June 2006 to March 2007
What’s Inside
President’s Report
National Symposium on
Abaca, Banana, & Mango
Diseases and Insect Pest
2007 PPS & PMCP Awardees

Lobos River, and great dive spots.
       The terrain of Bohol is basically rolling and hilly and half of the island is covered by limestone.  The island is mostly unaffected by the numerous typhoons that hit the country.  When typhoons do hit the island, they usually cross quickly and are no longer powerful because their energy are dissipated in the mountains and nearby provinces of Leyte and Samar.
       The mildest time of the year is from November to April wherein the daytime temperature averages 28ºC, cooling down at night to around 25ºC.  The summer season is from August to October.  It is also during these months wherein the southwest monsoon (habagat) prevails.

temperate crops such as strawberry, crucifers and other vegetables, and chrysanthemum (cutflower).  Her contributions to highland crop research has led to the enhancement of the strawberry, vegetable and cutflower industries through the development and implementation of technologies.  Her pioneering work on chrysanthemum diseases provided the baseline information necessary for the development of integrated disease management strategy for the chrysanthemum.  This led to the  discovery and development of fungal hyperparasites as biological control of white rust of chrysanthemum.   This technology reduces fungicide application by 34% or Php 59,000/ha in terms of monetary value.

      Popularly called as James, Dr. Jaime C. Silvestre was born in New Panay, Tulunan, Cotabato on August 16, 1954. He is still single and very much “available”.

      He loves his profession and his students so dearly that he forgot time for himself.  He finished his BS and MSc at the University of Southern Mindanao (USM).  In 2004, he obtained his PhD at U. P. Los Baños, major in Plant Pathology with a scholarship grant from SEARCA and DOST-PCARRD.  At present, he is the Chairman of the Department of Plant Pathology at USM.
His teaching versatility has benefited many students in Plant Pathology and related fields at USM.

      He acted as thesis adviser to hundreds of BS and MSc students, some of which are noted teachers and researchers in USM and other schools and outstanding leaders in public and private agencies.  He is a holder of a distinct title, “Who’s Who in the World”.  His outstanding accomplishment in Plant Pathology is evidenced by the numerous plant pathogens he discovered in Mindanao thru his  various research and extension projects and  by many local and international recognition awards he received.

      For her thesis “ Population structure of the rice (Oryzae sativa L.) blast pathogen [Pyricularia grisea (Cooke) Sacc] from different geographical location in the Philippines”,
Analiza Grubanzo Tagle is this year’s PMCP-Bayer CropScience Best Undergraduate Thesis Awardee in Plant Pathology. 

She is the second among the three children of Leovino S. Tagle and Macaria H. Grubanzo who are both from Gen. Trias, Cavite. They are currently residing in Calamba City, Laguna.
      She attended her primary school at Lingga Elem. School where she graduated first honorable mention. For her entire secondary education at Calamba Bayside National High School, she was granted with a scholarship and graduated as class valedictorian.  She pursued her college education at the University of the Philippines at Los Baños with Plant Pathology as her major and wherein she was accepted as one of the UP Presidential Scholars.
      In 2005, she was awarded as the Outstanding Junior by the Gamma Sigma Honor Society in

Agriculture and was also awarded as one of UPLB’s Ten Outstanding Leaders under the Academic Leadership category.
      She is also a member of various prestigious honorable societies such as the U.P. Agriculture Student’s Circle, Gamma Sigma Delta Honor Society in Agriculture, Phi Sigma Biological Sciences Honor Society Alpha Chi Chapter. In addition, she is the fourth councilor of the Sanggguniang Kabataan of Brgy. Palingon in Calamba City.
      In July 2005, she was given the opportunity to conduct her BS Thesis at the International Rice Research Institute under the guidance and supervision of Dr. Edna Y. Ardales and Dr. Casiana M. Vera Cruz. 

      On April 11, 1965, the President-Elect of the American Phytopathological Society (APS), Dr. George A. Zentmyer addressed the PPS at Lake View Hotel, Los Baños, Laguna and gave some advice for our Society:1

            Forty-two years later, we can see for ourselves how well we have followed Dr. Zentmyer’s advice to improve our organization.  Let me tackle these advices one by one.

