Behind The Science Podcast

In this episode, we talk with Mr. Ramil Ramos about his study on flood and landslide susceptibility mapping in the City of Mati, Davao Oriental. Using a GIS-based Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis integrated with the Analytical Hierarchy Process (MCDA-AHP), the study generated hazard susceptibility maps and examined how urban expansion from 2017 to 2024 has increasingly encroached into high-risk zones.📚Reference: Ramos, R. L., & Cabrera, J. S. (2026). GIS-based multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA-AHP) for flood and landslide susceptibility mapping and urban sprawl assessment in the Mati City, Davao Oriental, Philippines. Davao Research Journal, 17(2), 56–67.

We talk with Dr. John Jefferson Besa and Dr. Ella Mae Masamayor about their study on prolonged hospital stays among internal medicine patients admitted at the Philippine General Hospital. By reviewing the medical records of 386 patients admitted in 2019, prolonged length of stay was found in almost a fifth of emergency admissions and a quarter of elective admissions. They also discussed the factors associated with prolonged length of stay.📚Reference: Besa, J. J. V., Masamayor, E. M. I., Tamondong-Lachica, D. R., & Palileo-Villanueva, L. M. (2023). Prevalence and predictors of prolonged length of stay among patients admitted under general internal medicine in a tertiary government hospital in Manila, Philippines: a retrospective cross-sectional study. BMC Health Services Research, 23, 50.

In this episode, we talk with Dr. Nicko Caluya about his study on whether the size of the overlay field of view (OFOV) in head-mounted displays affects a person's ability to memorize spatial locations. OFOV refers to the small window through which virtual objects are visible in optical see-through AR headsets, and narrower OFOVs are often criticized as a limitation of the technology. Using a simulated head-mounted display with three different OFOV sizes, the study tested 18 participants on their ability to memorize and recall the locations of virtual object pairs.📚Reference: Caluya, N. R., Plopski, A., Sandor, C., Fujimoto, Y., Kanbara, M., & Kato, H. (2022). Does overlay field of view in head-mounted displays affect spatial memorization? Computers & Graphics, 102, 554–565.

In this episode, we talk with Victor Anastacio, stand-up comedian and host of the podcast Intellectwalwal, about whether there's a formula for making people laugh. A former banker who left the corporate world to pursue comedy full-time with Comedy Manila, Victor shares his perspective on what makes comedy work, drawing from his years on stage and behind the mic.

In this episode, we talk with Nicko R. Caluya about his study on the design of Igpaw: Intramuros, a smartphone- and tablet-based augmented reality game that teaches Philippine history through an adventure game format set in the walled city of Intramuros, Manila.📚Reference: Rodrigo, M. M. T., Caluya, N. R., Diy, W. D. A., & Vidal, E. C. E., Jr. (2015). Igpaw: Intramuros — Design of an augmented reality game for Philippine history. In H. Ogata et al. (Eds.), Proceedings of the 23rd International Conference on Computers in Education (pp. 1–10). Asia-Pacific Society for Computers in Education.

In this episode, we talk with Dr. Janine Patricia G. Robredo about her thesis on stunting among children under five in nutrition aid-recipient communities in the Philippines.

In this episode, we talk with Diether C. Montejo about his study on predicting how university entrants perform in the State University Aptitude and Scholarship Test (SUAST) — the college admission exam of Davao Oriental State University. Despite a 54% passing rate over a five-year period, non-passers continued to be accepted due to policy changes, raising questions about what factors actually determine exam performance. Using both Multiple Linear Regression and Multi-Layer Perceptron Neural Network approaches, the study found that family income, library access, senior high school grades, intrinsic motivation, and openness and intellect were significant predictors. The neural network model also slightly outperformed traditional regression in predicting exam scores.📚Reference: Singh, N. A., & Montejo, D. C. (2023). Bridging the gap: A comparative analysis of traditional and neural network regression methods for predicting university entrant performance in SUAST examination. Davao Research Journal, 14(2), 116–137. 🤝This episode is co-presented by the Davao Research Journal. Submit here.

In this episode, we talk with Mr. John Fungo about his journey in science, PhD research in Taiwan, and life outside the laboratory.PS. Hindi pala nag save ang video recording kaya audio episode muna tayo.

