USM, DA-PCC at USM, Restrengthen Partnership thru MOA
January 30, 2026
The University of Southern Mindanao (USM) was acknowledged after the papers co-authored by its faculty members harvested top awards during the 2025 DOST-PCAARRD and Regional Consortia Joint Celebration of the Golden Anniversary of the Consortia System on January 30, 2026, at the SMX Convention Center Manila, Mall of Asia Complex, Pasay City.
Dr. Tamie C. Solpot, the Philippine Industrial Crops Research Institute (PICRI) Director of USM, co-authored the paper titled “Etiology, Detection, and Management Strategies Against Pestalotiopsis Disease of Rubber,” that won Best Research Paper in the competition. Notably, in 2024, Dr. Solpot won best second research paper in the same event.
Moreover, Prof. Joseph C. Lorilla and Prof. Melecio Jr. A. Cordero, faculty members from the College of Engineering and Information Technology (CEIT) of USM, co-authored the development paper titled: “Artificial Intelligence-based Diagnostic Clinic for Detection and Monitoring System for the Management of Rubber Diseases and Insect Pests,” that won second best development paper.
Dr. Jill D. Villanueva, an alumna of USM and now the research director of the Cotabato Foundation College of Science and Technoology, authored both research and the development paper when she was still at the Philippine Rubber Research Institute (PRRI). These papers bested 14 other entries for each category across the country.
These awards were from the National Symposium on Agriculture, Aquatic, and Natural Resources Research and Development (NSAARRD) by the Department of Science and Technology-Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic, and Natural Resources Research and Development (DOST-PCAARRD) conducted on October 14, 2025.
NSAARRD is an annual event of the Department of Science and Technology – Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic, and Natural Resources Research and Development (DOST-PCAARRD). It is a venue for disseminating the most outstanding outputs of the country and other R&D results.
These awards were facilitated by the SOCCSKSARGEN Agriculture, Aquatic, and Natural Resources Research and Development Consortium (SOXAARRDEC) with USM as its base agency with its director, Dr. Julius Jerome G. Ele.
To learn more about the results of their research and development papers, the University will feature it soon. Please stay tuned.
