UPLB student wins DoST research paper competition

A STUDENT researcher of the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB) won first place in the Undergraduate Thesis Grant in Natural Products Oral Research Paper Presentation Competition during the National Youth Science, Technology and Innovation Festival (NYSTIF) 2024 at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) Forum Tent in Pasay City on September 21.

Daryl Ceribo's thesis looks into the Philippine camia, an endemic plant species with promise for both organic farming and medicinal applications.

Ceribo said an urgent need exists to protect endangered species and offered insights into the plant's physical structure, growth patterns and genetic makeup.

University of the Philippines Los Baños student Daryl Ceribo (third from left) receives his prize as first place in the Undergraduate Thesis Grant in Natural Products Oral Research Paper Presentation Competition at the National Youth Science, Technology and Innovation Festival 2024 with (from left) Philippine Council for Health Research and Development Institution Development Division Chief Joana America, judge Agnes Castillo, adviser Renerio Gentallan Jr., and competition judges Maricar Ching and Evangeline Amor at the Philippine International Convention Center Forum Tent in Pasay City on September 21. PHOTO COURTESY OF DOST-PHCHRD

His preliminary data shows beneficial chemical compounds in camia, laying the groundwork for future exploration of its traditional medicinal uses.

«If you have good results in your study but no one can trace your source, that is quite a problem because science should be verifiable and replicable,» Ceribo said, emphasizing the importance of traceability in scientific research.

Emphasizing their role in addressing health research and development challenges, Executive Director Jaime Montoya of the Philippine Council for Health Research and Development (PCHRD) commended the finalists.

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«Through your papers, you show that research is not just confined to laboratories or classrooms but an active effort that seeks to solve practical problems, help communities, and improve the quality of life for countless individuals,» Montoya said.

PCHRD is one of the three sectoral