            The PPS journal, The Philippine Phytopathology, has been in circulation since 1965.  Published semi-annually, the journal is a repository of research information on Philippine plant diseases. The book Plant Pathologist’s Pocketbook by Waller, Lenne and Waller (2001) has recognized our journal in their list of plant pathology journals - an evidence for “good advertising for the Society.”  A few years ago, PPS gave a new name to our journal – Journal of Tropical Plant Pathology- with an intention to elevate the status of the journal to an international setting or at least in Asian setting. Many of the current journals are aiming to be accredited by the Institute of Scientific

Information (ISI) and a handful of our Philippine science journals are now ISI-indexed. Up to this point, however, PPS has not even tried to submit the journal for evaluation to ISI. It’s high time that PPS should take the lead in   enlisting the Journal of Tropical   Plant Pathology to the roster of high quality research journals. We cannot attain this status if very few of us are submitting research papers to the journal. Please bear in mind that our membership to PPS is a prerequisite to publishing in the journal. I now enjoin the PPS members especially outside UPLB to make our journal their first choice in publishing their research findings. To gain a wider circulation, an active PPS member from the University of Florida, Dr. Jimmy Rich has offered his services in putting up our journal online. Let’s take advantage of his generous assistance!

            In relation to the second advice of Dr. Zentmyer, committees are created to ensure the successful implementation of the plans and activities of the Society. In my term as President, I wish to thank the committees that took charge in the 2nd National Symposium on Abaca, Banana and Mango Diseases and Insect Pests held at the Institute of Plant breeding, UPLB last January 17 and 18, 2007.  Our line up of speakers who are experts in their respective fields responded positively to our invitation and the participants from the academe, research, and industry are well represented.  This idea of holding a symposium had long been overdue yet the plan materialized on account of a bright idea that popped out in one of our Board meetings.

      The third advice is something PPS should improve on.  I was a student member of the APS when I was pursuing my doctorate in Germany. One thing that impressed me about APS is its continual drive for new members. I was surprised to have been personally welcomed by the APS President, Jacqueline Fletcher, as a first timer at the APS meeting in Charlotte, North Carolina in 2003. APS tendered a breakfast reception for graduate students and this venue provided an excellent opportunity to get acquainted with representatives from many companies to explore a variety of job opportunities. My membership had expired when I returned to the Philippines but APS has never failed in sending me invitation each year to renew membership.  In view of this experience, I would want our new members realize the benefits PPS can offer and encourage them to renew their membership each year.  This strategy would surely keep our Society active and vibrant! 
                         

    con’t on p.4

...con't President's Report

      Our achievements on the fourth advice are usually seen in our collaborative research efforts with foreign donors and scientists. With the presence of Dr. Robert C. Kemerait, University of Georgia.  in our meeting this year, we shall have the opportunity to foster international cooperation with APS. PPS has invited him to present initiatives from within the APS programs directed towards improving the working relations with other phytopathological societies.  We are also fortunate to have Dr. Eunwoo Park, Seoul National University as Plenary Speaker to talk on “Epidemiology of important pathogens associated with different crops in Korea”.  Let us listen to their talks and draw encouragement and support from the programs and suggestions they will be presenting.

enthusiasm and spirit in the workplace.
      Dr. Zentmyer’s words of advice are still relevant today as they were 42 years ago. It is my fervent hope the PPS will do better than what it is now and will continue be a respected organization in the plant sciences in the Philippines. Salamat po at mabuhay tayong lahat!

Note
1 Address, Dr. George A. Zentmyer, President-elect, American Phytopathological Society. 1965. Journal of Philippine Phytopathology 1: 53-56.

CHRISTIAN JOSEPH R. CUMAGUN

      LGU’s nationwide and researchers from private sectors attended this 2-day symposium. Twelve papers on Abaca, Banana, and Mango were presented by invited resource speakers who are renowned experts in these commodities. During the closing ceremony, two participants were requested by the Society to give a response.  The participants who gave the response were Ms. Zita M. Mesa, Municipal Agriculturist from Alabat, Quezon and Mr. Paul C. Dagoy,  Production Manager of Señorita International Fresh Fruits Exporter, Inc.

      The Philippine Phytopathological Society sponsored the 2nd National Symposium on Abaca, Banana, and Mango Diseases and Insect Pests. 

      Dr. Cecilia B. Pascual presented two poster papers during the International Plant Breeding Symposium held in Sheraton Hotel, Mexico City last 20-25 August 2006.

…con’t 2006-2007 Committees, Committee Chairs & Members

      The Philippine Phytopathological Society, Inc. (PPS), a non-profit organization was organized by a group of Plant Pathologists at UPL, College of Agriculture on May 11, 1963.  The Society aims to (1) encourage and promote the development of knowledge of disease management scientifically, (2) develop integrated pest and disease management based on sound and ecological precepts, (3) encourage the interchange of information, knowledge, and ideas among members, farmers, and other interested individuals, and (4) develop and effective working relation between persons professionally engaged in plant pathology and coordinate various interests and services germaine to the Society.

PPS is one of the five organizations under the umbrella of the Pest Management council of the Philippines, Inc. (PMCP).  The members of the Society are composed of individuals or organizations involved or interested in the science of plant pathology.  PPS is also represented by regional divisions.