Crops Research Division

𝐃𝐎𝐒𝐓-𝐏𝐂𝐀𝐀𝐑𝐑𝐃 𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐬 𝐢𝐭𝐬 𝐬𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠
𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐩𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐛𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐚 𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐲

In support of strengthening the Philippine banana industry, DOST-PCAARRD, through the Crops Research Division (CRD), participated in a three-day capacity development initiative, “Training on Banana Propagation, Nursery and Field Management, and Disease Diagnosis and Detection”, at the Cagayan Valley Research Center, Ilagan City, Isabela.

Led by the Institute of Plant Breeding of the University of the Philippines Los Baños (IPB-UPLB), the training aimed to equip key industry stakeholders, including banana farmers and researchers, with S&T-based management strategies for major diseases of banana in the Philippines.

Participants from CRD, led by Industry Strategic S&T Program (ISP) Manager for banana, Mr. Fredric M. Odejar, enhanced their technical knowledge and skills in producing and growing disease-free banana planting materials—from laboratory propagation to nursery management—as well as in implementing effective disease prevention, diagnosis, and field management practices.

Mr. Odejar also delivered the Opening Message on behalf of CRD Director Dr. Leilani D. Pelegrina on the first day of the training.

Through this initiative, DOST-PCAARRD reaffirms its support in strengthening a resilient banana industry for a food-secure Philippines.

📸 Gizelle T. Nanit

✨ Introducing the esteemed KEYNOTE SPEAKER of the 32nd National Fruit Symposium! ✨

Dr. Reynaldo V. Ebora is the Executive Director of the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development (DOST-PCAARRD), a sectoral planning council of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST).

Don't miss Director Ebora's keynote message at the Development Academy of the Philippines in Tagaytay City, Cavite! Join us and be part of an engaging discussion filled with valuable insights.

🚨 𝐑𝐄𝐆𝐈𝐒𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 STILL 𝐎𝐏𝐄𝐍! 🚨
📅 July 13–17, 2026
📍 Development Academy of the Philippines, Tagaytay City, Cavite

𝐑𝐞𝐠𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐫 𝐑𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬
🔹 Conference Registration + Lifetime Membership – 𝐏𝐡𝐏 9,000.00
🔹 Conference Registration + Regular Membership – 𝐏𝐡𝐏 6,550.00
🔹 Conference Registration for Existing Life Members – 𝐏𝐡𝐏 6,050.00
🔹 Conference Registration for Undergraduate Students – 𝐏𝐡𝐏 3,000.00

𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐅𝐞𝐞 𝐈𝐧𝐜𝐥𝐮𝐝𝐞𝐬
✔️ Conference kit (tote bag, flash drive with e-souvenir program, pen, notepad, and ID lanyard)
✔️ Snacks, lunch, and dinner (July 14–15, 2026)
✔️ Membership fee and annual dues

📝 Register now:
https://forms.gle/wwa8Ldm9P68TFEEs5

🌱 Interested in becoming a member?
Complete the membership form here:
https://forms.gle/6txs9cdupFnKnAhR7

For inquiries and clarifications, please contact the National Fruit Symposium Secretariat at [email protected] or send us a message through our page.

🌿 See you in Tagaytay as we shape the future of the Philippine fruit industry together!

✨ Introducing one of our esteemed PLENARY SPEAKERS for the 32nd National Fruit Symposium! ✨

Dr. Leilani D. Pelegirna, fondly called as "Maam Lan" is the Director of the Crops Research Division (CRD) of the Philippine Council of Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST-PCAARRD).

As the Director of CRD, Dr. Pelegrina oversees the management, coordination, and setting the overall direction for DOST-PCAARRD’s national research and development (R&D) initiatives in the crop sector. She also supervises the implementation of various research management activities in the same sector that are prioritized under the Council’s Industry Strategic S&T Program (ISP).

Don't miss Dr. Leilani's plenary talk at the Development Academy of the Philippines in Tagaytay City, Cavite! Join us and be part of an engaging discussion filled with valuable insights.

🚨 𝐑𝐄𝐆𝐈𝐒𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 STILL 𝐎𝐏𝐄𝐍! 🚨
📅 July 13–17, 2026
📍 Development Academy of the Philippines, Tagaytay City, Cavite

𝐑𝐞𝐠𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐫 𝐑𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬
🔹 Conference Registration + Lifetime Membership – 𝐏𝐡𝐏 9,000.00
🔹 Conference Registration + Regular Membership – 𝐏𝐡𝐏 6,550.00
🔹 Conference Registration for Existing Life Members – 𝐏𝐡𝐏 6,050.00
🔹 Conference Registration for Undergraduate Students – 𝐏𝐡𝐏 3,000.00

𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐅𝐞𝐞 𝐈𝐧𝐜𝐥𝐮𝐝𝐞𝐬
✔️ Conference kit (tote bag, flash drive with e-souvenir program, pen, notepad, and ID lanyard)
✔️ Snacks, lunch, and dinner (July 14–15, 2026)
✔️ Membership fee and annual dues

📝 Register now:
https://forms.gle/wwa8Ldm9P68TFEEs5

🌱 Interested in becoming a member?
Complete the membership form here:
https://forms.gle/6txs9cdupFnKnAhR7

For inquiries and clarifications, please contact the National Fruit Symposium Secretariat at [email protected] or send us a message through our page.

🌿 See you in Tagaytay as we shape the future of the Philippine fruit industry together!

DOST-PCAARRD, through the Crops Research Division (CRD), officially launched the project, “Evaluation of UPLB Abaca Hybrid Fibers for Commercial Pulp Testing”, to be implemented by the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB) in collaboration with Catanduanes State University (CatSU), Visayas State University (VSU), Caraga State University (CarSU), and Albay Agro-Industrial Development Corporation (ALINDECO).

With the goal of validating the economic potential of Dioscoro 1, a UPLB-developed abaca hybrid resistant to the Abaca Bunchy Top Virus (ABTV), the project aims to determine the commercial viability of these fibers for large-scale applications in the pulp and paper industry and hopes to stabilize abaca fiber production in response to rising global demand for sustainable raw materials.

The inception meeting was led by CRD Director Leilani D. Pelegrina, along with Program Monitoring and Evaluation (PME) Section Head and Industry Strategic S&T Program (ISP) Manager for abaca Kristine Joy P. de Guzman, and Program Development and Resource Generation Section Head Renelle C. Yebron.

Also in attendance were representatives from the Department of Agriculture-Philippine Fiber Industry Development Authority (DA-PhilFIDA), part of the project technical monitoring team, and representatives from the PCAARRD-Accounting Section.