The 8th JAAP International Research and Development Conference (JAAP-IRDC-8) was held in Dumaguete, Philippines, from 18 to 19 June 2026. The conference was jointly organized by the JSPS Alumni Association of the Philippines (JAAP), the Department of Science and Technology of the Philippines (DOST), Negros Oriental State University (NORSU), Siquijor State College (SSC), and our JSPS Bangkok Office. The theme of the conference was “Building Resilient Futures: Global Collaboration for Scientific Innovation.”
At the opening ceremony, welcome remarks were delivered by Prof. Dr. Karl Marx A. Quiazon, President of JAAP; Dr. Noel Marjon E. Yasi, President of Negros Oriental State University; and Dr. Yoshio Otani, Director of JSPS Bangkok Office, among other distinguished guests. Ms. Jiaqi Fu, International Program Associate at the JSPS Bangkok Office, presented “JSPS and Its International Programs.”
The first day featured presentations by seven invited experts from the Philippines, Uganda, and Japan, who shared their latest research findings and experiences in their respective fields. The sessions provided valuable opportunities for exchanging knowledge and discussing initiatives undertaken in different countries.
On the second day, an online keynote lecture was delivered by Dr. Mukhammad Muryono, Deputy Head of the Center of Studies in Industrial Development and Public Policy, Indonesia. This was followed by poster and oral presentations by the researchers from all over Philippines. The oral presentations were organized into three parallel sessions: “Science and Health,” “Engineering and Technology,” and “Education and Social Sciences.”
Prof. Kiyohiko Nakazaki and Associate Professor Keiichiro Koiwai, who had served as invited speakers on the first day, joined Dr. Yoshio Otani, Ms. Jiaqi Fu, and Ms. Xiuyu Ding from the JSPS Bangkok office as judges for the oral presentation sessions. Active discussions took place throughout the sessions, with presenters, judges, and participants engaging in lively exchanges of ideas across a wide range of disciplines.
Approximately 60 participants attended the conference, representing universities, research institutions, and government agencies from Japan, the Philippines and other countries. The presentations covered a broad spectrum of topics, including advanced research in agriculture, fisheries, and livestock science, the internationalization of higher education, and science and technology policy, all contributing to discussions on building a sustainable and resilient society.
The conference provided a valuable platform for strengthening scientific and technological cooperation between Japan and the Philippines and for promoting international research collaboration and networking.
<Lecture Titles>
■ Science and Engineering of Composting— Efforts to Promote the Adoption of Composting —
DR. KIYOHIKO NAKASAKI
Professor Emeritus, Tokyo Institute of Technology
Director of Institute of Plankton Eco-engineering, Soka University
■ Advanced Pathogen Genomics and Simplified Diagnostics for White Spot Syndrome Virus in Shrimp Aquaculture
DR. KEIICHIRO KOIWAI
Assistant Professor, Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology
■ Internationalizing the Higher Education Curriculum through Virtual Mobility: Reflections on Completed and Ongoing COIL Projects
DR. CRAIG N. REFUGIO
Professor VI, Director, Office of the University International Relations-Negros Oriental State University
■ Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD): A Practical Solution for Reducing Methane Emissions and Improving Water Productivity in Rice Systems
DR. KRISTINE SAMOY-PASCUAL
Senior Science Research Specialist, Philippine Rice Research Institute
■ Plant Semiochemicals for Insect Pest Management: Learning from the Filipino Farmer
DR. SUSAN MAY F. CALUMPANG
Retired Career Scientist, Agricultural Chemistry Researcher, University of the Philippines, Los Baños
■When Metrics Outlast Missions: Institutional Decoupling and Reform in the Philippine Scientific Career System
DR. CUSTER C. DEOCARIS, MIB
Scientist I, Senior Research Specialist, DOST-PNRI
■Unlocking the Potential of Multiple Ovulation and Embryo Transfer (MOET) in Water Buffaloes
DR. RONALD NUWASASIRA
Faculty Member, Department of Animal Science, School of Agriculture and Applied Science, Bugema University, Uganda, East Africa
