Biognomics Vol 1 Issue 1
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Transcript of Biognomics Vol 1 Issue 1
FPE-USeP joins 14th
Philippine Eagle
Week Celebration ARZELO D. RIVAS
Last June 2-10, 2012, the
Friends of Philippine Eagle (FPE),
a socio-civic organization of the
B.S. Biology Program was invited
to join the 14th
Philippine Eagle
Week (PEW) initiated by the
Philippine Eagle Foundation (PEF)
and Department of Environment
and Natural Resources XI
(DENR). The theme for this
year’s celebration is “Saving the
Eagle, Protecting the Environment,
and Securing the Future.” This
explains the foundation’s
campaign of not only safeguarding
the birds but also the protection of
the environment.
The PEW celebration
opened with an eco-friendly
parade dubbed as ‘Green Mob’ for
green mobilization. The parade
was participated by one hundred
sixteen (116) B.S. Biology
students from USeP led by Dr.
Hilario Wong Jr., the FPE adviser.
It was also participated by
different government offices,
private companies, and other non-
government organizations, which
set off from Rizal Park and ended
at the NCCC Mall. The PEW is
observed annually to create
awareness for, and instigate action
on the conservation of our
National Bird, the magnificent
Philippine Eagle.
According to the
organizers, Green Mob encourages
alternative and energy-efficient
modes of transportation or
mobilization like cycling, walking,
and running to bring attention to
the issue of climate change so that
people will support eco-friendly
lifestyles. The PEW is a week-long
celebration with a photo exhibit,
Eagle Fest, Raptor Up-close, Eco-
games and Sayagila Dance Contest
and all of which happened at the
NCCC Mall from June 2 to 10,
2012. (Contributors: Mary Lovely
Mae Nazareno, Niña Marie
Agusto, Jeza May Mamilic)
DENR-XI collaborates
with USeP NatSci for a
research study APPLE ROSE B. CALUD
The Natural and Physical
Sciences Department of the
College of Arts and Sciences has
once again proven its excellence in
the field of research after the
success of the study conducted by
the faculty and selected Biology
students in the DENR
experimental forest in Nabunturan,
Compostela Valley. The research
was conducted to assess the
selected flora and fauna in the
experimental forest with the
collaboration of the department
and DENR-XI. The study lasted
for 5 days which begun last
January 30 and ended on February
30, 2012. Different methods were
applied in the study to determine
the, ferns, dipterocarps and
invasive plant species present in
the experimental forest.
Macroinvertebrates were
also identified and results revealed
that the forest is biologically
diverse. In the research, it was
further recommended to have
future studies in the experimental
forest and to consider exploring
the other parts of the forest as it
has been expected that the forest
could reveal more than it has in the
present. A presentation on the
research details was conducted to
the fourth year students by Dr.
Hilario Wong, Jr. last July 31,
2012. “I believe that our
department should conduct more
studies on the experimental forest
since it will be an avenue for
exploration and exercising our
faculty’s expertice”, said Patrick
Handugan, a fourth year student,
after the presentation.
BIOGNOMICS BIOGNOMICS BIOGNOMICS BIOGNOMICS BIOGNOMIC
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1
Vol. 1 No. 1 August 2012
©Jhez Talictic
The Official Gazette of the B.S. Biology Program of the University of Southeastern Philippines
ABS holds
BioDay 2012 METCHIE MAE R. CORPUZ
The Association of Biology
Students, the official academic
organization of the Biology
program held its annual
organization day dubbed as
BioDay with this year’s theme:
“Play fair and have fun:
Strengthen the bond!” The event
was held at Davao City National
High School last August 4, 2012
wherein 230 students actively
participated and contributed to the
success of the event.
The activities were
categorized as major sports, board
games, and non-sports. There were
also different booths positioned in
the campus field. Under the major
sports category were the sports
basketball men and women and
badminton mixed doubles. The
board games were scrabble, chess,
and word factory. Non-sports
category had the games pick-up
sticks, jackstone, pinoy henyo and
catch the dragon’s tail. The event
also hosted a search for the Mr.
and Ms. Biology 2012 wherein it
was once again proven that the
students exhibit not only
sportsmanship but also beauty
and wit.
The event ended with the
Biology seniors declared as the
grand champion for the BioDay
2012, followed by the freshmen as
first runner-up, the juniors as
second runner-up, and the
sophomores as the third runner-up.
Indeed, the administration, and the
Biology students yet again became
victorious in reaching the goal
towards unity through individual
capabilities and uniqueness.
Contributors: Gretchie Castanares,
Keen Mark Subtiniente,
and Leslie Jane Ang
NatSci Dept. led this
year’s disaster
preparedness ALEXAH JOY S. POLICHER
The College of Arts and
Sciences held a seminar on Fire
and Earthquake Disaster
Preparedness and Drill at the
University Social Hall last July 11,
2012. The event, which aimed to
inform the students and faculty
members of the college on what to
do when unexpected disasters
strike the campus, was primarily
participated by the Natural and
Physical
Sciences Department, with Dr.
