Category: News

VIP CORALS attended the 15th National Symposium on Marine Science (PAMS15)

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VIP CORALS attended the 15th National Symposium on Marine Science (PAMS15) held at Aklan State University, Banga Aklan last July 4-6, 2019.

VIP CORALS Focal Persons, Research Faculty, and Research Assistants (OJT)

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On July 3, VIP CORALS attended the Telemetry Workshop organized by LAMAVE (Large Marine Vertebrates Research Institute Philippines).

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On July 4, Dr. Jayvee Saco shared the vision, mission, and mandates of the marine research center of Batangas State University, the Verde Island Passage Center for Oceanographic Research and Aquatic Life Sciences (VIP CORALS).

Najeen Arabelle Rula presented the results of the study entitled “Preliminary Assessment of Seaweed-Seagrass Communities at the Southern Part of Verde Island, Batangas City, Philippines.”

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The following day, July 5, Joshua Vacarizas and Jovy Ann Valera presented the results of their research entitled “Hard coral cover diversity of Isla Verde: result of first assessment and plan for establishing monitoring stations,” and “Draft linkage map for the sea cucumber Holothuria scabra generated from ddRAD sequencing,” respectively, during the Poster Presentation session.

The VIP CORALS’ research assistants also presented during the Poster Presentation session.

Alvin Tabuga presented the results of their undergraduate research about the seagrass community structure in two selected areas in Calatagan, Batangas.

Jade Symon Binay presented the research entitled “Phytoplankton Composition of Selected Shallow Marine Ecosystems in Verde Island, Philippines.”

Leah Mae Sanchez presented the research entitled “Preliminary Inventory of Fish and Invertebrates in Verde Island, Batangas City, Philippines.”

Donalyn Ellysa Gamier (left) and Danica Abigail Velasco (right) presented the results of their undergraduate research entitled “Geometric Morphometric Analysis on the Shell of Green Mussell (Perna viridis) from Two Culturing Sites in Cavite Province”.

Alecs Persia presented the research entitled “Beach forest characterisation in Barangay San Agapito, Verde Island, Philippines.”

Dr. Jayvee Saco also presented the study about building the capability of high school teachers on doing marine biodiversity, which is an initiative of Batangas State University during the Oral Presentation session.

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Dr. Jayvee Saco was also elected as the Vice President for Luzon.

Oathtaking of the newly elected officers of the Philippine Association of Marine Science (PAMS)

 

VIP CORALS attended the 8th National Symposium and Scientific Meeting of the Philippine Phycological Society Inc. (PPSI)

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Last June 20-21, 2019, VIP CORALS attended the 8th National Symposium and Scientific Meeting of the Philippine Phycological Society Inc. (PPSI) with the theme “Convergence of Algal Research Innovations for Nature and Human Utilization.”

Left to right: Dr. Miguel Azcuna, Dr. Jayvee Saco, Jovy Ann Valera, Najeen Rula, and Joshua Vacarizas

Dr. Jayvee Saco, Joshua Vacarizas, and Najeen Rula presented their researches during the oral presentation.

Dr. Jayvee Saco presented his study entitled “The Dependency of Photosynthetic Characteristics to Chloroplast Position in Ulva conglobata (Ulvophyceae).”

Joshua Vacarizas presented his study entitled “Insights on Phytoplankton density and occurrence of Harmful Algal Bloom (HAB) species in Verde Island.”

Najeen Rula presented her study entitled “Culture of Halymenia durvillei (Rhodophyceae) Under Different Combination of Light, Stocking Density and Water Motion.”

For the poster presentation, Jade Symon Binay, Jana Abigail Soriano, and Alecs Persia presented their undergraduate researches.

Dr. Jayvee Saco and Najeen Rula were also awarded as the 3rd and 2nd Best Oral Presenters.