In this episode, we talk with Mary Rose P. Gabuyo about her study on using low-cost fish finders — the kind used for recreational sport fishing — to detect and map submarine groundwater discharge (SGD) in coastal waters. SGD refers to all direct discharge of subsurface fluids across the seafloor, including fresh groundwater, recirculated seawater, and gases like CO₂ and methane. Despite its ecological significance, mapping SGD remains a challenge because conventional methods are costly, tedious, and require specialized equipment. This study tested whether recreational-grade echosounders could do the job — and they did.📚Reference: Gabuyo MRP, Siringan FP. 2022. Utility of low-cost recreational-grade echosounders in imaging and characterizing bubbly coastal submarine groundwater discharge. Journal of Hydrology X. 14:100118.

In this episode, we talk with Madeleine Santos about her study on how sea ice in the Canadian Arctic has changed over the past 13,000 years and what it tells us about where the Arctic is headed. By analyzing lipid biomarkers — chemical compounds preserved in seafloor sediments that serve as fingerprints of past environmental conditions — from two sediment cores collected from the Beaufort Sea, the study reconstructed sea ice cover, sea surface temperatures, salinity, and terrestrial input throughout the Holocene.📚Reference: Santos M, Bröder L, O'Regan M, Hernández-Almeida I, Tesi T, Bigler L, Haghipour N, Nelson DB, Fritz M, Lattaud J. 2026. Holocene sea ice and paleoenvironment conditions in the Beaufort Sea (Canadian Arctic) reconstructed with lipid biomarkers. Climate of the Past. 22:187–203.

In this episode, we talk with Elisha Jane M. Maglalang about her study on the possible occurrence of gas hydrates in offshore western Luzon — the first of its kind in the Philippines. Gas hydrates are ice-like substances that trap methane gas within their molecular structure and form naturally on the seafloor under high pressure and low temperature. They are of significant interest both as a potential alternative energy resource and as a geologic hazard. Their dissociation can release large amounts of methane into the atmosphere and trigger underwater landslides. By reinterpreting existing multi-channel seismic reflection data from the Manila Trench, the study identified bottom simulating reflectors, which is the primary seismic signature of gas hydrate presence, across a total area of approximately 15,400 km² in the Manila Trench forearc region.📚Reference: Maglalang EJM, Armada LT, Santos MC, Sayen KF, Dimalanta CB, Hsu S-K, Yumul GP Jr. 2023. Bottom simulating reflectors in the Manila Trench forearc and its implications on the occurrence of gas hydrates in the region. Marine and Petroleum Geology. 158:106538.🤝Behind The Science Podcast is in partnership with the UP Resilience Institute

In this episode, we talk with Alyzza Calayag about her study on the diversity, seasonality, and global distribution of viruses in the Arctic Ocean. Viruses play critical roles in ocean ecosystems but very little is known about viral communities in polar waters. Using water samples collected monthly for four years, the study identified 5,662 viral groups, found that viral abundance is 8-fold higher in summer than the rest of the year, and discovered that 42% of these Arctic viruses also peak in abundance in high-latitude regions of the Southern Ocean📚Reference: Calayag AM, Priest T, Oldenburg E, Muschiol J, Popa O, Wietz M, Needham DM. 2025. Arctic Ocean virus communities and their seasonality, bipolarity, and prokaryotic associations. Nature Communications. 16:6427.🤝Behind The Science Podcast is in partnership with the UP Resilience Institute

In this episode, we talk with Ms. Jamila B. Abuda about her study on using machine learning to predict when landslides are likely to occur along a mountain highway in Benguet, Philippines. Being able to predict when landslides will happen is critical for early warning systems. The study tested five machine learning algorithms using only rainfall data and documented landslide events, and found that grouping landslide occurrences by rock type or lithology before training the models significantly improved prediction accuracy. 📚Reference: Abuda JB, Saturay RM Jr., Catane SG, Guevarra I. 2026. Lithologically-constrained, machine learning-based temporal landslide prediction models using rainfall time series for the Benguet First Engineering District, Philippines. Bulletin of Engineering Geology and the Environment. 85:156.🤝Behind The Science Podcast is in partnership with the UP Resilience Institute.

