By Mikee Natinga Norico
Rev. Dr. Francis Neil G. Jalando-on, Director of the CPU Office of Communications, and Dr. Aries Roda D. Romallosa, Chairperson of the Department of Agricultural Engineering and Environmental of CPU College of Agriculture, Resources, and Environmental Sciences, exemplify leadership in social sciences and sustainable practices in the Philippines through their dedicated roles.
Central Philippine University (CPU) celebrates the achievements of three of its esteemed faculty members who were recently granted Associate Membership in the National Research Council of the Philippines (NRCP). Dr. Mizpah C. Villalobos, Chairperson of the Chemistry Department, College of Arts and Sciences; Dr. Aries Roda D. Romallosa, Chairperson of the Department of Agricultural Engineering and Environmental Sciences, College of Agriculture, Resources, and Environmental Sciences; and Rev. Dr. Francis Neil G. Jalando-on, Director of the CPU Office of Communications, have been accepted into NRCP under their respective divisions: Chemical Sciences, Engineering and Industrial Research, and Social Sciences.
The NRCP, an attached agency of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), serves as a national body of researchers, scientists, engineers, and technologists who provide advisory services to the Philippine Government on issues of national interest. Membership opens doors to various opportunities, including access to funding for basic research projects, capacity-building initiatives, and consultancy roles.
The inclusion of Dr. Villalobos, Dr. Romallosa, and Rev. Dr. Jalando-on marks a significant milestone for CPU’s academic community, highlighting the university’s commitment to promoting research excellence across different scientific fields.
Dr. Villalobos has made notable contributions to nutritional research, as evident in her recent published work, Cholesterol-lowering Effect of Protein Hydrolysates from Lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus Stapf). Dr. Romallosa, known for her expertise in agricultural engineering, has authored operational manuals for the CPUCARES Pellet Mill and the CPUCARES Jack-Driven Briquette Molder, both copyrighted by CPU. She has also published several works in collaboration with her colleagues, such as “Junkshops as Recycling Chain Actors in the Recovery of Waste Resources from a Highly Urbanized City in the Philippines” (Applied Environmental Research, 2024) and “Technical Performance of Developed Appropriate Technologies: Its Utilization as an Approach for Sustainable Philippines Agricultural Mechanization” (Association of Agricultural Technology in Southeast Asia, 2022). Additionally, she is involved in the ongoing project HEIRIT: Establishment of the DOST CPUGAD TBI: Commercialization, Promotion, and Upscaling Business Growth for Acceleration and Further Development (DOST – PCIEERD, 2024).
Rev. Dr. Jalando-on, a key figure in the CPU community, has contributed significantly to literature, with notable works such as Seeds of Faith Vol. 1-6, The Story of Juanito M. Acanto, The Centennial President of Central Philippine University, and We are CPU: Our Reasons for Being. His dedication to promoting CPU’s core values and rich history is evident through these publications.
In 2023, two other faculty members from CPU’s Chemical Engineering Department, Dr. Sheila Mae B. Pingul-Ong and Engr. Christsam Joy S. Jaspe-Santander, were also inducted as Associate Members of NRCP during the 20th Visayas Regional Cluster Convention and Stakeholders’ Engagement held at Leyte Normal University, Tacloban City. However, the impending induction of this year’s newly accepted Associate Members, Dr. Villalobos, Dr. Romallosa, and Rev. Dr. Jalando-on, has yet to be announced.
The new appointments not only elevate the profiles of Dr. Villalobos, Dr. Romallosa, and Rev. Dr. Jalando-on but also underscore CPU’s growing influence in various fields of scientific research and its dedication to contributing to national development.