The official banner of the Lakbay-Agham project of the National Academy of Science and Technology, Philippines (NAST-PHL) which aims to introduce scientists and researchers to the public.

The National Academy of Science and Technology, Philippines (NAST-PHL), in collaboration with various media outlets, conducts the “Lakbay-Agham: Catching Up with the Scientists” to let the public meet some of the country’s scientists and get to know their achievements. 

The activity seeks to engage NAST PHL scientists while also providing a platform to highlight their current achievements and promote the institutions they are affiliated with.

Drawing from the Filipino words ‘Lakbay’ and ‘Agham,’ the NAST PHL Secretariat led the facility tours and interviews on April 11, 2025, at the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice), Central Luzon State University (CLSU) and Philippine Carabao Center (PCC). 

Science communication

The first stop was in PhilRice. One of the scientists, Dr. Jaime A. Manalo IV, highlighted the importance of communicating to the people the benefits of the science they do.

A newly conferred Career Scientist II by the Department of Science and Technology-Civil Service Commission (DOST-CSC) Scientific Career System and an experienced professional editor, he takes pride in saying that PhilRice understands its audiences. Apart from that is a pool of development communicators who try to experiment with various ways to craft their messages.  

“If we say low GI rice, someone who does not know the glycemic index will not react. But if you say that this has implications for people with diabetes, then that will create interest,” he said, adding that they use various platforms to inform the public of their works at PhilRice.

Dr. Jaime A. Manalo IV, head of Socioeconomics of Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) explains to the members of the media the importance of communicating science to the public during the Lakbay-Agham on April 11, 2025 at the Science City of Muñoz, Nueva Ecija.

Environmental sustainability

For our scientists at the Department of Agriculture-Crop Biotechnology Center, taking care of the environment is as important as the research they are doing.

As director Dr. Roel R. Suralta puts it, underscoring the environmental sustainability by ensuring soil health is the top priority.

“With the power of biotechnology, we can produce plants with higher yield and not damaging to the environment,” he said.

Department of Agriculture-Crop Biotechnology Center Chief Academician Roel R. Suralta relates to the media the benefits of biotechnology in the development of new technologies and methodologies during the Lakbay-Agham on April 11, 2025 at the Science City of Muñoz, Nueva Ecija.

He added that it is a race against time. That is why they use biotechnology to speed up development of new technologies and methodologies.

Dr. Suralta is an Academician known for his outstanding contributions to the advancement of root science in the Philippines. . His pioneering studies on crop "root plasticity" offered new perspectives in matching the type, timing and magnitude of water stress environment with the root morphological, physiological, and genetic traits, and optimum agronomic management.

Tilapia and the children

Next stop is at CLSU. Dr. Dana G. Vera Cruz answered the most curious question, “why tilapia ice cream?” 

“The problem or gap that we intend to solve with these products is the declining fish consumption among children since 2007 and help alleviate the malnutrition problem in the country. One of the innovative ways to encourage children to eat fish is by offering them ice cream with fish in it,” she explained.

Moreover, tilapia farmers are also trained from the grow-out up to the processing, sharing with them the technology to help eliminate the fishy afterscent of tilapia. 

Dr. Dana G. Vera Cruz, a distinguished faculty researcher from the Central Luzon State University, inspires the guests during the Lakbay-Agham on April 11, 2025 at the Science City of Muñoz, Nueva Ecija with the story of how they came up with the tilapia ice cream.

“In the end, they can actually supply to us, sure market na po and additional revenue for them, making our partnership sustainable,” she added.

Dr. Vera Cruz, a “researchpreneur”, led the CLSU tilapia ice cream research team and is a 2024 awardee of Gregorio Y. Zara Medal for Outstanding Technology Commercialization.

For the farmers

The last stop is at PCC, Dr. Ester B. Flores said that everything they do at PCC is for the farmers.

“First and foremost, the reason why we make a breeding program is not for PCC. I always keep in mind the farmers—those who take care of the carabaos because they are the ones who will really benefit from the program,” she said in mixed English and Filipino. (By Rosemarie C. Señora, DOST-STII and photos by Reiner M. Zagada, DOST-STII)

Dr. Ester B. Flores, head of the Animal Breeding and Genetics Section, is all beam as she shares at the recently concluded Lakbay-Agham at the Science City of Muñoz, Nueva Ecija on April 11, 2025 the reason behind every research they do at the Philippine Carabao Center—the farmers.

A licensed veterinarian, Dr. Flores has led several research projects on DNA marker technology and genetic evaluation in buffaloes, cattle, local commercial and native pigs.

Through the implementation of a structured breeding program, two riverine buffalo lines have been developed— the PCC Dalisay which is a specialized dairy buffalo line and the PCC Matipuno which is a specialized meat buffalo line. 

The second leg of Lakbay-Agham will be in Los Baños, Laguna in October 2025.