LUMNILUMNILUMNI NNN TETETEVISAYAS STATE UNIVERSITY
A Quarterly Publication of the Visayas State University Alumni Association Inc. Volume 6, Number 3, July—September 2008
VSU Alumni Association Office Visayas State University
committed, socially responsible, environmentally concerned and globally competitive individuals
who radiate the university's ideals of excellence.
Our Mission
To empower the VSU alumni
in pursuing relevant endeavours that will have impact in
community development.
Visayas State University A l u m n i N o t e s
A Quarterly Publication of Visayas State University Alumni Association Inc.
Editor-in–chief
ELISEO R. PONCE
Associate Editor LADY FATIMA G. PALERMO
Contributors
ULDERICO B. ALVIOLA JESUS FREDDY M. BALDOS
LADY FATIMA G. PALERMO
Photo Credits ULDERICO B. ALVIOLA
JESUS FREDDY M. BALDOS LADY FATIMA G. PALERMO
MARILYN R. PLATERO
Consultant ANABELLA B. TULIN
nowing that the 84th VSU Anniversary would gather alumni from the different parts of the country and abroad, the Alumni Association did not hesitate to setup a booth for the occasion.
The booth featured a photo exhibit of alumni activities throughout the years. Souvenir items like umbrellas, mugs, and t‐shirts were also put on display.
*** Meanwhile, three alumni who are successful in their own fields were present for the celebration to share their expertise. A popular and regular attendee of the VSU anniversary, Mr. Rey Evangelista (’91) from PBA’s Purefoods Chunky Giants conducted a basketball clinic to VSU’s basketball varsity teams. He brought them up‐to‐date with basketball fundamentals like dribbling, defence, and shooting.
On the other hand, Dan and Rex Bernardo, both sons of former ViSCA Pres. Fernando A. Bernardo and Dr. Emiliana Bernardo, delivered a seminar at the newly inaugurated Information and Communications Technology building last August 12, 2008. A Professor and Endowed Chair in Corn Breeding and Genetics at the University of Minnesota, Dr. Rex Bernardo (‘81HS ‘83), discussed his work on plant breeding, particularly on corn, while, Dr. Dan Bernardo (‘79HS), a Senior Software Engineer of Sun Micro System in Boston, tackled “Fault Diagnosis and Management”.
ALUMNI IN ACTION VSU 84th Anniversary
INTRAMURALS 2008!
Rankings Intramurals ‘08
1 CE Tigers 2 CA Supersonics 3 CEAI Bravehearts 4 CVM Vipers 5 CAS, CFNS, Nursing Titans
SU students had a respite from classes and exams as they focused their energy on the
Intramural Games last September 17‐20, 2008. Five competing teams fought for the number one spot though sing and dance competitions and sports. For the first time, the women’s sepak takraw was included in the games while the women’s soccer was held for the second time. Moreover, the Miss Intramurals pageant was revived and a search for Mr and Miss Intramurals was staged.
r. Pamela Po‐Abit (‘96) was recently reinstated as Assoc. Professor at the Dept of Biological Sciences, VSU. She recently finished her PhD. in
Botany with specialization in Plant Functional Ecology (Ecophysiology) at North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC where she was awarded the Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society membership.
When did you leave and why specialize in Ecophysiology? I left in 2003 after I was granted a scholarship, Fulbright‐Philippine Agriculture Scholarship Program, a scholarship open to all Filipinos. I chose Ecophysiology because it is a major field in Botany not currently explored at the DBS. It is an important field especially if we would want researches linked to climate change.
Tell us about your experience at NCSU. The university has this Office of International Students, so I volunteered as departmental ambassador for incoming international students. I was like a guide to these students about university life, their professors and what courses to take. I also taught, for about 2 years, Botany and Introductory Biology. Then I was also chosen by my professor to go to Brazil. He has a research there that is in line with my field of specialization.
So, how was studying in the US different from here? You have so much resource in the US that you could not have any reason for not bringing the best in you, especially in your research. The teacher‐student relationship is very good and open. Students are exposed to meetings or conferences. The courses taken are very specific to one’s field.
A NEW HOME Inauguration of the
Information and Communications Technology Building,
August 11, 2008
2 Alumni Notes July-September 2008
ogether with former VSU Presidents, Dr. Paciencia Milan and Dr. Fernando Bernardo, Pres. Jose Bacusmo formally
welcomed everyone to the newly constructed ICT Bldg (Phase I). The building is the new home of the Department of Computer Science and Technology (DCST) and the VSU Alumni Office. It is now utilized for lecture and laboratory classes, and has a workshop room for the Instrumentation Unit, a conference and a faculty room. According to DCST Head, Prof. Winston Tabada, the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) resources of the university, however, is not housed in the building yet, as it requires a total overhaul of the existing ICT infrastructure which is very expensive to undertake.
ALUMNI CONVERSATIONS… Pamela P. Abit, BSA ‘96
Do you have any tips for those students and alumni who are also thinking of applying for scholarship or studying abroad? First, you should know your field of specialization (to pursue). Next, you communicate with major professors in each of the university you have chosen. It’s good to take at least TOEFEL, and if you have extra funds, you may take GRE as well. It is best to include you TOEFEL score in your communication with professors.