Hilario L. Wong, Jr. and Prof.
Michel Mende (affiliated with the
Bureau of Fire Protection) as the
speakers for the seminar.
Furthermore, fourth year Biology
students were the principal
manpower of the event which
lasted for five hours. At the end of
the seminar, the audience was
provided with a simulation in
order for them to practice all the
things demonstrated during the
seminar.
Intellectual Property
Rights Seminar LESLIE JOY C. ABABON
“Research is not a one-shot
action… that it is tentative. Sooner
or later there will be more than
that, or better than that.” Romel
Gador stated to the third year B.S.
Biology students when they
attended the seminar entitled
“Intellectual Property Rights” at
University of Southeastern
Philippines, Virtual Library last
July 3, 2012. This seminar
discussed the functions of
Intellectual Property Rights (IPR)
and on how researches could be
patented. The speakers on the said
event provided adequate
information on how researchers
can patent their works and protect
their intellectual rights.
They also introduced a
user-friendly database and
websites that are accessible for
researchers. Some of these
websites contain full articles of
patented works that could be
helpful in the researches of
students. As one of the speakers
said, “Protection is territorial but
information is global.”
NEWS NEWS NEWS NEWS NEWS NEWS NEWS NEWS NEWS
NEWS
NEWS NEWS NEWS NEWS NEWS NEWS NEWS NEWS NEWS NEWS NEWS NEWS 2
©Vamae Tago-on
©Arzelo Rivas
EDITORIAL
GM Crops:
Solutions or More
Problems?
CRISCIRE B. LEGARDA
Genetically modified crops
are plants used for agricultural
purposes and whose genes were
altered using a technology called
genetic engineering. These plants
were incorporated with one or several
genes that code for desirable traits
such as tolerance to pests, viruses,
bacteria, drought, cold, and other
abiotic stresses. Micronutrients, such
as vitamins and minerals, can also be
introduced to these crops to improve
the health of the consumers.
Asia is the home to many
developing countries struggling to
feed the growing population. Within
Asia, the Philippines has been on the
front line in embracing agro-
biotechnology as one method to
improve national food security. Our
population is growing rapidly at a rate
of 2.4% annually and currently we
already reached 103,775,002 (Social
Weather Station, 2011). This
population growth, in combination
with the diminishing area available for
farming, has led the government to
support agro-biotechnology as a
method to improve Philippine
agricultural productivity. Bt corn,
soybean, canola, potato, and cotton
have been approved for export into the
country. Philippines, being a
developing country, is clasped with
poverty. Farmers often experience
difficulties in increasing crop yields
due to some factors like pest-pressure
and other disease-causing organisms,
drought and other abiotic stresses, and
high input costs for herbicides and
insecticides. These factors lead to low
productivity and low profit. GM crops
could be really advantageous in the
current status of our country.
Another problem in our
country is food security. The Social
Weather Stations (2011) survey
reported an alarming 15.1% of
households experiencing hunger, or
not having anything to eat at least
once in the three months, with
Mindanao reporting the highest
incidence of 23%, followed by Metro
Manila with 15.7%. Based on the
same survey, about 27% of the current
population or more than 28 million
children under the age of five are
underweight and stunted. GM crops
are needed to feed an increasing
population. Widespread production
and consumption of biofortified staple
crops could reduce micronutrient
deficiencies, improve health
outcomes, and provide enough food.
Meeting future food needs for
increasing living standards and
growing populations will require
increases in current farm productivity,
as well as the ability to grow food on
marginal lands.
However, no matter how
advantageous these crops can be in
our country, we cannot deny the fact
that other people are against them
because of certain risks they impose.
Advocates against GM crops say that
they threaten plant diversity. Planting
GM crops is not a question of choice
because once they are planted
somewhere, other crops become
contaminated by them. In addition,
people are worried because the
herbicide and insecticide resistant-
genes might intermingle with the
genes of the wild-type relatives of the
GM crops and gradually create “super
weeds” and “super bugs” that are
resistant to herbicides and insecticides
respectively.
GM crops were also
produced, they say, for corporate
profit. Seeds, and chemicals that are
required to grow them, must be
bought from the multinational biotech
corporations. Since these corporates
have patency over these GM seeds,
farmers are prohibited from saving
and sharing seeds for the next
planting. Biotech corporations will
exercise a monopoly over what we eat
and what we plant.
The production and
commercialization of GM crops has
been the subject of many debates
world-wide. It has become one of the
most controversial issues in our
country nowadays. As citizens, we are
in the middle of the bridge right now,
confused on whether which way we
should choose. It is true that it is very
essential for us, in the developing
countries, to use the best science to
make wise choices. However, we
should also consider the possible
consequences of our choices. The
debate on GM crops might never end,
but as what Martin Luther King, Jr.
said “we have to keep moving
forward.”
