The Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST-PCAARRD) was awarded a Plaque of Recognition by the Municipal Government of Los Baños led by the town Mayor Caesar P. Perez in its quadricentennial celebration held on September 17, 2015 at the old Los Baños Municipal Hall.
The award is in recognition of PCAARRD’s contribution in the development of the Los Baños science community, through the program Gender and Development (GAD)-oriented program, “Gender-Responsive Organic Vegetable Production Livelihood Enterprise for Low-Income Communities of Los Baños, Laguna,” which was launched in July this year.
Acting Executive Director Reynaldo V. Ebora received the prestigious award. Other recipients of the award are some of the member-agencies of the Los Baños Science Community Foundation Inc. (LBSCFI).
Special guests who graced the occasion were: Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA) Chief Operating Officer Mark T. Lapid, who extolled, in his message, the development of Los Baños as a tourism destination; Congressman Joaquin M. Chipeco, Jr.; Laguna Governor Ramil L. Hernandez, who was represented by Vice Governor Katherine C. Agapay, and the Mutya ng Pilipinas/Ms. Asia Pacific International Leren Mae M. Bautista, who is a resident of Los Baños; among others.
Central to PCAARRD’s participation to Bañamos is the SIPAG ni Juan float. SIPAG stands for Strategic Industry Program for Agri-Aqua Growth, which sums up PCAARRD’s efforts towards productivity improvement of the various agri-aqua industries through science and technology.