3 Alumni Notes July-September 2008 Alumni in Focus
MARFIE D. CORREMARFIE D. CORREMARFIE D. CORRE---VELDKAMPVELDKAMPVELDKAMP BSA ‘87
Looking Back A native of Alicia Bohol, Dr. Marife Corre‐Veldkamp, took up Bachelor of Science in Agriculture with major in Soil Science from 1983‐1987. Her first job was with the Dept. of Environment and Natural Resources. By 1990, she was with the Agricultural Training Institute as Agricultural Development Officer. Within that year, she was sent to the University of Gent in Belgium as Research Associate and finished her MS in Soil Science, and then
she took her PhD in Soil Science at the University of Saskatchewan in Canada. Success and Future Endeavors Having travelled a lot in her chosen career, it was no wonder she worked at the United States Dept. of Agriculture ‐ Agricultural Research Service, Pennsylvania, U. S. A. from 1997‐1999. She, then, was granted a
research fellowship, in 1999, by the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation at the Institute of Soil Science and Forest Nutrition, University of Goettingen in Germany. Later, she became a Research Scientist in the same university. By 2005, she was awarded a 1 million Euro grant by the Robert Bosch Foundation of the Buesgen Institute ‐ Soil Science of Tropical and Subtropical Ecosystems, University of Goettingen, Germany. From 2005‐2010, she is the Research Group Leader of a team working in Panama at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute for the research on Impact of elevated NItrogen input on the biogeochemistry and productivity of TROpical Forests. Her work on nitrogen (N) dynamics and biogenic trace gas emissions have her collaborating with scientists from other disciplines to have an interdisciplinary approach of understanding how environmental change influences the retention and losses of N from forest ecosystems. An Outstanding Alumna In 2005, she visited her alma mater with her husband, Prof. Dr. Edzo Veldkamp to have a series of lectures at the College of Forestry and Natural Resources. Through her efforts a research collaboration between VSU and the University of Goettingen was established which was able to help the college buy new
equipment. At the same time, she started extending help to some alumni, namely, Anatolio Polinar ('90) and Dennis Peque ('93) to obtain MS degrees at the University of Goettingen. Currently, she is assisting Roland Rallos ('05) to gain his PhD degree at the same university.
Being a wife and a mother to her 4‐year old son, Tim, did not hinder her professional success and personal contributions here and abroad as attested by several recognitions she received. In 2003, she was one of The Outstanding Boholanos Around the World (TOBAW) awardees. This award is given to Boholanos who have made significant contributions in their fields of endeavors, and provided role models for others to emulate. And this year, she received the Outstanding Alumna Award that confirms how her success and contributions are immensely appreciated by her alma mater. Certainly, VSU is proud of you!
OOOUTSTANDINGUTSTANDINGUTSTANDING A A ALUMNALUMNALUMNA 200820082008
Marife with her family.
Schedule of Activities Date Activity
4 Thanksgiving Mass Formal Opening of Flower & Garden Show/Booth Formal Opening of Art Exhibit/Acrobatic Show
5 Food, Health and Nutrition Symposium/Disco for a Cause
6 Philippine Energy Plan & Biofuels Act Symposium/UISB Talent Showdown
7 Global Climatic Change and Other Environmental Issues Symposium/CYUT Night
8 Concert of Yeng Constantino and Jay‐R Siaboc
FARMERS’ AND FISHERFOLKS’ DAY
9
Farmers’ & Fisherfolks’ Registration, Parade and Forum/Documentary Presentation of Farmers Experience/Awarding of Outstanding Farmer/Sen. Manny Villar Livelihood Caravan/Students’ Night
10 Goodwill Games Airsoft Competition/Business Opportunities Seminar
ANNIVERSARY DAY
11
Diana/Anniversary Parade and Convocation/RODEO Sports/Blessing of the ICT Building/Barn Dance (Fellowship for Faculty, Staff and Students)
12 Tree Planting: Faculty and Staff (led by the Bernardos)/Seminar by the Bernardos
Theme: “Promoting Innovations for Poverty Alleviation and Food Security”
he weeklong celebration was a myriad of sights, smells and sounds. The oval ground was
once again a canvass of artistically designed booths that houses the different crafts, produce and technologies of the participants. Even with the exclusion of the yearly search for “Miss VSU” and the “Kaugmaran Festival”, the calendar of activities was still full with talent shows, concerts, and symposia.
***
thththVSU VSU
Anniversary Celebration August 4-12, 2008
Alumni News 5
Alumni Notes July-September 2008 Alumni News
CONSTANCIO A. ASIS JR., Ph.D. ‘90 Agriculture, Integrated Standards and Systems Office Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice)
In recognition of his significant studies on the elucidation of interaction mechanisms of nitrogen fixing bacteria in non‐leguminous crops including the discovery of Trigonelline, a chemo attractant for rhizobia and an active medicinal compound in rice seeds as well as the isolation of a nitrogen fixing bacteria from sugarcane and sweet potato. His novel technique in increasing nitrogen fixation in legumes through combined inoculation of Rhizobium and helper bacteria has doubled the capacity of the plants to tap atmospheric nitrogen as their source of nitrogen, thus, reducing, the use of chemical fertilizers.
