The Central Bicol State University of Agriculture (CBSUA) hosted Catalyste+ Canada’s monitoring team on January 22, 2026, at the CBSUA Farmers’ Hall to review research proposals and explore future funding opportunities. Led by Senior Project Officer Vener Valerio and Project Officer France V. Dela Cuesta, the visit assessed CBSUA’s progress following the Catalyste+ Canada Mentorship Program conducted last June 9-29, 2024.
The event was jointly organized by Assoc. Prof. Mae SA. Lustre, Director of the Research Services Division, and Assoc. Prof. Raquel M. Reapor, PhD, Director of the International Relations Office.
Vice President for Administration and Finance Atty. Dominador F. Faurillo, CPA, welcomed participants, emphasizing how international partnerships strengthen the university’s research and innovation capacity. “These collaborations open doors for our faculty and students to engage in meaningful research that addresses real-world challenges,” he said.
A key component of the visit was the presentation of research proposals by selected faculty researchers. The first presenter was Engr. Edgar Martin De La Rama from the College of Engineering and Food Science, whose team proposed the project entitled “Cacao Post-Production Processing Hub.” The proposal focused on improving cacao value-adding processes to support local farmers and enhance product quality.
The second presentation was delivered by Professor Marilyn B. Balderas from the College of Agricultural and Natural Resources. Her team’s proposal, “Climate-Smart Production of Lowland Vegetables Using Seaweed-Based and Microbial Inoculants and Enhancing Yield, Postharvest Quality and Farmer Resilience,” emphasized sustainable agricultural practices and climate-responsive innovations to improve productivity and farmer resilience.
The final presentation was given by Ms. Carmela Rose P. Samar from CBSUA-Calabanga Campus. Her team presented the proposal entitled “Serving Opportunities: Food and Beverage Services Training for Out-of-School Youth in Calabanga, Camarines Sur,” which aims to enhance employability and livelihood opportunities for out-of-school youth through skills training in food and beverage services.
Mr. Valerio commended the projects’ relevance while offering recommendations for improvement. Dr. Lustre, Director of the Research Services Division, led discussions on strengthening proposal development and securing funding support from Catalyste+ Canada.
The visit concluded with a photo opportunity, marking progress in the partnership between CBSUA and the Canadian funding agency. | 𝘙𝘦𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘔𝘴. 𝘔𝘢𝘳𝘭𝘦𝘯𝘦 𝘈. 𝘙𝘢𝘮𝘰𝘴 & 𝘎𝘪𝘢𝘯 𝘓𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘓𝘭𝘦𝘨𝘢𝘥𝘰
