Sustainable and S&T-based production and utilization of three of Benguet’s indigenous and economically important plants are being pushed to boost the local handicrafts and food and beverage industries of the province.

With funding and support from the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST-PCAARRD), Dr. Marissa N. Parao of Benguet State University (BSU) and her team are developing economically viable production technologies under the three-year project, “Development of Technology and Innovation Model Farm of Indigenous and Economically Valuable Species to Support Traditional Industries for Forest Restoration and Biodiversity Conservation in Benguet.”

Anes (Fimbribambusa horsfieldii) and Banos (Cyrtochloa toppingii) are indigenous Benguet bamboo species used as raw materials for the traditional basket, ‘Kayabang.’ It is commonly woven by women in the local communities and used to carry harvested produce for consumption. Meanwhile, Ayusip (Vaccinium myrtoides) is a wild Philippine blueberry shrub noted to have anti-cancer properties and benefits against diabetes and eye problems. It is also well-known as a local beverage. Through improved cultivation and propagation methods, a sustainable supply of high-quality planting materials for these local merchandise is highly anticipated. 

The project emphasizes the key role of indigenous knowledge in cultivating and using these indigenous plants to promote health and local economic growth. Additionally, the market potential of bamboo crafts and local beverages is being explored, offering opportunities for forest restoration on unproductive farmlands.

The team has already completed suitability maps in Benguet for the three species and has an ongoing development of protocols for propagation in the municipalities of Atok and Tublay, where they also grow naturally. Simultaneously, the College of Forestry Nursery in the BSU Compound houses the study’s propagation research. 

Moreover, the project team is set to complete the construction of a technology and innovation farm model equipped with crop management innovations for Anes, Banos, and Ayusip as a strategy for forest restoration in Benguet.

Accomplishments and targets of the project were discussed during a monitoring and evaluation activity conducted by DOST-PCAARRD’s Forestry and Environment Research Division (FERD) headed by former Director Nimfa K. Torreta with Dr. Dalisay E. Cabral, Dr. Christine D. Santiago, and Ms. Aster H. Opeña. 

Through preserving indigenous knowledge, promoting native plant conservation through a sustainable value chain, and boosting the local industry's income generation, the project hopes to contribute to solidifying inclusive growth that involves women and Indigenous Peoples (IPs) and creating more opportunities for native farms that support entrepreneurship and tourism.

An ongoing project is reviving coconut farms in Davao, dominated by old, senile, and low yielding palms. Results from farmer interviews revealed that the widespread prevalence of these palms is attributed to the impact of Typhoon Pablo—a super typhoon that devastated the region more than a decade ago.

The project, “Coconut Hybrid Utilization in the Locality for Improved Productivity (Coco-HULIP) in Davao Region,” is funded by the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST-PCAARRD) through the Coconut Farmers and Industry Development Plan (CFIDP) Coconut Hybridization Program (CHP) Research. 

Led by Ms. Erna S. Macusi of the Davao Oriental State University (DOrSU), the project team interviewed local coconut farmers to evaluate the productivity and technical efficiency of the region’s coconut production system. With this, the project team recommended providing technical assistance to farmers and using improved, high yielding hybrid coconut varieties to increase their average nut per palm.

Moreover, the project is optimizing hybrid coconut production specific to Davao’s conditions and identifying high yielding and adaptable hybrids to gradually replace typhoon-damaged, senile, and low yielding palms.

The project is evaluating three hybrid varieties: PCA 15-1 [Catigan Green Dwarf (CATD) x Laguna Tall (LAGT)], PCA 15-9 [Tacunan Green Dwarf (TAGD) x Tagnanan Tall (TAGT)], and PCA 15-10 (TAGD x LAGT). The Philippine Coconut Authority-New Coconut Seed Production Center (PCA-NCSPC) supplied a total of 1,600 seedlings of these varieties for adaptability trials under local conditions, including soil assessments and site evaluations. 

Ms. Macusi’s team also plans to expand and assess the adaptability of PCA 15-2 [Malayan Red Dwarf (MRD) x TAGT] and PCA 15-4 (CATD x TAGT) under Davao Oriental conditions.

Complementing this, the project also undertakes an in-situ characterization and evaluation of existing traditional and hybrid coconuts in Davao Oriental. This will aid in identifying varieties present in existing farms that are highly adaptable to the agroecological conditions of the province.

During an online project review, DOST-PCAARRD’s Crops Research Division (CRD) Director Leilani D. Pelegrina suggested the appropriate tagging of surveyed hybrids and inviting experts from PCA for easier and more accurate identification of coconut varieties to further improve the project implementation.

Meanwhile, DOrSU Research Director Lanie B. Laureano affirmed her support to the research team in their efforts to address the issue of declining coconut productivity in the Davao region.

The review was attended by key officials and representatives from DOST-PCAARRD, DOST Region XI, and PCA-Davao Research Center.

DOST-PCAARRD’s Deputy Executive Director for Research and Development Juanito T. Batalon led a field monitoring visit to Mati City, Tarragona, and San Isidro in Davao Oriental to validate these accomplishments on-site.

‘Sapal,’ the coconut meat residue, is emerging as a low-cost source of mannooligosaccharides (MOS), a widely used prebiotic in aquaculture. MOS has been proven effective in improving growth, disease resistance, and overall health of aquaculture species such as milkfish and tilapia.

