Archives for January 2018

The delegates of the Community Engagement Workshop. L-R: John Telesford (Grenada), Dame Diop (Senegal), Khaled Grayaa(Tunisia), Jefferson Azevedo (Brazil), Daniel Labillors (Canada), Nehema K. Misola (Philippines), Alex Stephens, Pierre-Luc Gagnon (Canada) at Cegep de la Gaspesie et des Iles

Dr. Nehema K. Misola, Vice President for External Affairs and UNEVOC Center Coordinator, was the Philippine delegate in the 5-country Community Engagement Workshop held in Centre Des Congres de la Gespesie at Carleton Sur Mer, Canada on November 25 -30, 2017 and learning visits conducted at significant sites in Ontario, Canada on December 1- 10, 2017.

Funded by the UNESCO-UNEVOC Bonn Germany, the workshop was on the development of instrument for the approved research project on Community Engagement Initiatives of the Philippines, Grenada, Tunisia, Brazil and Canada.

Included in the activities was the presentation of community engagement initiatives and other research endeavors along Greening TVET Institutions of their respective countries and some highlights of accomplishments for the UNEVOC Centers.

Dr. Misola presented the  ISAT U initiative and explore possible collaboration on some research activities. During an Academic Partnership Meeting at the University of Waterloo -Waterloo Institute of Sustainable Energy (UW-WISE) at Ontario, Canada, Dr. Misola highlighted the ISAT U profile accomplishments in infrastructure development, instruction, and research and extension activities.

Dr. Nehema K. Misola with Mr. Mike Pereira, Manager of Business Development at the David Johnston Research +Technology Park’s Accelerator Center. The park is designed to accommodate 1.2 million square feet of office space on 120-acres (49 hectares), which house thousands of researchers, create new technology jobs, and generate billions of dollars in economic impact and is home to 175 innovative companies.  The Research + Technology Park have all the elements the students need to generate ideas for now and for the next generation. 

A private meeting was also arranged with a group of professors from UW. Dr. Misola, Dr. Bissan Ghaddar, Professor of Faculty of Engineering and Dr. Drew Knight, Director for Global Research Alliances discussed about the research activities of the University on Sustainable Development. Both parties discussed the areas of collaborations where the University of Waterloo and ISAT U will have mutual benefits. Strategic partnerships for projects on natural resources and energy are potential areas identified for joint research undertakings  should both parties agree to collaborate. Potential projects discussed aimed to conserve energy through greater efficiency, bridge supply and demand with better storage, transform energy systems through green technologies, enable smart policies and planning, deliver energy more intelligently and improve conventional generation method.

The study visit was focused on Education for Sustainable Development. The group toured the University of Waterloo South Campus to include Quantum NanoFab Facility, Earth Science Museum, Mineral Gallery, Mike & Ophelia Lazaridis Quantum Nano Center, Douglas Wright Engineering Building and the David Johnston Research and Technology Park which is a unique, community-based research and technology Park, whose mandate is to foster radical innovation.

Dr. Misola also attended the Council for Clean and Reliable Electricity Meeting. The Council is a federally incorporated non-profit organization that was formed by a group of volunteers to provide a platform for open public dialogue and a solutions-oriented approach to the challenges of the energy sector. Representatives from universities, public and private sector business leaders, and labour representatives have collaborated to broaden the public debate on energy issues.

Dr. Nehema K. Misola, attending the meeting by the local community leaders, owners of buildings and other establishments as they listen to the Keynote Presentation of Mr. Michael Brophy of the Ministry of Energy.

There was also a meeting and discussion with Mr. Allan Taylor, the Program Development Manager and Ms. Anna Marie Cipriani, the Sustainability Coordinator for Growth Management Integrated Planning and Public Works on Climate Action: Waterloo Region and Beyond.

With all the learnings and observations, Dr. Misola said that there are many opportunities to conduct research endeavors leading to sustainable development. Among her suggestions is the inventory of energy and water consumption as well as the carbon footprints of all buildings in the campus and develop a Long Term Energy Plan which will be included in the Development Plan. She also proposed university based projects that supports the Climate Action and Greening TVET Institutions such as community access bike share, save on energy home assistance, water efficient technology, public electric vehicle, energuide rating system evaluations and clean economy innovation hub.

Dr. Dureza is one of the  nine(9) presenters from seven countries ( India, Malaysia, Korea, Thailand, Australia, the Philippines, Hongkong).

Prof. Rosanna Dureza, a Natural Science faculty  and  ISAT U Community Environmental Group member, presented the school’s active participation in Project  ReBUILD during the 4th East Asia Summit Technical and Vocational Education Training (EAS TVET) Provider’s Network Conference 2017 and Korean Research Institute for Vocational Education and Training – UNEVOC- Office of the Vocational Education Commission OVEC (KRIVET-UNEVOC-OVEC) Capacity Building Workshop.

The ISAT U community engagement towards climate change resiliency as a major component of Project ReBUILD was presented at Bangkok, Thailand on November 27-30, 2017.