Reuploading this lecture about the rapid mangrove colonization in Iloilo City because of high sedimentation from a flood control project. I also shared how this study developed from a class project to 2 publications.📚References: [1] Flores, P. C. M., & Siringan, F. P. (2020). Shoreline change in response to the construction of a flood canal in Jaro, Iloilo City, Philippines. IEEE India Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium (InGARSS), 2020, 134–137. [2] Flores, P. C. M., David, L. T., & Siringan, F. P. (2020). Mangrove forest cover change (1947–2018) at the River Mouth Section of The Jaro Floodway, Iloilo City, Philippines. IEEE India Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium (InGARSS), 2020, 246–249. 🤝Behind The Science Podcast is in partnership with the UP Resilience Institute

In this episode, we talk with John Albert M. Caraan about his study on Sporesight — an AI-powered computer vision tool that can automatically identify pollen developmental stages in eggplant in real time. Knowing the exact developmental stage of pollen is critical in doubled haploid technology, where microspores at the right stage are cultured in vitro to rapidly produce purebred plant lines. 📚Reference: Caraan JAM, Bautista AM, Lamorin JBV, Madrid VRM. 2026. Sporesight: A real-time computer vision-driven inference tool for pollen development stage classification in eggplant. SciEnggJ. 19(Supplement):015–022. 🤝Behind The Science Podcast is presented to you by Marine & Earth Science Learning Hub, UP Resilience Institute, The Philippine Agricultural Scientist, The Philippine Journal of Fisheries, and SciEnggJ.

In this episode, we are joined by Mikael Angelo Francisco — an award-winning science journalist, the co-founder and editor-in-chief of FlipScience.ph, host of the Ask Theory Podcast, and a leading voice in Philippine science media — for an in-depth conversation on the evolving landscape of science communication in the Philippines. We discussed the strategic value of podcasting, the common errors scientists make when addressing non-specialist audiences, and the shared responsibility of journalists and researchers in combating misquotation and misinformation.🤝Behind The Science Podcast is presented to you by Marine & Earth Science Learning Hub, UP Resilience Institute, The Philippine Agricultural Scientist, The Philippine Journal of Fisheries, and SciEnggJ.

Dr. Lyndon Olaguera discusses their study challenging the existing four-type Philippine climate classification by incorporating temperature alongside rainfall data from 1979 to 2015.📚Reference: Olaguera LMP, Badua EK, Llorin AGA, Cruz FAT, Villarin JRT, Manalo JA, Villafuerte MQ II, Matsumoto J. 2025. Rainfall and temperature-based Philippine climate zones using Self-Organizing Maps. Scientific Online Letters on the Atmosphere. 21C:10–20. 🤝Behind The Science Podcast is presented to you by Marine & Earth Science Learning Hub, UP Resilience Institute, The Philippine Agricultural Scientist, The Philippine Journal of Fisheries, and SciEnggJ.

To cap off our March episode and celebrate Women’s Month, Ms. Gemmalyn Trespalacio shares their study examining women’s roles in Philippine agriculture in the context of climate change through a meta-synthesis using a gender analysis framework.🤝Behind The Science Podcast is presented to you by Marine & Earth Science Learning Hub, UP Resilience Institute, The Philippine Agricultural Scientist, The Philippine Journal of Fisheries, and SciEnggJ.

Dr. Angel Encarnacion discusses their study assessing the fisheries resources of the Babuyan Channel in Northern Philippines, uncovering fluctuating fish production trends and high fishing pressure on commercially important species like shortfin scad, mahi-mahi, and largehead hairtail from 2009 to 2013.📚Reference: Calicdan MA, Gumiran E, Encarnacion AB, Ayson JP. 2018. Assessment of fisheries resources in the Babuyan Channel. The Philippine Journal of Fisheries. 25(1):14–24. 🤝Behind The Science Podcast is presented to you by Marine & Earth Science Learning Hub, UP Resilience Institute, The Philippine Agricultural Scientist, The Philippine Journal of Fisheries, and SciEnggJ.

Mr. Gerardo Ilagan investigated the presence and fate of seven veterinary antibiotics, namely, amoxicillin, ampicillin, penicillin G, tetracycline, oxytetracycline, sulfamethazine, and sulfamethoxazole in the surface waters of the Upper Pampanga River and its tributaries in Nueva Ecija. 📚Reference: Ilagan G, Dimzon IK, Guidote Jr. A. 2026. Occurrence and stability of veterinary antibiotics in Upper Pampanga River Basin located in Nueva Ecija, Philippines. SciEnggJ. 19(1):79–88.‌🤝Behind The Science Podcast is presented to you by Marine & Earth Science Learning Hub, UP Resilience Institute, The Philippine Agricultural Scientist, The Philippine Journal of Fisheries, and SciEnggJ.

Mr. Sean Manalo shares a low-cost method to measure the carbon dioxide efflux in Philippine mangrove forests.📚Reference: Manalo SP, Salmo SI. 2025. Exploring the potential of low-cost portable CO2 meter in the assessment of soil CO2 efflux in Philippine mangroves. SciEnggJ. 18(2):347–355.🤝Behind The Science Podcast is presented to you by Marine & Earth Science Learning Hub, UP Resilience Institute, The Philippine Agricultural Scientist, The Philippine Journal of Fisheries, and SciEnggJ.

