by Christine Cherry E. Solon, CSM
(L-R: PBCFI Head on In Situ Conservation Programme Godfrey Philip C. Jakosalem, BCSP Board Emeritus Blas R. Tabaranza, Jr., Karyl Marie F. Dagoc, Cecilio D. Docoy, Jr., Lara Fe G. Seguia, Shaira Grace B. Pios, Rafael Ryno I. Sanchez, Dennis A. Warguez, PBCFI Executive Director Lisa Marie J. Panguntalan, and Chairman of the Board of Judges Merlijn van Weerd of Mabuwaya Foundation)
Biology students did the Institute proud once more when they received the most number of awards during the 25th Philippine Biodiversity Symposium of the Biodiversity Conservation Society of the Philippines (formerly known as Wildlife Conservation Society of the Philippines) held on April 5-9, 2016 at the Filipiniana Hotel in Calapan City, Oriental Mindoro.
For four straight years, the MSU–IIT and Philippine Biodiversity Conservation Foundation, Inc. (PBCFI) have dominated this competition, and all the winning papers this year were products of the collaborative partnership between MSU-IIT and the PBCFI.
This year’s symposium highlighted 25 years of Collaborative Biodiversity Conservation in the Philippines: Global Relevance, Local Realities.
A total of ten undergraduate researches were selected as finalists for the Best Undergraduate Paper Presentation Award (Oral category) while 31 undergraduate studies competed for the Best Undergraduate Paper Presentation Award (Poster category).
Rafael Ryno I. Sanchez won first place for Best Undergraduate Oral Presentation for the paper entitled “Altitudinal distribution and habitat requirements of stream frogs in Mt. Kanlaon Natural Park (MKNP), Negros Island.” His thesis advisers are Prof. Karyl Marie F. Dagoc and Prof. Dennis A. Warguez.
Shaira Grace B. Pios won Third Place for Best Undergraduate Oral Presentation for the paper entitled “Distribution, abundance and habitat requirements of endangered babblers in Mt. Kanlaon Natural Park (MKNP), Negros Island, Philippines”. Pios is one of the thesis advisees of Warguez.
Lara Fe G. Seguia, another advisee of Warguez won third place for Best Undergraduate Poster Presentation for the paper entitled “Distribution, abundance and habitat preference of doves and pigeons in Mt. Kanlaon Natural Park, Negros Island.”
For the first time in the history of BCSP/WCSP symposium, a Special Award was given to Cecilio D. Docoy, Jr. for a Most Entertaining Poster Presentation for the paper entitled “Diversity and abundance of canopy birds along a habitat gradient in Mount Kanlaon Natural Park (MKNP), Negros Island”. Docoy’s thesis advisers are Prof. Beverly M. Cagod and Prof. Warguez.
Sanchez, Pios, Seguia and Docoy are senior BS Biology students majoring in Zoology from the Department of Biological Sciences of the College of Science and Mathematics.
Lisa Marie J. Paguntalan and Godfrey Philip C. Jakosalem of PBCFI, on the other hand, served as the external advisers.