Left to right: Dr. Jayvee Saco, Ella Beringuela (Microbial Oceanography Laboratory), and Najeen Rula

Before concluding the program, an election was conducted. In the said election, Dr. Jayvee Saco was elected as one of the officers of the Philippine Phycological Society Inc. (PPSI)

Oathtaking of the newly-elected officers of the Philippine Phycological Society Inc. (PPSI)

Dr. Jayvee A. Saco receives the Best Paper Award

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On March 16, 2019, the Japanese Society of Phycology awarded Dr. Jayvee A. Saco the Best Paper Award for his study “Chloroplast position and photosynthetic characteristics in two monostromatic species, Monostroma angicava and Protomonostroma undulatum (Ulvophyceae), having a shared ecological niche.”

The study was also featured on the Japanese Journal of Phycology on July 10, 2019.

Kick-Off the Year with VIP CORALS

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On the 18th of January 2019, VIP CORALS launched a kick-off event for its 1st anniversary on February 14, 2019. The kick-off event was a seminar about “Biological Activity and Marine Biodiversity.”

Dr. Armin Coronado of Polytechnic University of the Philippines discussed his study entitled “Biological Activities of Sulphated Polysaccharides from Brown Seaweeds and their Potential Applications in Pharmaceutical and Related Industries.” In his study, Dr. Coronado highlighted the potential applications which include the antimicrobial activity of Crude Ethanolic Extract (CEE) against Staphylococcus aureus, and the Crude Sulfated Polysaccharide (CSP) as natural anti-cancer compound.

Dr. Noel Saguil of University of Utah played a 12-minute video presentation about the cone snails, its diversity, and the various researches done on cone snails. Dr. Saguil later discussed about Conus geographus, the ocean’s most venomous and deadliest cone snail, and recounted his experiences with C. geographus. However, on 2017, there was a breakthrough on drug development which involve the utilization of C. geographus’ venom as treatment for hormonal cancer.

Asst. Prof Ruthela Payawal from the Polytechnic University of the Philippines was also present in the seminar.

At the conclusion of the event, Dr. Jayvee Saco announced that VIP CORALS will be celebrating its 1st founding anniversary and invited the guests to come and celebrate with the center.

VIP CORALS Research Assistants

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Our center’s team keeps getting bigger! VIP CORALS proudly welcomes and presents our first batch of On-The-Job Trainees 2019. These students are in their last semester of their final year for BS Biology, BatStateU. During their internship, the students will be called as RAs – Research Assistants whose tasks will be to help in the center’s research projects. Each RA will be assigned to different areas and ecosystems under the VIP. 

From left to right: Alecs Persia, Danica Velasco, Symon Binay, Donalyn Gamier, Auen Egar, Leah Sanchez, Alvin Tabuga and Matthew Arcega. 

VIP CORALS Meeting with CAS, DLSU SHORE and SEA-VIP

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Dr. Jayvee Saco (VIP CORALS Center Head), Dr. Romel U. Briones (Director for Research) and Ms. Najeen Rula meets with Dr. Meg Burke, Dr. Terrence Gosliner of the California Academy of Sciences, Dr. Wilfredo Licuanan of DLSU SHORE Center and Mr. Joal Ascalon, Executive Director of SEA-VIP to discuss future collaborations regarding the Verde Island Passage.

PSCB 2nd International and 9th Annual Convention

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VIP CORALS research faculty member, Rubylyn Infante, attends the Philippine Society for Cell Biology (PSCB) 2nd International and 9th Annual Convention last October 22, 2018. The event was held at the Central Laboratory, University of Santo Tomas, Manila. 

One of the speakers, Dr. Shan He of the event talked about Applications of Marine Natural Products with his presentation entitled “International Innovation in Marine Biomedicine.” 

#Habilin2018

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Emilia Sabban attends Habilin2018, a sustainable event organized by Kids for Kids Philippines held last October 20, 2018 at the Green Sun, Chino Roces Avenue Extension, Makati City, 2285 Chino Roces Ave, Makati. 

This event was partnered with different organizations such as 1) Marine Wildlife Watch of the Philippines, 2) Reef Check Philippines, 3) SEA Institute (SEA-VIP), 4) Mindoro Biodiversity Conservation Foundation, 5) Danjugan Island and 6) Ecowaste Coalition.