Dr. John Manalo discussed their study on how urbanization has driven temperature changes across the Philippines from 1951 to 2018 using 34 meteorological stations.📚Reference: Manalo JA, Matsumoto J, Takahashi HG, Villafuerte MQ, Olaguera LMP, Ren G, Cinco TA. 2022. The effect of urbanization on temperature indices in the Philippines. International Journal of Climatology. 42(2):850–867.🤝Behind The Science Podcast is presented to you by Marine & Earth Science Learning Hub, UP Resilience Institute, The Philippine Agricultural Scientist, The Philippine Journal of Fisheries, and SciEnggJ.

Engr. Angela Bauzon discusses her Master's thesis on ground deformation in Bohol following the devastating 2013 Mw 7.2 earthquake. Her study analyzes post-earthquake land movement along the coastal areas of Loon and Maribojoc using Sentinel-1 satellite imagery and remote sensing techniques like shoreline change analysis and persistent scatterer interferometric synthetic aperture radar📚Reference: Bauzon, M.D.A., Reyes, R.B., Blanco, A.C. et al. Ground deformation analysis caused by post-2013 earthquake in Bohol, Philippines. Spat. Inf. Res. 30, 791–807 (2022).🤝Behind The Science Podcast is presented to you by Marine & Earth Science Learning Hub, UP Resilience Institute, The Philippine Agricultural Scientist, The Philippine Journal of Fisheries, and SciEnggJ.

Reuploading this old lecture I made...Numerical modeling of tsunamis from the Manila Trench provides startling insights into the many countries and people who would be affected by such a catastrophic event. This video explains the modeling results and demonstrates just how devastating the effects of a powerful tsunami from the Manila Trench could be.📚References: Megawati K, Shaw F, Sieh K, Huang Z, Wu T-R, Lin Y, Tan SK, Pan T-C. 2009. Tsunami hazard from the subduction megathrust of the South China Sea: Part I. Source characterization and the resulting tsunami. Journal of Asian Earth Sciences. 36(1):13–20. doi:10.1016/j.jseaes.2008.11.012.Qiu Q, Li L, Hsu Y-J, Wang Y, Chan C-H, Switzer AD. 2019. Revised earthquake sources along the Manila trench for tsunami hazard assessment in the South China Sea. Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences. 19(7):1565–1583. doi:10.5194/nhess-19-1565-2019.

In this episode, Dr. Ballad discussed her study on Palaui Island Protected Landscape and Seascape (PIPLS) where she explores how ecotourism serves as an alternative livelihood for local communities and how it influences their participation in coastal resource management. 📚Reference: Ballad E, Morooka Y, Shinbo T. 2021. Impact of ecotourism on local community's participation in coastal resource management: case of Palaui Island Protected Landscape and Seascape (PIPLS) in Northern Luzon, Philippines. The Philippine Journal of Fisheries. 28(2):168–180. 🤝Behind The Science Podcast is presented to you by Marine & Earth Science Learning Hub, UP Resilience Institute, The Philippine Agricultural Scientist, The Philippine Journal of Fisheries, and SciEnggJ.

Reuploading this old lecture I made...Tsunami or typhoon? Which one built the mysterious island off the coast of Lumaniag village in Batangas? That's the question researchers from UP Diliman set out to answer.In this episode, we dive into how researchers from UP Diliman solved this coastal detective story. By combining field measurements, uranium-thorium dating of coral boulders, historical typhoon records, and interviews with village elders to piece together how typhoons in the 1960s and 70s built an entire island from scratch. Here's the twist: that storm-built island is now protecting the very community it once threatened.📚Reference: Gallentes AT, Manglicmot MT, Gong SY, Hu HM, Shen CC, Siringan FP. 2021. Coral boulder transport and gravel bar formation by storms in Lumaniag village, Batangas, northwestern Philippines. Geomorphology. 376:107554. doi:10.1016/j.geomorph.2020.107554.🤝Behind The Science Podcast is presented to you by Marine & Earth Science Learning Hub, UP Resilience Institute, The Philippine Agricultural Scientist, The Philippine Journal of Fisheries, and SciEnggJ.