Prof. Dureza highlighted the project’s concept of forging a community engagement with the municipality of Zarraga, Iloilo’s objective to accomplish its local climate change action plan. Eighty-five percent of its population is vulnerable to flood during storm occurrence and heavy rains.  ISAT U was one of the institutions chosen as partner of the municipality of Zarraga, Iloilo.  Project ReBUILD is on pilot implementation in Region VI (Zarraga, Passi City and Duenas, Iloilo) and in Region II (Municipality of Enrile and Iguig in Cagayan).

Dureza said that Project ReBUILD, funded by UNDP and the New Zealand Aid Program, aimed to develop capacity building to reduce disaster risks from climate change and natural hazards. It is also in accordance with the Communities for Resilience (CORE) Program implemented by the Philippine Climate Change Commission. One of the salient features of CORE Program is to build partnership, adopt tested tools and methodologies and harmonize different approaches from various sectors including the academe. “The ISAT U initiative is relevant to the present situation of other TVET member countries affected by climate change,” Prof. Dureza added.

Prof Rosanna R. Dureza with Dr. Shyamal Majumdar, Director of UNESCO-UNEVOC.

Organized by KRIVET and OVEC and supported by the UNESCO-UNEVOC International Centre and the Ministry of Education – Government of Thailand, the main aim of the workshop is to  develop the capacities of the UNEVOC and EAS Networks in Greening TVET initiatives.

The greening TVET and addressing global environmental issues are factors that could lead to sustainable economic growth and increase new employment opportunities in particular for youth.

Iloilo Science and Technology University was among the 14 participating UNEVOC Centres in the region. Other participating UNEVOC Centres were: Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, Australia; Ministry of Labour and Human Resources, Bhutan; Shenzen Polytechnic and the Education University of Hong Kong, China; Ministry of Education, National Heritage, Culture & Arts, Fiji; PSSCIVE, India; Instructor Training Centre & Technical and Vocational Researches (ITC), Iran; Department, Ministry of Labour and Social Protection,, Mongolia; Ministry of Education, Myanmar; Korean Council for University College Education and KRIVET, Republic of Korea; National University of Samoa,Samoa; Office of the Vocational Education Commission(OVEC), Thailand.

The staff of the Technovator  with their adviser, Dr. Olive Joy G. Abing (second from right), are all smiles after capturing numerous awards.

The Technovator, the official student publication of ISAT U, bagged numerous awards in the 2017 Regional College Press Conference (COPRE) and Awards held at the Iloilo Convention Center on December 5, 2017.

Queen Gene B. Guillermo bested all other contenders for the Sports Writing in Filipino Awards while Ivan Omar Nobleza grabbed the gold medal for his article “Adopting ASEAN Principles” in the Special Recognition for ASEAN Article category.

Maria Aleckzandrew C. Vargas got the 2nd Place in Editorial English. On the other hand, James Raphael A. Lanada was 3rd Place in Feature Writing English.

The Vary Issue of the Technovator was adjudged 4th Place in Best Magazine Lay-out and 5th Place Best Magazine.

Seventy-three publications competed for various major and minor awards in the 2017 Regional COPRE organized by the Philippine Information Agency.

Dr. Bernadeth F. Ticar

The research project on Extraction, Characterization, and Biodiversity Conservation of Marine-Sourced Bioactive Natural Polysaccharides as Potential Functional Ingredients in Food and Nutraceuticals received  13 million pesos funding from the Discovery Applied Research and Extension for Trans/Interdisciplinary Opportunities (DARE-TO) Grant-in-Aid for Higher Education Faculty and Staff Affected by the K to 12 Transition by the Commission on Higher Education.

The project is based on previous studies on the curative powers of group of compounds known as glycosaminoglycans among marine organisms specifically on marine invertebrates. Glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) which includes hyaluronic acids (HA), chondroitin sulfate (CS) and heparin, are large, complex, carbohydrate molecules that interact with a wide range of proteins involve in pathological and physiological processes.

Hyaluronic acids are ubiquitous in normal and pathological biological process, a very effective hydrating agent, and plays an important role in stimulating immune system. It is also used to increase joint mobility, clear eye vision, anti-aging, and as wound healing promoter. On the other hand, CS has unique anti-coagulant properties. It is also useful as a target for the development of cancer and at present it is also used as an oral drug for the treatment of osteoarthritis. Heparin is used as an anticoagulant drug but also possesses anti-sepsis, anti-spontaneous abortion, anti-selecting mediated inflammation, anti-cystitis and anti-tumor metastasis properties.

The ISAT U researchers are embarking on  the study because of the richness  in the local seas of  marine organism and the less studied bioactive compounds, nutraceutical properties and other potential health benefits.

The team headed by Dr. Bernadeth F. Ticar focuses on the extractions of GAGs in marine organisms along the coastal areas of Guimaras Islands, Northern Iloilo, Antique, Aklan, Capiz Provinces. The  content will be subjected to bioactivities assessment that will be used for engineering of potential functional ingredients in food products, supplements and nutraceuticals.