New doors opened for the expansion of the scientific research and innovation of Biliran Province State University (BiPSU) as it inaugurated the newly installed research facility, the Microbiology Laboratory (Micro Lab), on March 23, 2023.

The Department of Science and Technology-National Research Council of the Philippines (DOST-NRCP), the funding agency of the facility's equipment, visited BiPSU for inspection and monitoring. The NRCP Team was composed of: Mr. Marfy H. Lita, Project Development Officer NRCP-RD Lead Program; Ms. Eunice M. Aaron, Science Research Specialist NRCP-Research and Development Management Division; and Ms. Khareen N. Castellano, NRCP Clerk IV. They were joined by Prof. Marieta B. Sumagaysay, former NRCP Executive Director and Professor at the University of the Philippines Visayas Tacloban College (UPVTC); and Prof. Floirendo P. Flores, Project RD Leader and Professor at the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB).

In her opening message, BiPSU OIC President Dr. Marianne Agnes T. Medoza, stressed her gratitude to Project RD Leader Prof. Floriendo P. Flores, for being one of the key personnel in the realization of the laboratory project. She also coined the inaugural activity “momentous” as it marks the growth of the university in terms of developing programs for the production of research and innovation.

“This is a momentous event because it marks our growth as a university. This is the second research laboratory, the Microbiology Laboratory, which is funded by the DOST-NRCP,” she stated. “What makes this facility (Microbiology Laboratory) actually very historic is that it has happened because of those certain efforts from the offices in this university and the actualization of this dream.”

Prof. Sumagaysay, in her inspirational message, shared her three personal reasons for being “inspired and excited” being in the university, wherein she stated, “BiPSU is an embodiment of what we popularly say 'never ever say never,' and so it happened and I am a witness of how BiPSU got research funding by consistently submitting proposals.”

“BiPSU is a happy story of transformations,” she added. “You did not allow opportunities to just pass by, you rose to the challenges, and congratulations to that. Number three, BiPSU has become a model of championing this research in the region, one of the pillars of the National Research Council of the Philippines (NCRP).”

Project RD Leader Prof. Floriendo P. Flores shared important points during his discussion entitled “A Touch on Shelf-life Studies” wherein he underscored the importance of safe food research and manufacturing.

On the other hand, Mr. Marfy H. Lita went on a detailed presentation regarding the research priority areas of the 2023 DOST-NRCP Call for Proposals (CFP), which are anchored on the National Integrated Basic Research Agenda (NIRBA) 2022-2028. These are the ATIN Inclusive Nation Building, SAKLAW Sustainable Communities, ALERT Clean Energy, SAPAT Food and Nutrition Security, LIKAS Health Sufficiency, and TUBIG Water Security.

Furthermore, after the opening ceremony, BiPSU key officials, DOST-NCRP project monitoring team, and guests officially inaugurated the newly installed Micro Lab in BiPSU, which is located at the old Ceramics Building of the university.

It can be noted that the Micro Lab is one of the deliverables of the project entitled, “Selected Foodborne Contaminants and Shelf-life of Eastern Visayas (EV) Street-vended Native Crop-based Delicacies: Determining Consumer’s Willingness To Pay (WTP) for Food Safety Attributes,” with PHP 5,000,000.00 total funding from the DOST-NRCP Grants-In-Aid (GIA) Program.