What does a livable city really look like and who gets to decide? In this episode, Enzo Campomanes explains how he developed AI models called "AI-voters" trained on satellite imagery and community input to map urban livability. 📚Reference: Campomanes V, F., Abascal, A., Oliveira, L.T. et al. Whose city is it? Mapping perceived urban livability with citizen-guided AI. npj Urban Sustain 6, 16 (2026).🤝Behind The Science Podcast is presented to you by Marine & Earth Science Learning Hub, UP Resilience Institute, The Philippine Agricultural Scientist, The Philippine Journal of Fisheries, and SciEnggJ.

How can a fungus help control one of the Philippines’ most destructive crop pests? In this episode of Behind the Science Podcast, Marcela M. Navasero and Melissa P. Montecalvo of UPLB’s National Crop Protection Center share how Metarhizium rileyi is being studied as a biological control agent against fall armyworm, along with the real-world challenges of turning lab research into sustainable pest management solutions.📚Reference: Valeros JME, Garcia TAP, Sabino NG, Navasero MM, and Montecalvo MP. 2025. Effect of Successive Subculturing on Virulence, Growth, and Germination of Fungus Metarhizium rileyi for Biological Control of Fall Armyworm. The Philippine Agricultural Scientist. 108(4):406–412. ‌🤝Behind The Science Podcast is presented to you by Marine & Earth Science Learning Hub, UP Resilience Institute, The Philippine Agricultural Scientist, The Philippine Journal of Fisheries, and SciEnggJ.

I talked with Engr. Raymond Lagria about his study on classifying and ranking social media posts to prioritize disaster response.📚Reference: Lagria, R., et. al. “A Text Mining Framework for the Classification and Prioritization of Disaster-Related Tweets for Disaster Response”. Philippine Engineering Journal 2022 Vol. 43, No.: 65-88🤝Behind The Science Podcast is presented to you by Marine & Earth Science Learning Hub, UP Resilience Institute, The Philippine Agricultural Scientist, The Philippine Journal of Fisheries, and SciEnggJ.

I talked with Ms. Cielo Luz C. Mondejar about practical, low-cost ways to improve rice seed quality using organic fertilizers.📚Reference: Mondejar CL. 2025. Comparative Effects of Organic-Based Seed Treatments on Seed Viability and Vigor of Rice (Oryza sativa L.) Varieties. The Philippine Agricultural Scientist. 108(4):305–312.🤝Behind The Science Podcast is presented to you by Marine & Earth Science Learning Hub, UP Resilience Institute, The Philippine Agricultural Scientist, The Philippine Journal of Fisheries, and SciEnggJ.

What happens when you drop 2 quantum particles of different sizes at the same time?📚Reference: Flores PCM, Galapon EA. 2019. Quantum free-fall motion and quantum violation of the weak equivalence principle. Physical Review A. 99(4). ‌🤝Behind The Science Podcast is presented to you by Marine & Earth Science Learning Hub, UP Resilience Institute, The Philippine Agricultural Scientist, The Philippine Journal of Fisheries, and SciEnggJ.

Kwento ko lang paano ito nagsimula hanggang sa kung ano na ito ngayon.

In this episode, I talked with Dr. Rafaela Jane Delfino about her research on how climate change influences super typhoons in the Philippines. Using high-resolution climate models, her study examines how Super Typhoons Goni (2020) and Rai (2021) respond to past and future climate conditions.📚Reference: Delfino RJP, Bagtasa G. 2025. Response of super typhoons Goni (2020) and Rai (2021) to past and future climate conditions in convection-permitting model experiments. Environmental Research Communications. 7(9):091013.‌🤝Behind The Science Podcast is presented to you by Marine & Earth Science Learning Hub, UP Resilience Institute, The Philippine Agricultural Scientist, The Philippine Journal of Fisheries, and SciEnggJ.

I talked with Dr. Cherrie May Olaya, a postdoctoral researcher at the RIKEN Center for Advanced Photonics in Japan. She explains her work on how light behaves at metal surfaces, focusing on a phenomenon known as the photonic spin Hall effect. Using surface plasmon resonance, her study demonstrates a new way to directly measure tiny light shifts that are usually difficult to detect. We discuss why these effects matter, how they can improve optical sensing and imaging technologies, and what it is like to conduct advanced photonics research as a Filipino scientist working abroad.📚Reference: Olaya CM, Hayazawa N, Balgos MH, Tanaka T. 2025. ⁠Enhancing angular photonic spin Hall effect at surface plasmon resonance⁠. Nanophotonics. 14(19):3115–3124. 🤝Behind The Science Podcast is presented to you by Marine & Earth Science Learning Hub, UP Resilience Institute, The Philippine Agricultural Scientist, The Philippine Journal of Fisheries, and SciEnggJ.

