Aligned with the 18th National Biotechnology Week (NBW) theme, “Responding to the Challenges: Business Opportunities in Biotechnology”, today’s symposium is an (NBW) build-up activity bearing its own theme entitled, “From Bench to Business: Bridging Biotechnology Updates for the Philippine Livestock Industry” on November 25-26, 2022 via a hybrid set-up at the Eusebio-Castillo Halls, DA-Philippine Carabao Center (DA-PCC) National Headquarters and Gene Pool and through virtual meeting platform.
The goal of the event’s organizers, the DA-Livestock Biotechnology Center and DA-PCC’s Research and Development Division, is to highlight cutting-edge biotechnologies, products derived from them, or industry-specific biotechnology applications.
They also hope to explore business, trade, and investment opportunities and to educate the general public about the advantages of biotechnology in terms of both the economy and the society.
The symposium underscored the opportunities through biotechnology and its products and by-products, which contribute immensely to agriculture and food security, equitable health care services, development of industries, business enterprises, sustainable environment, and economic development.
This activity also highlighted the goal of promoting judicious use of biotechnology and bringing the scientific advancement it carries in helping improve Filipino lives.
With the challenges and opportunities presented by biotechnology to researchers in both the government and private industry stakeholders, Dr. Liza G. Battad, Executive Director of DA-PCC, calls for, “strengthened policies and advocacy for strengthened research activities” to policy analysis and development as critical aspects of biotechnology development.
Featured presentations and open forum further highlighted how biotechnology applications can progress from laboratory benches to commercialization.
Resource persons include representatives from Technology Application and Promotion Institute, Ms. Cecil Dyann C. Daniel and Ms. Mylene A. Alano, Blitzkrieg Animal Diagnostic Center owner and veterinary medicine professor, Dr. Clarissa Yvonne J. Domingo, Commercialization and Extension Division Head of the Small Ruminant Center, Mr. Neal A. Del Rosario, Chief Technical Officer of Bionova Livestock Group, Dr. Alfonso E. Serrano, apiculture practitioner and owner of Pia’s Bee Farm, Mr. Lee S. Gaitana, and Dir. Battad.