A by-product of coconut milk extraction in virgin coconut oil production or household use, sapal is rich in dietary fiber. It contains trace amounts of protein, fats, and essential minerals like potassium and magnesium. It is also an ideal raw material for MOS production since 87% of its fiber is made of mannan polysaccharides, which is the basic ingredient for MOS.

Implemented by the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB), the project, "Mannan Oligosaccharides (MOS) Prebiotic Feed Ingredient for Aquafeeds from Bioprocessed Coconut Residue," aims to utilize sapal for cost-efficient MOS production. The project employs solid-state fermentation with a mannanase-producing microorganism to transform sapal into MOS-rich prebiotic product for aquafeed formulations. The project is funded by the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST-PCAARRD) 

The initiative addresses the rising demand for sustainable and antibiotic-free aquaculture practices by offering MOS as a viable alternative. With global restrictions on therapeutic antibiotic use in aquaculture, MOS supplements can play a crucial role in improving fish health and pathogen resistance while promoting environmental sustainability.

Now in its second year, the project has achieved several milestones, including optimizing the bioprocessing of sapal, identifying a suitable microbial strain, and demonstrating the prebiotic activity of the extracted MOS. A high-purity MOS powder can now be produced successfully through fermentation and extraction processes.

MOS from bioprocessed sapal has a positive prebiotic activity score, for its ability to support and promote probiotic microorganisms growth in fish guts. It also enhanced the survival rate of milkfish fry that are exposed to Vibrio parahaemolyticus by 80%. In a challenge test, milkfish fry supplemented with the MOS from sapal were more likely to survive compared to those without the supplement.

With these advancements, the project highlights the potential of sapal as an economical and sustainable substrate to produce MOS. By transforming a common agricultural by-product into a high-value feed additive, this initiative not only improves fish health but also reduces the aquaculture industry's dependence on therapeutic antibiotics.

The Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST-PCAARRD) continues to strengthen intellectual property (IP) expertise in the country with the successful third installation of its IP Valuation Course held on January 14-16, 2025. 

Organized in collaboration with the Licensing Executives Society (LES Philippines), Association for Management and Valuation of Intangibles (AMAVI), and SyCip Salazar Hernandez & Gatmaitan (SyCipLaw), the training brought together experts and managers from various sectors to enhance their knowledge in market research, IP valuation concerning technology commercialization, investments, business decision-making, and the role of IP in the business model.

The training included 21 participants from various organizations, including eight private law and consulting firms, eight higher education institutions, and DOST-PCAARRD.

Learning the basics of IP Valuation from experts

Dr. André Gorius, AMAVI treasurer, kicked off the first day of the program by presenting examples of valuation reports and introducing the assignment review. He also discussed IP valuation terminology such as value, fair market value, liquidation value, depreciation, and amortization.

Dr. Sean Moolman, founder of the Moolman Institute and Chief Operating Officer (COO) of PowerOptimal, discussed licensing, sales, and purchasing. He mentioned several factors to consider for IP valuation. 

Mr. Brian More, chief executive officer (CEO) of Mathys & Squire Consulting, shared his expertise in venture capital, joint ventures, mergers, and acquisitions.

A deep dive into IP Valuation

The second day of the training focused on a comprehensive review of market research, financial modeling, and asset valuation. 

Dr. Tanja Sovic, LES International Innovation Trends Committee chair, highlighted the importance of market research. She tackled primary and secondary research methods and demonstrated how databases and publications can help in understanding market trends, sales projections, and cost estimation.

Dr. David Drews, founding member and president of IPmetrics LLC, and Dr. Gorius explained various factors and methods for valuing intellectual property assets. They emphasized the role of comparables, market data, and adjustments. On the other hand, Dr. Moolman expounded on financial modeling concepts such as Total Addressable Market (TAM), Serviceable Addressable Market (SAM), and Serviceable Obtainable Market (SOM), presenting practical approaches in estimating market size, sales, and costs.

Mr. Levente Pethő, AMAVI vice president, had an in-depth discussion on the concepts of useful life and economic life in the context of IP assets and how these are utilized in financial reporting and valuation. He discussed the calculation of economic life for various IP assets, such as patents and copyrights, providing jurisdiction-specific data and real-world examples. He also discussed the importance of interactivity, compliance, and a structured six-step process in valuation, consisting of defining context, collecting information, analyzing data, and conducting due diligence.

Experts emphasize market research and IP valuation for businesses

The last day started with the presentation of Dr. Sovic on the critical role of market research and IP in molding business models in the context of conducting valuations. She emphasized that understanding market dynamics and leveraging IP assets can significantly affect the accuracy and effectiveness of a valuation.

Group discussions were also carried out for participants with the guidance of Dr. Gorius and Mr. Sam Wiley, Strategic Business Intelligence Lead for Specialty Services. Participants discussed and collaborated amongst themselves regarding their outputs and study analyses. 

The valuation training was concluded with a closing ceremony led by Atty. Vida M. Panganiban-Alindogan, president of LES Philippines. She provided an insightful talk on #ProjectCollab and the critical role of IP valuation in fostering collaboration and innovation.

DOST-PCAARRD Executive Director Reynaldo V. Ebora delivered the closing remarks. He expressed appreciation for the program's success and its impact on all participating organizations.

With DOST-PCAARRD’s initiatives in hosting relevant capacity-building initiatives in collaboration with various agencies, agri-based businesses, innovations, and technologies continue to be honed to help the nation.