Dr. Jay Picardal,RITBPB director; Dr. Lelani Dapat, CRD director; Dr. Grace Malaga, CNU Catmon Campus director; Ms. Laarne Pontillas, CNU Medellin Campus director; Dr. Chrysler Cabusa, CNU Medellin dean; Dr. Rose Fantonial, CNU Catmon dean; and Dr. Marchee Picardal, IRIID Translational Research Division chair went to UPLB’s Institute of Food Science and Technology to explore and to learn about its functional food system, establishment of food commodities, and market value chain of commercially available food commodities.

They also learned the best practices on botanical garden establishment, operations, and management during their visit to UPLB’s Makiling Botanical Gardens.

Aside from UPLB, the officials went to DOST’S Forest Products Research and Development Institute, the main project collaborator of CNU’s Gums, Resins, Oils and Woodcraft Technology Hub (G.R.O.W.T.H) Laboratory.

The exploratory visit was done from December 4-6.