By Dr. Dimpna C. Castigador
CPU’s Bachelor of Science in Packaging Engineering has been included among DOST-SEI’s priority courses, providing qualified students access to scholarship opportunities and pathways to promising careers in the Philippines and abroad.
ILOILO CITY, Philippines — Students aspiring to become engineers now have another compelling reason to choose Central Philippine University (CPU), as its Bachelor of Science in Packaging Engineering (BS PkgE) has officially been included among the priority degree programs of the Department of Science and Technology–Science Education Institute (DOST-SEI) Undergraduate Scholarship Program.
The inclusion is a significant milestone for CPU which remains the only university in the Philippines and Southeast Asia offering a bachelor’s degree in Packaging Engineering.
Under the DOST-SEI Undergraduate Scholarship Program, qualified students may receive financial assistance that includes tuition and other school fees support up to PhP40,000 per academic year, a monthly living allowance of PhP8,000, learning materials and connectivity assistance of PhP10,000 per year, and other benefits provided under the applicable scholarship guidelines.
A pioneering program with an international outlook
Engr. Bernie C. Cangrejo, Chairperson of CPU’s Packaging Engineering Department, has emphasized the importance of increasing awareness of the program and encouraging more students to consider the profession.
“With the 20th year celebration of the Packaging Engineering program, we want it to be more visible, we want to reach more audience, and even invite, hopefully, more students who will enroll in the program,” Cangrejo said in an interview with The Centralian Link earlier this year.
Cangrejo brings international academic training and professional experience to the program. He earned his Master of Science in Packaging from Michigan State University in the United States in 2012, after completing his Master of Engineering, major in Chemical Engineering, at De La Salle University in 2004. He graduated magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering from CPU in 1993.
Significantly, Cangrejo is himself a former DOST Science Scholar, demonstrating how government support for science and engineering education can help Filipino students pursue advanced studies and contribute to the development of highly specialized professions.
Under his leadership, CPU Packaging Engineering continues to strengthen its commitment to technical excellence, sustainability, research, and industry engagement.
Established in 2006 through the pioneering efforts of the late Dr. Lejo C. Braña, widely recognized as the Father of Packaging Engineering in the Philippines, the program has become a distinctive academic offering of CPU’s College of Engineering. Dr. Braña, an alumnus of CPU, was the first Filipino Certified Professional in Packaging. He was also the first Filipino to be inducted to the International Packaging Hall of Fame.
The Importance of Packaging Engineering
Packaging Engineering plays an important role in science, technology, manufacturing, food security, healthcare, environmental sustainability, and economic development.
Far beyond the design of boxes, bottles, and containers, the discipline applies engineering principles to protect products, preserve quality, improve transportation efficiency, extend shelf life, reduce waste, and ensure that goods reach consumers safely.
These applications align closely with DOST’s objectives of strengthening scientific and technological capabilities, promoting innovation, and developing a workforce that can contribute to Philippine industrial and economic progress.
The inclusion of Packaging Engineering among DOST-SEI priority courses recognizes the field’s relevance. CPU has already demonstrated the practical importance of the discipline through its partnership with DOST Region VI in expanding technical assistance to the business sector.
Career opportunities in the Philippines and around the world
For incoming college students, one of the most attractive features of Packaging Engineering is the breadth of career opportunities available to its graduates.
In the Philippines, graduates may pursue careers in food and beverage manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics and personal care, electronics, consumer goods, agricultural processing, packaging materials, and logistics.
Professional positions include packaging engineer, packaging development engineer, research and development specialist, packaging design engineer, materials and testing engineer, quality assurance specialist, manufacturing engineer, and sustainable packaging specialist, among others.
Internationally, similar expertise is applied in major manufacturing and technology centers in the United States, China, Canada, Australia, Singapore, Japan, the Netherlands, and other industrialized economies where some graduates already have flourishing careers.
These industries provide potential opportunities for qualified graduates to pursue employment, advanced technical training, research, and professional development abroad.
The international potential of the degree is illustrated by Packaging Engineering alumnus James Patrick P. Manejero who earned the Certified Packaging Professional, Lifetime (CPPL) designation from the United States-based Institute of Packaging Professionals in 2026.
Manejero works as a senior research and development packaging engineer at Mead Johnson in Nijmegen, the Netherlands. His professional achievement demonstrates how a CPU Packaging Engineering education can lead to specialized international careers.
The CPU Packaging Engineering Department also benefits from faculty members who have pursued internationally recognized professional credentials, including Engr. Ron Adrian A. Dionaldo, a Certified Packaging Professional.
Building the next generation of Filipino innovators
With its pioneering program, internationally trained faculty, growing alumni network, and collaboration with government and industry, CPU offers aspiring packaging engineers a strong foundation for professional growth.
Incoming first-year college students for School Year 2027–2028 are encouraged to explore the Bachelor of Science in Packaging Engineering program at CPU, review DOST-SEI scholarship requirements and announcements, and take the CPU College Aptitude Test (CPUCAT).
To register for CPUCAT: https://cpu.edu.ph/cpu-college-aptitude-test-cpucat/
To know more about DOST scholarships: https://science-scholarships.ph/