THE UNIVERSITY of the Philippines Visayas has received a grant from the Iloilo Provincial Government to support two research projects.

The P400,000 grant will fund studies on sustainable aquaculture and food safety. The projects include “Sea-based Nursery System for Tissue-cultured Seaweeds,” led by Dr. Iris Ann G. Borlongan, and “Profiling and Microbial Assessment of Native Delicacies for Sustainable Food System Strategies in Iloilo,” headed by Dr. Johannes Magpusao.

These initiatives aim to advance research and development in sustainable aquaculture and food safety— critical areas for Iloilo’s local economy and public health.

“The support of the local government has fostered more collaborative engagements in advancing research, development, and innovation. It also allows us to leverage science and research-based information from the academe and translate it into policies and projects that benefit the public,” UPV stated.

The checks were released on behalf of the provincial government by Provincial Tourism Officer Gilbert Marin, Provincial Agriculture Office Head Dr. Ildefonso Toledo, Provincial Planning and Development Office (PPDO) Head Valme Lujan, PPDO Research Staff Soljane Catague, and Executive Assistant Atty. Artem Ron Raymundo.

Dr. Borlongan, who also serves as the Assistant to the Vice Chancellor for Research and Extension, received the funds on behalf of UPV.