BioRisk Association of the Philippines 2015, Inc. (BRAP2015)

Nineteen individuals finally graduated as the Philippines’ First Certified Biosafety Officers (CBO) last Monday, 12 September 2011 at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Manila, Philippines. This is a project of the U.S. Department of State – Biosecurity Engagement Program (BEP), through The Philippine Biosafety & Biosecurity Association, Inc (PhBBA) and in cooperation with the UP Manila – Institutional Biosafety Committee (UP-IBC). The occasion was graced by dignitaries form the U.S. Embassy, BEP, PhBBA, UP-IBC and VIP / Admin representatives of the graduates’ institutions.

An Advanced Biosafety Officers Training Course (ABOT) was conducted by the The Philippine Biosafety & Biosecurity Association, Inc in cooperation with the UP Manila – Institutional Biosafety Committee and funded by the U.S. Department of State – Biosecurity Engagement Program. The course lasted for 8 whole weeks, spread out in a 9 month period i.e January to September 2011. ABOT trainned 20 aspiring biosafety officers for an intensive study and mastery of Biosafety & Biosecurity and the new concept of Biorisk Management and BioRAM. The oath-taking ceremonies of the new CBOs, (tentatively scheduled in the last quarter of 2011) will be announced and conducted by the PhBBA.

The course was the first certificate program in the Philippines. It envisioned to develop a pool of local trainors who will undertake advocacy and continuing education on laboratory biosafety and biosecurity. The program consisted of 7 modules carried out through a series of lectures (by international and local experts and consultants), hands-on exercises, laboratory visits, seatworks, homeworks, intersession assignments, revalidas and oral presentations by the individual participants, and in groups.

The course trainors were; Mr. David Bressler of the Center For Disease Control and Prevention, Ms. Marian Downing of Alliance Biosciences, Dr. Robert Heckert of BEP and Robert Heckert Consulting, LLC, Ms. Christina Thompson of Alliance Biosciences and Dr. Cecelia Williams of Sandia National Laboratories. The course coordinators were Dr. Raul Destura of UPM-IBC, Dr. Edith S. Tria of PhBBA and Dr. Robert Heckert of BEP.

The graduates, and now the 1st certified biosafety officers of the Philippines are (in alphabetical order):

1. Ms. Nancy S. Abes of Philippine Carabao Center
2. Dr. Marie V. Abenes of Dept. of Agriculture – Bureau of Animal Industry
3. Prof. Morohen T. Altura of University of the Philippines (UP) – Manila
4. Ms. Concepcion F. Ang of UP – PHilippine General Hospital
5. Dr. Myrna P. Angeles of Zamboanga City Medical Center
6. Dr. Vermando M. Aquino of UP – Diliman
7. Dr. Ernesto C. Balolong, Jr. of UP – National Institutes of Health
8. Ms. Genevieve V. Bayas of De La Salle University – Dasmarinas
9. Mr. Mark Albert S. Benito of The Medical City
10. Dr. Vanessa Rose S. Damasco of DA – Bureau of Animal Industry
11. Ms. Maria Monina S. Flores of National Bureau of Investigation
12. Ms. Maria Katriana C. Canlas of Ateneo De Manila University – Loyola Schools
13. Ms. Caludette V. Guray of Tropical Disease Foundation
14. Ms. Brenda N. Lucas of Southern Philippines Medical Center
15. Dr. Socorro P. Lupisan of Research Institute for Tropical Medicine
16. Dr. Miguel Martin N. Moreno II of St. Luke’s Medical Center – Quezon City
17. Capt. Herbert G. Pasucal, MD of the Armed Forces of the Philippines Medical Center
18. Dr. Valerie Anne T. Tesoro of National Kidney and Transplant Institute
19. Dr. Edith S. Tria of San Lazaro Hospital

Reposted excerpts from: Here.

Mr. Ronaldo E. Puno

On behalf of the officers and members of the Biological Risk Association Philippines (BRAP), I congratulate our colleagues in the Medical Technology profession headed by the PAMET National President Ronaldo Puno as you celebrate your 45 years anniversary.

From Miguel Martin N. Moreno II,  BRAP  Founding President

Biological Risk Association Philippines‘s Train the Trainers Workshop, in partnership with the US Department of State Biosecurity Engagement Program (BEP) and CRDF Global, was successfully concluded last August 23, 2016. The participants who were handpicked by the BRAP and the BEP were either with the academe or in the laboratory who have a knack in giving lectures about biosafety and biosecurity. They were housed for 2 days at the Marriott Hotel in Manila. The participants came from different institutions all over the Philippines so that dissemination of information about biosafety and biosecurity is scattered throughout the country.

Train the Trainers participants, speaker, and evaluators

The first day of the workshop kicked off by introduction of the participants, in which they have to introduce themselves by giving their name, institution, position, number of years working in the institution, and their distinct tag, in which other participants could easily remember them.

Dr. Moreno spearheaded the workshop

The driving force behind the workshop was no other than Dr. Miguel Martin N. Moreno II, BRAP President, and Biosafety Officer of both St. Luke’s Medical Center in the Quezon City and Global City.

The first day was slated for lecture proper. The topics were diverse and were useful in training: having clear objectives, knowing your stuff and audience, using your tools appropriately, and developing stage presence. Dr. Moreno also taught the TTT participants how to dispel their public speaking demons and to develop their own metrics. He also discussed the checklist that is needed for effective training slide presentations. Later in the day, all participants were paired, and each pair was assigned each topic regarding biosafety and biosecurity, which the participants would present the next day.

Now it was the participants’ time to strut their stuff on the second day. In one of the topics from the first day was that they have to defy their fears in speaking publicly, so Dr Moreno made them present their assignments in front of the other participants, applying what they have learned from the first day and applying their own techniques. We invited two evaluators, Dr. Socorro Lupisan, Director of Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM), and Mr. Ian Medina, Senior Science Research Specialist from RITM, and both were PhABOT graduates. For every pair, the evaluators commented on their style, do’s and don’ts, what could be changed and enhanced. It was a tiring day for everyone, but very informative and fruitful.

TTT Participants