Dr. Mary Joy Abit shares their research that examines how nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations can influence the growth of water hyacinths.📚Reference: Abit MJ, Pilar RF, Ramirez AH. 2025. Influence of Nitrogen and Phosphorus Rates on the Growth of Water Hyacinth (Pontederia crassipes Mart.). The Philippine Agricultural Scientist. 108(1):7–12.‌🤝Behind The Science Podcast is presented to you by Marine & Earth Science Learning Hub, UP Resilience Institute, The Philippine Agricultural Scientist, The Philippine Journal of Fisheries, and SciEnggJ.

Dr. Gerry Bagtasa shares their study on developing an AI-based model for forecasting tropical cyclone rainfall in the Philippines using historical data from 1951 to 2015 to train the model.📚Reference: Mesias CG, Bagtasa G. 2025. AI‐Based Tropical Cyclone Rainfall Forecasting in the Philippines Using Machine Learning. Meteorological Applications. 32(4). ‌🤝Behind The Science Podcast is presented to you by Marine & Earth Science Learning Hub, UP Resilience Institute, The Philippine Agricultural Scientist, The Philippine Journal of Fisheries, and SciEnggJ.

In this episode, I talk with Ms. Alexandra Hulog about a new microfluidic method that creates uniform alginate microbeads for cell encapsulation. Traditional batch emulsion techniques often produce beads of uneven sizes, which affects how much medicine, nutrients, or cells each bead can carry. Their microfluidic platform solves this problem by controlling droplet size during formation, resulting in more consistent microbeads that can be used for broader biological and biotechnological applications.📚Reference: Hulog AM, Francisco M, Oquendo N, Mariane Desiree Avendaño, Kaw J, Dagdag AD, Guerrero RJ. 2025. Development of a microfluidic platform for the encapsulation of baker’s yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae in alginate hydrogel microparticles. SciEnggJ. 18:256–269.‌🤝Behind The Science Podcast is presented to you by Marine & Earth Science Learning Hub, UP Resilience Institute, The Philippine Agricultural Scientist, The Philippine Journal of Fisheries, and SciEnggJ.

Dr. Edison Macusi discusses the most pressing issues facing the small pelagic fisheries and milkfish aquaculture industries in the Philippines over the next 30 years, and the solutions to these problems.📚Reference: Macusi ED, Nallos IM, Santos MD, Geronimo RC. 2025. Climate and Non-climate Related Hazards in Small Pelagic Fisheries and Milkfish Aquaculture: Expert Opinion Survey in the Philippines. The Philippine Journal of Fisheries. 32(1).🤝Behind The Science Podcast is presented to you by Marine & Earth Science Learning Hub, UP Resilience Institute, The Philippine Agricultural Scientist, The Philippine Journal of Fisheries, and SciEnggJ.

Mr. Marco Ibañez shares what it takes to become a storm chaser for the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration, and his experience chasing Super Typhoon Uwan.📚 Check out Marco's research papers: [1] Ibañez MP, Pura AG, Sajulga RA, David SJ. 2023. Raindrop Size Distribution (RSD) Characteristics during the Southwest Monsoon Period in Western Luzon, Philippines. Philippine Journal of Science. 152(S1).► https://doi.org/10.56899/152.s1.01[2] Ibañez MPA, Capuli GH, Pura AG, Villafuerte MQ. 2025. Establishment of kinetic energy – Rainfall intensity (KE-I) relationships for soil erosion studies using raindrop size distribution (DSD) measurements in the mountainous region of Tanay, Rizal. Geomorphology. 488:109968.► https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geomorph.2025.109968🤝Behind The Science Podcast is presented to you by Marine & Earth Science Learning Hub, UP Resilience Institute, The Philippine Agricultural Scientist, The Philippine Journal of Fisheries, and SciEnggJ.

I talked with Dr. Arah Narida about a breakthrough in coral conservation. Their team achieved the world's first successful production of adult corals grown from cryopreserved larvae.📚Reference: Arah Narida, Tsai S-Y, Hsieh W-C, Wen Z, Wang L-H, Huang Cc, Lin C. 2023. First successful production of adult corals derived from cryopreserved larvae. Frontiers in Marine Science. 10.‌🤝Behind The Science Podcast is presented to you by Marine & Earth Science Learning Hub, UP Resilience Institute, The Philippine Agricultural Scientist, The Philippine Journal of Fisheries, and SciEnggJ.