To the Problem of
Plastics: City
Ordinance 0361
Series of 2010
Twenty-eighth day of June,
2012, was the start of the
implementation of the Ordinance 0361
in the City of Davao. This ordinance
concentrated on the “complete, total,
and absolute” ban on the use of non-
biodegradable plastics and polystyrene
materials as food and beverage
containers. This was in accordance
with the Davao City Ecological Solid
Waste Management Ordinance of
2009.
It is believed that the business
sector of the city will be highly
affected by the banning ordinance,
especially fast food chains, malls, and
companies (continued on page 4…)
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3 Editorial Editorial Editorial Editorial Editorial Editorial Editorial Editorial Editorial Editorial Editorial Editorial
Editorial Editorial Editorial Editorial Editorial
©Ivan Catiwalaan & Melai Espino
(…continuation from page 3)
that produce plastic bags, cups, and
straws. Currently, ordinary users of
plastics have already felt the
consequences of not using plastic
materials for their food and beverages.
The keen-observing Biology students
of the University of Southeastern
Philippines even made the banning
issue as one of the topics for
discussions during their leisure times.
The thought of not using plastic seems
quite impossible, maybe because this
material has been a consistent insignia
of industrial progress and that the
material is already a very familiar
item in a person’s daily living.
However, some people would think
that this move is insignificant in the
chess game of defeating the problem
on environmental pollution.
This ordinance passed by the
local government is indeed very bold
since it changed the daily lives of
many people in the city. Many people
agreed to this bold move, but others
highly opposed this action. People
who are against this ordinance said
that the root of the problem is not in
the existence of plastics but proper
solid waste management. We often
think of plastics as living organisms
because when calamity strikes in our
community like floods, we solely
blame these materials because they
block the drainage systems. However,
the root of the problem lies primarily
in the improper and ignorant handling
of the plastic materials after we use
them. We cannot deny that plastics
have numerous benefits to our daily
living, and banning their use will be a
great discomfort to the entire
community. If we only practice the
proper waste segregation and disposal,
then the need to totally ban the use of
these materials will never surface.
However, let us all remember that
solid waste management has been
implemented for the past years, but
changes were too far to be achieved
because of our own actions. We
cannot solely blame the local
government for the implementation of
this ordinance because we are also at
fault here.
Contributors: Christine Rose Ansale,
Jonah Benson, Arvin Fojas and
Jay Mar Jumamoy
DO YOU KNOW THAT…
STUDENTS’ CORNER
1. An adult mayfly’s life is as short as a few minutes, but its body hatches for about a year?
2. Corneas are the only tissues that don’t require blood?
3. The fungus Cordyceps is able to “mind-control” other insects like ants to climb plants and attach there to become its food?
4. An ostrich egg is the largest existing single cell? 5. When the queen of a clownfish school dies, a
male clownfish changes its gender to become female and take her place?
6. The world’s smallest flowering plant is the Wolffia, and whose one full bouquet can fit on the head of a push pin?
7. The tongue of a blue whale is bigger than a taxi cab, and can weigh as much as an elephant?
8. There are more bacteria and microbes in our body than actual cells that make up the body growing?
9. Snakes are true carnivores because they eat nothing but other animals?
10. The human body has enough fat to produce seven bars of soap?
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BIOGNOMICS BIOGNOMICS BIOGNOMICS BIOGNOMICS
BIOGNOMICAS
4
BIOGNOMICS The official student publication of the B.S. Biology
Program of University of Southeastern Philippines,
Davao City, Philippines.
Editor-in-Chief: CRISCIRE B. LEGARDA
News Editor: APPLE ROSE B. CALUD
Feature Editor: DALE S. PINILI
Lay-out Artists: ARZELO D. RIVAS
JOHN PAUL L. OÑEZ
Ways & Means Manger: ARVIN B. FOJAS Moderator: HILARIO WONG, JR.
Michael Dann Superio (B.S. Bio 3B)
“I support this city ordinance because for me, it is better to use
paper bags and bio-cellophanes. They are more environment-friendly.”
Rose Angeli Manglicmot (B.S. Bio 4A)
“I support this city ordinance because it is the ultimate key in
preventing flood in Davao City. As I observe the canals here in Davao
particularly in Barrio Obrero, most of the plastics clogged up the water
ways and when rain comes the canals overflow and cause flood.”
Irene Dimol (B.S. Bio 4B)
“It would be better not to ban these materials because they
would really affect the small-scale businessmen. Bio bags are more
expensive than the plastics that we often use.”
© Nikko Aranas
Contributor: Clarisse Maye B. Diocadiz