Isabela State University (ISU) inaugurated its One-Health Product Research and Development (R&D) Facility and had a groundbreaking ceremony and Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) signing of Department of Agriculture – Bureau of Agricultural Research (DA-BAR) approved projects on January 28, 2025 at the Climate Change Center, ISU Echague.
During the said events, the University was joined by DA-BAR and Bauertek Corporation headed by Dr. Junel B. Soriano (Director, DA-BAR) and Dr. Richard Nixon Gomez (General Manager, Bauertek Corporation), respectively.
For more information, the One-Health Product R&D Facility is a collaborative effort between ISU, Bauertek Corporation, and the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) aimed at developing solutions to combat and treat diseases including COVID-19.
During its endorsement in 2020, the roles of the above-mentioned institutions were specified. ISU will be responsible for producing raw materials, DOST will supply the manufacturing and processing machinery, and Bauertek Corporation will acquire the pre-processed herbal products for laboratory testing, conversion into herbal supplements, packaging, and distribution.
Moreover, among the approved projects by DA-BAR that was formalized through the MOA signing included the following:
- Upgrading of the Technology Commercialization Center at Isabela State University (Project Leader: Dr. Jay P. Chy)
- Increasing Availability of Quality Indian Turmeric Rhizomes in Southern Isabela through Public-Private Partnership (Project Leader: Dr. Artemio A. Martin, Jr.)
- Upgrading of Smart Greenhouse for High-Value Crop Seedlings Production at Isabela State University (Project Leader: Dr. Jeoffrey Lloyd R. Bareng)
- Upgrading of Mungbean R&D Facility at Isabela State University – San Mateo Campus (Project Leader: Dr. Rosalie C. Leal)
The signing of the MOAs with DA-BAR ushered almost 20 million peso-worth of financial resources into the University for the realization of the aforementioned approved projects.
In his message, Dr. Ricmar P. Aquino (University President) assured its partners and stakeholders of the University’s dedication to maximizing the potential of the inaugurated and approved projects. He also expressed ISU’s commitment to translate research into tangible outputs that will contribute benefits to farmers and communities.
“As we move forward, let us continue to nurture the spirit of collaboration and innovation. Let us embrace the challenges ahead with courage and determination, knowing that our efforts will leave a lasting impact on the lives of many,” Dr. Aquino said.