I talked with Ms. Angelyn Marmeto about her study on the genetic interaction between BT corn and traditional maize varieties in the Philippines. Their team discovered the first evidence of natural cross-pollination, where insect-resistant traits from genetically modified corn were transferred to a native variety known as Silangan. We discuss how this gene flow happened, what it means for insect resistance, and the broader implications for agricultural biotechnology and biosafety in the country.📚Reference: Caasi-Lit, Merdelyn & Ocampo, Eureka & Salazar, Artemio & Paril, Jefferson & Novio, Bryan & Panabang, Bernard & Marmeto, Angelyn Marta. (2021). First Detection of Naturally Introgressed BT Cry1Ab in Asian Corn Borer [Ostrinia furnacalis (Guenée)]-Resistant Traditional Maize (Silangan) in the Philippines. Philippine Agricultural Scientist. 104. 340-350.🤝Behind The Science Podcast is presented to you by Marine & Earth Science Learning Hub, UP Resilience Institute, The Philippine Agricultural Scientist, The Philippine Journal of Fisheries, and SciEnggJ.

I talked with Mr. Gifford Jay Agudo about his study on land cover change and flood exposure in Quinali A Watershed, Albay. Using satellite remote sensing and flood modeling, his research tracks three decades of landscape transformation — from the loss of forests and brushlands to the rapid expansion of croplands and urban areas. The results reveal that urban growth is encroaching into flood-prone zones, nearly doubling exposure to flooding since 1990.📚Reference: Agudo GJ, Garcia J, Pulhin J, Mendoza J, Singson KV, Lagmay AMF, Cruz RV, Santiago J, Moises MA, Esquivel ALJ, et al. 2025. Land Cover Change and Its Associated Impacts on Landscape Fragmentation and Flood Exposure in Quinali A Watershed, Albay, the Philippines. Philippine Journal of Science. 154(2): 287-300.🤝Behind The Science Podcast is presented to you by Marine & Earth Science Learning Hub, UP Resilience Institute, The Philippine Agricultural Scientist, The Philippine Journal of Fisheries, and SciEnggJ.

Scab diseases make fruits like mango, citrus, and sweet potato unappealing and unmarketable, but what if we could decode the fungus behind them down to its DNA? In this episode of Behind The Science Podcast, Dr. Leilani Sumabat-Dacones talked about her team’s discovery of the genes that make the fungus Elsinoë such an effective plant pathogen. Using bioinformatics, they analyzed fungal genomes to identify effectors and toxins like elsinochrome and melanin that trigger scab formation.📚Reference: Cequeña RC, Sumabat-Dacones L. 2024. Presence of elsinochrome and other putative effectors in select genomes of the plant pathogen Elsinoë spp. based on in silico analysis. SciEnggJ. 17(1):59–70.‌🤝Behind The Science Podcast is presented to you by Marine & Earth Science Learning Hub, UP Resilience Institute, The Philippine Agricultural Scientist, The Philippine Journal of Fisheries, and SciEnggJ.

Dr. Reginald Bernardo shares how his recent study uses the hunting behavior of the Philippine Eagle as inspiration for optimizing cosmological models that describe the expansion of the universe. 📚Reference: Bernardo RC, Enriquez EA, Mendoza R, Reyes R, Velasco AC. 2025. Nature-inspired optimization, the Philippine Eagle, and cosmological parameter estimation. Astronomy and Computing. 54:101026. 🤝Behind The Science Podcast is presented to you by Marine & Earth Science Learning Hub, UP Resilience Institute, The Philippine Agricultural Scientist, The Philippine Journal of Fisheries, and SciEnggJ.

Dr. Evelyn Ame evaluates how the Gentleman’s Agreement — an informal management agreement among fishers — is holding up in practice for managing the stocks of aramang in Aparri, Cagayan. Using catch data, gear analysis, and participatory appraisal, Dr. Ame reveals that fishing mortality rates are much higher than natural mortality, and the current exploitation level (E = 0.66) already exceeds sustainable thresholds.📚Reference: Ame E, Laeno F, Villarao M. 2025. Status of Nematopalaemon tenuipes, Spider Prawn (Family: Palaemonidae) Stocks Caught in Aparri, Cagayan: A case of Gentleman’s Agreement Management Strategy. The Philippine Journal of Fisheries 32(1):69–80.🤝Behind The Science Podcast is presented to you by Marine & Earth Science Learning Hub, UP Resilience Institute, The Philippine Agricultural Scientist, The Philippine Journal of Fisheries, and SciEnggJ.

