Month: February 2022

The Philippine Veterinary Medical Association (PVMA) recognized Dr. Edwin C. Atabay of the DA-Philippine Carabao Center (DA-PCC), as this year’s Outstanding Veterinarian in Government Service during its 89th Scientific Conference and Annual Convention awarding ceremony on February 17.

The award is an initiative of the PVMA, a sister organization of the Philippine Medical Association whose aim is to bring together qualified Filipino veterinarians who have been approved by the Professional Regulatory Commission (PRC).

Dr. Atabay is currently the Senior Science Research Specialist of the Reproduction and Physiology Section under the Research Development Division. He is also the National Technical Coordinator on Reproduction, the Program Coordinator for DA-PCC’s Artificial Insemination and Bull Entrustment Programs of the PCC, and a technical expert for the Department of Agriculture’s Unified National Artificial Insemination Program. He is also a Career Scientist II under the DOST’s SCS.

His fields of specialization are Veterinary Medicine and Animal Reproductive Biotechnology. His research interests also include reproductive biotechnology (in vitro embryo production, cryopreservation of semen, embryos, oocytes, and somatic cells, artificial insemination, pregnancy diagnosis, cloning, and embryo transfer).

He is actively involved in S&T activities that result in the development of technology and innovations for increasing water buffalo and other ruminant species’ pregnancy and productivity.

Moreover, he was the driving force behind the creation and implementation of the Intensified Reproductive Management Program, which encourages technological improvements in reproduction to boost livestock reproductive efficiency.

Dr. Atabay earned his Doctor of Philosophy in Veterinary Medicine at Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan and Masters in Animal Science at the Central Luzon State University.

In the latter part of the year 2021, Dr. Atabay was also recognized as the 2021 Achievement Awardee of the National Research Council of the Philippines-Division of Veterinary Medicine.

“Do what you say,” Dr. Atabay replied when asked what his secret to all of his accomplishments was.

As part of the DA-PCC at Ubay Stock Farm’s (DA-PCC at USF) Odette Recovery Plan, newly recruited carapreneurs in Ubay received milk pails and sacks of silage as start-up materials for their dairy enterprise.

The farmers were really grateful for the support and assistance extended to them by the DA-PCC in these challenging times due to the pandemic and the devastating effects of typhoon Odette.

Present in the short ceremony were Undersecretary for Livestock Dr. William C. Medrano, DA-PCC OIC Executive Director Ronnie D. Domingo, Regional Executive Director Joel A. Elumba, Provincial Veterinarian Dr. Bing Lapiz, and Deputy Executive Director for Administration and Finance Caro B. Salces.

Alongside the said activity, USec. Medrano had a short visit to the facilities of DA-PCC at USF, which were greatly affected by the onslaught of the recent typhoon Odette that hit the eastern part of Visayas.

In order to bridge the gap brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, which restricted many people from attending face-to-face seminars and trainings, the Department of Agriculture – Livestock Biotechnology Center, together with the DA-Philippine Carabao Center and DA-Biotechnology Program Office, held the 6th International Livestock Biotechnology Symposium on February 22 via a virtual meeting platform attended by over 200 local and international participants.

Coalescing two subjects that are rarely discussed together in scientific dialogues and fora, the symposium aims to provide awareness, knowledge, and understanding of the processes and dynamics revolving around the livestock sector including its effects to the environment.

Local and international speakers discussed topics ranging from gene editing, climate change, reduction of methane emission of lactating cows to transgenic technologies for adaption of livestock to warmer climates in line with this year’s theme, “Research and Innovations Promoting Positive and Synergistic Relationship Between the Livestock Industry and Climate Change”.

The symposium underscored the need for the agriculture sector, specifically the livestock sector to recalibrate strategies in achieving sustainable food security with significantly lesser effects to the environment and improve resiliency to climate change.

Featured presentations and open forum further highlighted how biotechnology applications can mitigate effects of livestock production on the environment and climate change.

Resource persons include Climate Change Commission Consultant, Dr. Leoncio A. Amadore, Professor of Animal Genomics and Biotechnology University of California – Davis, Dr. Alison L. Van Eenennaam; Agricultural Inspector of Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries, Uganda, Dr. Brendah Kembabazi and Principal Scientist Animal Biotech, AgResearch Ruakura, Dr. Goetz Laible.

Today marks the start of the challenge to Bongabon Dairy Cooperative’s (BDC) to process milk and contribute to the demand of the national milk feeding program.

Through the Village Level Farm-Focused Enterprise Development (VLFED) Project of the Provincial Agrarian Reform Office of the Department of Agrarian Reform-Nueva Ecija, BDC was awarded PhP300,000 for the processing equipment and the enhancement of the cooperative’s dairy processing center.

Present in the event were DAR’s Secretary Bernie F. Cruz, Undersecretary Lucius G. Malsi, Assistant Secretary Maria Celestina M. Tam, Provincial Agrarian Reform Officer Eden Ponio, and other officials form the Department of Agrarian Reform-Nueva Ecija. Also in attendance to show support are DAR’s partner agencies namely Department of Agriculture-Philippine Carabao Center (DA-PCC) headed by its OIC Executive Director Dr. Ronnie D. Domingo, Department of Trade and Industry-Nueva Ecija represented by Mr. Micko R. Dela Cruz, and Mayor Allan Xystus A. Gamilla.

Pangarap at pagkakaisa. These are the key ingredients to a successful cooperative, said Chairperson Mario Dela Cruz. Rising from the ranks, the BDC was one amongst the newly established dairy cooperatives in Nueva Ecija being assisted by DA-PCC.

Chairperson dela Cruz was very emotional while delivering his message for the overwhelming support that the government has given to their cooperative. They promised that they will make these blessings prosper in exchange for the effort and hardwork of the people behind to make this project possible.

The said project is in line with the DA’s battlecry towards Masaganang Ani at Mataas na Kita among our local farmers.

DA-PCC’s Knowledge Management Division (KMD) team members, DA-PCC at Central Luzon State University program implementers, and select provincial veterinarians in Region III convened in a hybrid (online and on-site with minimum safety and health protocols) strategic planning-workshop on Knowledge Management (KM) interventions for Carabao-based Business Improvement Network (CBIN) project today, January 25 in Bagac, Bataan.

Said activity is in support of the project “Strengthening the ALAB-Karbawan Project through Herd Build-up” being implemented by the DA-PCC and sponsored by the office of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Food and Agrarian Reform Chairperson Sen. Cynthia Villar.

Specifically, the workshop aimed to deliver real-time accessibility of knowledge products and engage provincial and local government units and value chain civil society organizations in the production of knowledge products and capacity building of clients.

Among the outputs derived from the workshop included calibration of KM interventions based on the results of situational analysis, development of action plans in response to the current issues identified by the LGU partners, and declaration of commitment of involved beneficiaries.

Aside from Region III, other regions with the most number of ALAB-Karbawan sites such as Regions IV-A, V, VI, VIII, XI and XII will also undergo the same planning-workshop for the KMD team to identify and propose KM interventions needed in the sustainable implementation of the project.