Latest Hibiscus hybrid Honors GeneSoc Honorary Member and UPM Chancellor

Written by Merc Emil Matienzo (Riboswitch)
Editor-in-Chief

Photo: Blogspot | VYLH Philippines

Scientists from the Institute of Plant Breeding (IPB) of the College of Agriculture, UPLB named their newest Hibiscus hybrid after the current UP Manila Chancellor and GeneSoc Honorary Member Dr. Carmencita David-Padilla.

Hibiscus rosa-sinensis ‘Carmencita David-Padilla’, official name of the gumamela hybrid, is part of the series of Hibiscus hybrids named after outstanding women Academicians and National Scientists elected to the National Academy of Science and Technology (NAST)1.

The presentation to the public of the newly-produced Hibiscus hybrid was conducted last June 22, 2015 at UP Manila Museum of a History of Ideas. Along with the scientists from IPB, UPLB Chancellor Fernando Sanchez Jr. and several UPLB Staff and students also attended the said event which is also a part of the week-long Investiture celebration of Dr. Padilla as the 9th Chancellor of UP Manila.


As described, the Hibiscus rosa-sinensis ‘Carmencita David-Padilla’ “produces flowers that are a cheerful red in color with irregularly-shaped white batik-like patterns near the edges of the petals, a deeper red eye surrounded by a whitish halo, a reddish-pink style with yellow anthers, and a red stigma.”1

GeneSoc Pride

Currently, aside from being the Chancellor of UP Manila, Dr. Carmencita David-Padilla is also one of the Honorary Members of The UPLB Genetics Society since 2008.

As an Honorary Member of the organization, Dr. Padilla has been nominated and voted upon by two-thirds of all the resident members who believed that she has contributed to the fulfillment of the objectives of the organization, remarkably on the promotion of the science of Genetics in the country.

Furthermore, Dr. Padilla’s directorship in the National Institutes of Health (NIH) – UP Manila led to the establishment of Volunteer Youth Leaders for Health Philippines – a growing network of youth leaders which primarily promotes advocacies for Folic Acid, Rare Diseases, and Newborn Screening – with which she has brought The UPLB Genetics Society in the forefront of volunteerism as the sole student organization to pioneer the said network together with the Department of Health (DOH) and NIH-UP Manila.

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1 UP Manila Facebook Page. https://www.facebook.com/UPMANILAOFFICIAL/posts/823984241012145

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