In this episode, I talked with Prof. Floirendo Flores about his research on fortifying rice with vitamin A. His study looked at how β-carotene can be better preserved and released using β-cyclodextrin microencapsulation. By testing different methods, the research shows how rice can be made more nutritious. This study also received the NAST PHL Outstanding Scientific Paper Award. Prof. Flores also shares his journey from chemical engineering to food science, the challenges of doing research during the pandemic, and his advice for young scientists in the Philippines. 📚Reference: Cruz, J. D., & Flores, F. (2020). Evaluation of Physicochemical Characteristics, In Vitro Release and Antioxidant Properties of β-carotene and β-cyclodextrin Inclusion Complexes with Rice as Food Matrix. The Philippine Agricultural Scientist, 103(4), 337–348.🤝Behind The Science Podcast is presented to you by Marine & Earth Science Learning Hub, UP Resilience Institute, The Philippine Agricultural Scientist, The Philippine Journal of Fisheries, and SciEnggJ.

In this episode, I talked with Dr. Angelo Macario about his study on how fishhook size affects catch variation, size selectivity, and bycatch in bottom-set longline fisheries targeting nemipterid fishes in the Philippines. His research shows that the choice of hook size plays a crucial role in determining the sustainability of fish stocks and the livelihood of small-scale fishers. Angelo also shares his journey as a researcher, the challenges of doing fieldwork in fisheries science, and his advice for aspiring scientists who want to make an impact in the field.📚Reference: Macario, A.C., Islam, T., Babaran, R.P. et al. Effects of hook size on the catch variation, size selectivity, and bycatch of the bottom set longline fisheries targeting nemipterid fishes in the Philippines. Sci Rep 15, 1379 (2025). 🤝Behind The Science Podcast is presented to you by Marine & Earth Science Learning Hub, UP Resilience Institute, The Philippine Agricultural Scientist, The Philippine Journal of Fisheries, and SciEnggJ.

In this episode of Behind the Science Podcast, I sat down with Dr. Carlos Primero Gundran to talk about disaster preparedness and response in the Philippines. He shares insights on the role of simulation training in preparing agencies for emergencies, the challenges of limited resources, and overlapping mandates. Drawing from his background in emergency medicine, Dr. Gundran highlights practical solutions and lessons learned that can help agencies and researchers strengthen disaster preparedness and save lives.📚Reference: Gundran CPD, Lam HY, Tuazon ACA, Cleofas JV, Garcia FB, Puli TEM. 2023. Simulation Training Needs Assessment for Disaster Preparedness and Disaster Response among selected agencies in National Capital Region, Philippines. International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction. 94(2023):103824. doi:10.1016/j.ijdrr.2023.103824.🤝Behind The Science Podcast is presented to you by Marine & Earth Science Learning Hub, UP Resilience Institute, The Philippine Agricultural Scientist, The Philippine Journal of Fisheries, and SciEnggJ.

In this episode, I talked with Dr. Edjohn Aaron Macauyag about his research on developing a low-cost technique to synthesize Bst DNA polymerase —an enzyme for detecting diseases like COVID-19— and reducing costs by over 90% using home ingredients like egg whites and powdered milk.📚Reference: San Pedro VM, Cañas VA, Garcia JR, Lopez C, Zulueta M, Macauyag EA. 2025. A low-cost production method for Bst DNA polymerase (large fragment). SciEnggJ. 18(1):20–27.‌🤝Behind The Science Podcast is presented to you by Marine & Earth Science Learning Hub, UP Resilience Institute, The Philippine Agricultural Scientist, The Philippine Journal of Fisheries, and SciEnggJ.

In this episode of Behind the Science Podcast, we talk with Dr. Melanie Villarao about her study “Reproductive Biology and Population Dynamics of Largehead Hairtail (Trichiurus lepturus Linnaeus, 1758) in Babuyan Channel, Philippines.” They analyzed nearly 2,600 specimens of T. lepturus to determine sex ratio, fecundity, spawning seasonality, length at first maturity, and key population parameters that are essential for the sustainable management of this important commercial species.📚Reference: Villarao MC, Gumiran E, Encarnacion AB. 2023. Population Dynamics of Shortfin Scad (Decapterus macrosoma) Bleeker 1851 in Babuyan Channel, Philippines. The Philippine Journal of Fisheries 30(2):212-228.🤝Behind The Science Podcast is presented to you by Marine & Earth Science Learning Hub, UP Resilience Institute, The Philippine Agricultural Scientist, The Philippine Journal of Fisheries, and SciEnggJ.