Awards for excellence

By Sosimo Ma. Pablico

If one indicator of   the quality of manpower in a government agency is the kind and number of awards received by its personnel for their accomplishments in research and development, then BPRE [Bureau of Postharvest Research and Extension] may very well be among those with performing high quality manpower.

Just recently, three of its agricultural engineers received prestigious awards for their accomplishments.  For instance, Dr. Rosendo S. Rapusas, acting BPRE deputy executive director, received the 2007 Outstanding Professional of the Year award in the field of agricultural engineering from the Professional Regulation Commission [PRC].

In the recently concluded 57th PSAE [Philippine Society of Agricultural Engineers] annual national convention and 5th PSAE international convention at the Philippine Carabao Center, Science City of Muñoz, Nueva Ecija, two other BPRE agricultural engineers also garnered best paper awards.

Dr. Manolito C. Bulaong, director I of the Postharvest Engineering Department, garnered the first place in the best paper awards under the agricultural structure, postharvest handling and processing category.  On the other hand, Engr. Ma. Resurrecion L. Altamera of the Planning and Evaluation Department got the second place in the best paper awards under the management category. 

The Outstanding Professional of the Year award is the highest award given by the PRC to a professional upon the recommendation of his peers for demonstrating the highest degree of professional competence. Dr. Rapusas was recognized for “his outstanding achievement in the field of agricultural engineering as exemplified by his illustrious service in the academe when he served as part of the team of the Department of Agricultural Engineering, University of the Philippines at Los Baños in putting postharvest technology and agricultural product processing in the mainstream of agricultural development”.

He was also commended for his significant contribution in the development of 30 standards for agricultural production machinery and equipment that served as a guide to agricultural engineers in teaching, research and extension. PRC likewise recognized his endless pursuit of scientific research both as a research leader and implementer, which is creating impact in reducing farmers’ postharvest losses while adding value to their produce.

An academic achiever even during his early years, Dr. Rapusas has been a recipient of prominent awards and citations from  different award-giving bodies like the Best R & D papers given by the Bureau of Agricultural Research (BAR) and the Central Luzon Agriculture and Resources Research and Development Consortium (CLARRDEC), the 2005 Outstanding Agricultural   Engineer  in the field of Agricultural Product Processing and  Postharvest Technology, and the 2006 Most Outstanding Agricultural  Engineer (Maramba Award) from the Philippine Society of Agricultural Engineers, which is the highest award given by the organization.

Dr. Rapusas, 56, is a native of Sta. Maria, Ilocos Sur.  He graduated valedictorian of the 1967 high school class of the Ilocos Sur Agricultural College and earned the Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Engineering at the University of the Philippines Los Banos in 1972.  He obtained the Master of Applied Science in Food Engineering in 1988 and the Doctor of Philosophy in Food Science and Technology in 1995 from the University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia   through a scholarship from the Australian International Development Assistance Bureau (AIDAB).

On the other hand, Dr. Bulaong garnered the first place in the best paper awards under the agricultural structure, postharvest handling and processing category for his paper, “Determination of Weight Percentage Moldy Corn Kernels from Bulk Samples Using Flatbed Scanners”, which he presented during the PSAE convention.  The paper was based on the results of his doctoral dissertation.

Dr. Bulaong’s paper focused on the development of a computer vision system to determine the weight percentage of moldy kernels (WPMK) of corn from bulk samples. The system is equipped with a flatbed scanner and a desktop computer with image processing and artificial neural network software. The result of the study showed that a flatbed scanner can be used as a low-cost alternative to digital camera for estimating the WPMK from images of bulk corn samples.

Engr. Altamera’s paper, entitled “Preliminary Study on Mango Fruit Grading Using Digital Imaging Technology”, was also based on the results of her master’s thesis.  The study aimed to develop a simple computer-aided visual sizing system that will classify mango fruits into different size grades. 

Based on the results of her study, the areas of mango images using consumer type digital camera can be evaluated using a simple pixel counting program.  The pixel count can provide a good estimate of mango samples’ weight sizes and the system can also classify the mango samples in their corresponding sizes. 

The PSAE was founded in 1950 by Dr. Felix D. Maramba, who is recognized as the Father of PSAE.  The organization seeks to advance the theory and practice of engineering in agriculture and the allied sciences and arts; enhance the status of agricultural engineering as a profession, and increase and enhance the usefulness and the role of the organized agricultural engineering society.

(For past columns, click http://sundaypunch.prepys.com/archives/category/opinion/harvest-time/)

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