HAYDE F. GALVEZ, Ph.D. ‘90 Agriculture, Crop Science Cluster, Institute of Plant Breeding University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB)
In recognition of her outstanding research contributions in the field of genetics and plant breeding specifically in the development and application of molecular marker techniques, which determine hybridity in coconut; thrips resistance in potato, and aschochyta blight resistance in chickpeas. She is credited with creating the first linkage map of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) and the location of six quantitative trait loci (QTLs) related to aschochyta blight resistance in chickpea. Her research resulted in the establishment of segregating populations, useful in the development of new tomato with resistance to tomato yellow leaf curl virus (ToLCV) and bacterial wilt.
ERLINDA A. VASQUEZ ’80 ‘85(MS) Exemplary Researcher
In recognition of her exemplary performance in root crop pest management research as shown by her scientific articles in peer‐reviewed journals and awards. Her research outputs on synthesis of sweetpotato weevil pheromone and biological control of pesticide‐resistant cassava spider mite have been utilized by semi‐commercial and commercial root crop growers for their practical and ecological benefits.
LEGARIO B. RAMOS ‘85 Outstanding Administrative Support Staff
For his outstanding performance and achievements beyond what is called for in his job as Supply officer III. His extraordinary technical skills have been instrumental in the design, fabrication, maintenance and research, including the university clock and chime. His contributions have resulted in huge monetary savings to the university.
he National Academy of Science and Technology (NAST) recently awarded the 2008 Outstanding Young Scientists (OYS) to two of VSU’s alumni during the 30th Scientific
Meeting held at Manila Hotel on July 10, 2008. BOARD EXAM TOPNOTCHERS
Agriculturist Licensure Examination MARILOU M. LANUZA BS in Agriculture major in Plant Protection (2008) 8th placer
Licensure Examination for Teachers (Secondary) VISITACION MALINAO‐RECTO BS in Statistics (1995) Master in Education (2005) 10th placer
Geodetic Engineering Board Examination Engr. LOLITA S. JUBAY BSGGE (2008) 3rd placer Engr. FLORENTINO F. MORALES JR BSGGE (2008) 4th placer Engr. DIANA CHRISTA D. GAMUTAN BS in GGE (2008) 6th placer
r. Erlinda Vasquez and Mr. Legario Ramos, accepted their award as Exemplary Researcher and Outstanding Administrative Support Staff, respectively, during the
VSU 84th Anniversary Convocation last August 11, 2008.
Obituaries ANTONIO M. PALERMO BSAgEd ‘85 Died: April 24, 2008
BERNARD L. TANEO BSF ‘07 Died: June 11, 2008
MYRNA M. KEMP BSHE '89 is an Art Technician at Litcham Highschool, Litcham, King's Lynn, Norfolk. [email protected]
ANITA D. MANTE BSA '86 is now a Professor at the College of Agriculture in the University of Eastern Philippines.
VALENTINA J. VEGA BSAEd'63 is a retired teacher and lives Baybay City, Leyte.
MICHAEL B. NUNEZ BSA '80 is the Provincial Director of DTI‐Southern Leyte (Region 8). [email protected]
CECILLIE B. MILAN HS '95 is a Medical Officer III at the City Government of Bais, Negros Occidental. [email protected]
JOY LORENA A. SEGISMAR BSDC '99 is the Head of the Membership development Division at the Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry. joysegismar@cebu‐chamber.com
CARMILLE JOANNA C. BALES BSA '05 is currently pursuing her MS in Plant Breeding at Michigan State University in the USA.
DANNY N. VALENZUELA BSDC '90 is a Ford Foundation scholar currently taking his MS in Law at Georgetown University in Washington DC.
SUZETTE B. LINA BSA '98 '05 (MS) an Instructor at the Dept of Soil Science and Agronomy is currently finishing her PhD in Soil Science at Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology. [email protected]
PERLY L. CORTES BSF '02 is an Instructor at Biliran National Agriculture College. [email protected]
jobs, accomplishments, retirements CLASS NOTES
CECILIA G. ESCORO BSAB ‘83 is a Businesswoman in Maasin City, So. Leyte. 09207794693, 09167058322
MARISSA S. MESSER BSAB ‘87 is based in Carbondale, Illinois, USA. [email protected] 0016189240858
ALMA P. ROSILLO BSA ‘97 ‘02 (MS) is a Science Research Assistant at the Office of the Vice‐Pres. for Research and Ext in VSU. [email protected] 335‐2694
JONATHAN G. BASAMAYOR BSED ‘07 is a High school Teacher at Western Leyte College in Ormoc City.
VSU Alumni Association Members may submit NEW information to VSU Alumni Office, IT Building, Visayas State University, Visca, Baybay City Leyte 6521‐A, or send by email to [email protected].
AAALUMNILUMNILUMNI N N NOTESOTESOTES A Quarterly Publication of the Visayas State University Alumni Association Inc.
