My interests are varied. For starters, my field of study revolves on the fungi and plants, big and small, wild and domesticated.
My advocacies are on keeping the University campus clean and green: my students and I regularly pick up plastic trash and nonbiodegradables. We do tree planting (the younger replanted Manila Royal Palms in my campus now stand tall along side the grand old ones and the first Japanese acacias we planted in campus are now just as robust). We'd also go on nature or field trips around the campus and vicinity, and not too distant places, mostly the countryside environs of this province, Cotabato where some rivers, waterfalls, forests, hills and valleys are found. We've scaled the highest peak in the Philippines, Mt. Apo (home to the native and world-famous waling-waling orchid, Vanda sanderiana and the mighty Philippine monkey-eating eagle) from where we observed fungi and plants in their natural eco-niches.
I also conduct research on fungal diseases (plant pathology) of mostly agricultural crops - corn, rubber, durian, jackfruit, lanzones, marang, citrus, squash, sweet pepper, pechay, ampalaya, fibers like abaca, salago, sanseviera, and pina. Together with my students and research assistants, we've studied some unreported plant diseases and published results of the same.
I often get invited as resource person on plant diseases or crop protection especially during trainings and seminar-workshops of men and women farmers, community leaders, technicians.
On the side, I edit the University's and the College of Agriculture's R & D publications: journals, bibliography, and semitechnical newsletters.
Even as I work with academe my University's hometown can boast of a bustling market place and still has the charm of a rural setting. Chirping birds wake me up at the break of dawn; trees surround my home: yellow-stemmed bamboos, rambutan, mango, durian, traveller's palm, coconuts, tamarind, kalabash, gmelina, pomelo, calamansi, cashew in front, some ornamentals like ti plants, euphorbias, few orchids, bougainvilleas, red palms, Song of India, etc. The Rio Grande Kabacan River far back that can inundate corn fields and small huts nearby when the rainy season begins.
My other interest that is close to my heart is doing Bible study with friends, colleagues, and students. As a Christian my personal goal is to keep knowing Christ Jesus my Savior and Lord in a more meaningful way and be able to share His saving grace to all who show some interest.
Did I say I love reading? Yes, the Bible is on top of my favorite list! Its poetry is unequalled that inspired even the likes of Shakespeare and many other great writers. Other reading materials on mycology or plant pathology are second choices with Time, Reader's Digest, newspapers for light reading.
I also have a soft spot for writing. I used to write poetry or essays but now I write technical papers and feature articles. So you see, I am a big fan of the sciences, literature, and journalism.
Maybe I shall write a book later (on what subject I have not the slightest idea at the moment). Like one optimist said, 'I can dream, can't I?'
