Republic of the Philippines
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Philippine Center for Postharvest
Development and Mechanization
CLSU Compound, Science City of Muñoz, Nueva Ecija

NEWS STORIES

PHilMech joins Fulbright at 70
by Jessica Marie Laturnas (July 31, 2018)
PHilMech Fulbright alumni joined fellow scholars at Sorsogon City, last June 25-27, 2018 to celebrate Fulbright’s 70th anniversary in the Philippines and at the same time, honor the legacy of two Fulbright inspiring and visionary leaders— former Secretaries of Agriculture Salvador H. Escudero and Senator Edgardo J. Angara.

PHilMech presented SHEGA III to Representative Evelina G. Escudero to honor and grateful the late Sec. Escudero. It was his leadership that paved way for the development of this first Filipino-made grain moisture meter

Gracing the event, Senator Sonny Angara, son of former Senator Ed Angara, vowed to continue the visionary agri-fishery development programs of his father.

“My father used to say in his speech: ‘Although I am a lawyer by training, I am a farmer at heart’…He firmly believed that agriculture is momentous and that modern agriculture is the only secured foundation for modern industry,” he said.

He also emphasized that, “We should carry on the work of these two great gentlemen (Agriculture Secretary Salvador H. Escudero III and Senator Edgardo J. Angara). With your help we will be producing better products. We will be more productive. It is in our hands to make better standards of living for our farmers and to provide more affordable food for our countrymen.”

The conference opened in an atmosphere of hope and anticipation.

"We hope that in this conference, participants in integrated courses and technology fora will be empowered, will learn new things that they can bring home to make their works more productive and efficient, and will be able to contribute to their professional growth and productivity," FPAAA President Dr. Danilda Hufana-Duran said during her opening remarks

FPAAA Secretary Ma. Carmen Ablan-Lagman’s speech was centered on encouraging the participants, most especially the youth, to contribute to the development of agriculture.

Technology exhibits and capability building sessions for professional and student researchers were also carried out simultaneously.
These include workshops on project proposal for funding application, study proposal for scholarship application, writing scientific papers for publication and technical writing, and lectures on funding of research projects, scholarship opportunities and the scientific career system.

PHilMech was one of the sponsors of the event, along with the Provincial Governor’s and Mayor’s Office of Sorsogon Congresswoman Office of the 1st district and 2nd district of Sorsogon, Office of Sen. Chiz Escudero, Philippine-American Education Foundation (PAEF), Philippine Carabao Center (PCC), and Philippine Coconut Authority-Region 5.

Fulbright Philippines Agriculture Alumni Association (FPAAA) is a group of returning Filipino researchers who obtained graduate degrees and advanced training in various fields of specialization in agriculture and fishery through the Fulbright scholarship in the United States.