The UPCA Batch 56/Graduating Class 60: Our Lives and Times

The UPCA Batch 56/ Graduating Class 60: Our Lives and Times

By Emil Javier and Ruben Villareal

The Freshman Batch of 1956 numbering about 700 started college auspiciously as the first ever cohort of the UP College of Agriculture to undergo selective admission. Up to the year before, admission was open to any high school graduate. Our predecessors, the Freshmen of 1955 numbered close to 1500 and swamped the campus. The college ran out of classrooms, laboratories, faculty and dormitory spaces. Thus in the ensuing year, 1956, only high school graduates with GPAs of 85 or better were admitted.

Golden profiles: Maximino G. Villanueva

MAXIMINO G. VILLANUEVA

The Agricultural Electrical Engineer

Max was an obscure faculty of the  Dept. of Agric. Engineering. It was very easy to miss him. But Max had two noteworthy contributions unknown to many: First he set up an electronics repair and maintenance shop and kept the many sensitive research instruments in UPLB running. Second, during our tenure, Class 60 UPLB chancellor Ruben Villareal and I decided UPLB shall be an engineering university, in addition to being the premier graduate school of tropical agriculture in our part of the world. The task of planning and organizing a dept. of electrical engineering fell on the lap of Max, which he did. During the first ten years of  the UPLB EE program, the passing rate of UPLB engineers was almost perfect—99% versus the national average of 39%… Emil Javier

His colleagues In the College of Engineering and Agro-industrial Technology (CEAT) called him “beast of burden”.  His colleagues in the Dept. of Electrical Engineering (EE) called him “father of EE”.  These sum up his 43-year service to UPLB.

Golden profiles: Enriqueta Bernal- Torres

ENRIQUETA BERNAL- TORRES

IN THY PROTECTING CARE

I have been living in my comfort zone ever since I enrolled in UP College of Agriculture.   I have not left nor consider any other place to live other than Los Baños.  Right after graduation I was employed in the Dept. of Agricultural Economics in various capacities starting as a farm record analyst under the research project of our visiting professor. From a researcher I was eventually taken in as a member of the faculty.   Since then UP Los Baños have grown by leaps and bound from the 60’s and I was in its midst.  I am proud of the fact that I was there when it all happened.  One of the changes was the establishment of the College of Economics and Management (CEM) where the Department of Agricultural Economics was transferred from the College of Agriculture.

Golden profiles: Alberto N. Feliciano

ALBERTO N. FELICIANO

Albert obtained his BS degree in agriculture, major in plant pathology, from UP Los Baños in 1960, on a 4H Club scholarship. He worked in Del Monte Corporation in Bukidnon and later returned to UPLB to pursue MS in plant pathology while working in the Department of Agronomy. He obtained his PhD, with major in plant pathology and minor in soil microbiology, from Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ in 1969.

Golden profiles: Leoncio C. Raymundo

LEONCIO C. RAYMUNDO

Teaching was not the profession I wanted to pursue upon graduation in 1960. However, Jim Imlan left the College of Agriculture for a higher position so there was a vacancy in the Horticulture Division of the Agronomy Department. Bert Coronel told me to apply for the position which I did half-heartedly. I got accepted, stayed and made a career of it. Aside from teaching, the duties entailed conducting research and extension which were devoted exclusively toward the pursuit of opportunities and recognition along these areas of expertise.

Golden Profiles: Annie Laurie Taglucop-Javelosa

ANNIE LAURIE TAGLUCOP-JAVELOSA

Annie Laurie graduated from the University of the Philippines, College of Agriculture with a Bachelor of Science degree in Home Technology.

Immediately after graduation, she worked for Philippine Refining Company, a subsidiary of Unilener Brothers LTD as a supervisor in the promotion of household products. Her work experience included handling recruits, training, supervising, and assigning eight teams (consisting of eight young women per team) in the Metro Manila and Mindanao areas. Her two year stint with the company brought her to many parts of the country where product promotion was being held.

Mini Reunion of Jubilarians

From: Dr. Ruben B. Villareal

Early arrivals during the Mini Reunion of Jubilarians at the Ang Bahay ng Alumni, UP Diliman, Quezon City held on 03 February 2010.  (From L to R, sitting: Pete, Cef, Cecil and Gino; From L to R, standing: Ruben and Mar).

We were joined later by Pepe Cruz and Ely Baradas.

Golden profiles: Rogelio V. Cuyno

ROGELIO V. CUYNO

The professional contributions in the country of Roger can be seen through his writings, teachings, speaking engagements and policy formulations in various agencies related to the disciplines of extension, communication, research management and management of higher education. His expertise in these various fields was acquired not only from the scholarly activities but also from practices as manager, executive and consultant at different levels and organizations. Many of his former students, advisees and colleagues are now occupying influential positions and are serving as role models wherever they are.

Golden profiles: Cecilio R. Arboleda

CECILIO R. ARBOLEDA

Chosen as a Distinguished Alumnus of the U.P. College of Agriculture during its Loyalty Day Celebration in 1985, the UP College of Agriculture Alumni Association cited Cecil’s notable research achievements in poultry breeding and production that have contributed significantly to the genetic improvement in chickens and overall development of the poultry industry in the country. It also cited his unflagging leadership in the promotion of integrated crop/livestock farming systems project that has contributed in large measure to the successful and speedy utilization of appropriate technologies in farming communities.

Monthly meeting: January 12, 2010

12 January 2010. Vivere Suites, Alabang

This slideshow requires JavaScript.