Member Faculty
Who We Are
Dr. MARIETTE Q. AMATORIO
Benguet State University
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Dr. MELBOURNE TALACTAC
Cavite State University
Dr. Melbourne Rio Talactac is an Associate Professor and a former Dean (2019-2020) of the College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Cavite State University (CvSU). He is currently designated as the Vice-President for Research and Extension of CvSU. He finished his Master of Science in Veterinary Medicine from Chungnam National University, South Korea and PhD in Veterinary Science from the United Graduate School of Veterinary Science, Yamaguchi University, Japan. He was also a Fulbright Visiting Scholar at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital at Memphis, Tennessee (USA) and a diplomate of the Philippine College of Veterinary Public Health.
His competence, excellence, and commendable track record earned him various awards and recognition such as the Outstanding Young Scientist (2020) by the National Academy of Science & Technology and Outstanding Veterinarian in Education (2020) by the Philippine Veterinary Medical Association. He was also the Philippine Nominee for the APEC Science Prize for Innovation, Research and Education “ASPIRE” Prize 2020.
His key researches include screening of plant extracts, natural substances and synthetic peptides for their antimicrobial properties, vaccine production against Influenza A virus, evaluation of the innate immunity of chickens and mice focusing on Toll-like receptor 4 and detecting economically important diseases in animals like Avian Influenza virus and tick-borne diseases. He is currently working on rabies vaccination efficiency in practicing veterinarians and animals together with community awareness in rabies control and prevention in the province of Cavite thru Department of Science and Technology – National Academy of Science and Technology Grant.
Dr. ROMEO S. GUNDRAN
Central Luzon State University
Dr. Romeo Gundran is a Professor and a former Dean (2007-2015) of the College of Veterinary Science and Medicine at Central Luzon State University (CLSU). He finished his Master of Veterinary Science from the University of Queensland, Australia and PhD in Veterinary Science from Chiang Mai University, Thailand. He is a Fellow of both the Philippine College of Veterinary Epidemiologists and the Philippine College of Veterinary Public Health. He is also an Honorary Diplomate of the American Veterinary Epidemiology Society.
For several years, he was highly instrumental in running the National Applied Veterinary Epidemiology Training Program in the Philippines to strengthen the epidemiological capacity of the field veterinarians in the country (both government and private). He also served as Lecturer for the Field Epidemiology Training Program for Veterinarians held in Thailand for three consecutive years, from 2014-2016.
With support from Australian International Development, he co-facilitated an International Training-Workshop on Bridging Research to Policy Divide at the Australian National University, Canberra, Australia in 2012. Through the support of South Asia Field Epidemiology and Technology Network, he facilitated similar TrainingWorkshops in countries such as LaoPDR (2018), Cambodia (2015), Indonesia (2014) and the Philippines. Since 2010, he has been serving as a member of the Philippine Commission on Higher Education Technical Committee for Doctor of Veterinary Medicine. Dr. Gundran is a founding member of the Philippine One Health University Network, which aims to develop the next generation of skillful and competent One Health workforce in the Philippines.
The contributions of Dr. Gundran in the field was given due recognition when he was bestowed the following national awards: the 2013 PRC Outstanding Veterinarian of the Year Award given by the Professional Regulation Commission, the 2011 PVMA Outstanding Veterinarian in Education given by the Philippine Veterinary Medical Association , and the 2008 VPAP Most Outstanding Veterinary Practitioner in the Academe given by the Veterinary Practitioners Association of the Philippines. He was also a recipient of the 2005 CLSU Gintong Butil Award for Professional Achievement.
Dr. RODERICK T. SALVADOR
Central Luzon State University
Dr. Roderick Toquero Salvador is an Associate Professor of the College of Veterinary Science and Medicine at Central Luzon State University. He graduated Doctor of Veterinary Science and Medicine at Central Luzon State University in 1999. He finished his Master in Public Health at the University of Georgia, United States of America and his Ph.D. in Veterinary Science at Chiang Mai University, Thailand, in 2009 and 2021, respectively. His interest in mathematics and his analytical skills led him to specialize in epidemiology. During his graduate program at the University of Georgia, he was an intern at the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. He participated in several outbreak investigations further honing his mastery of epidemiology. He likewise worked on a number of research projects with the Bureau of Animal Industry and the Food and Agriculture Organization.
Dr. KARLA CRISTINE C. DOYSABAS
Central Mindanao University
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Dr. MARIA LEBEÑA B. MONTEMAYOR
Central Mindanao University
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Dr. NEIL C. TANQUILUT
Pampanga State Agricultural University
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Dr. MARIA FE S. BULAO
Pampanga State Agricultural University
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Mr. CHARLIE V. BALAGTAS
Partido State University
Mr. Balagtas, an Assistant Professor IV at Partido State University, has recently conducted research on Health, Tourism, Culture, Environment and Governance. He is currently the university’s Planning Director. Prior to joining the academia, he spent over 15 years of his professional life as development planner, project implementer and community organizer. He served as Research Analyst, Planning Officer and Division Chief for Operations at Partido Development Administration. His community work includes more than 7 years as Founding Chairman of Cawayanon For Lasting Mangroves – a people’s organization established with the primary intent of rehabilitating denuded mangrove forests, promoting healthy environment and developing sustainable livelihoods for resource-dependent communities. His advocacy on sustainable development is fuelled by his desire to create opportunities for the less-privileged individuals from the countryside to which he belongs. He obtained his Master of Arts in Sustainable International Development from the Heller School for Social Policy and Management, Brandeis University, Massachusetts, USA as a Ford Foundation International Fellow. He is also currently pursuing his Master of Applied Economics at De La Salle University.
Dr. NIETA C. AMIT
University of Eastern Philippines
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Dr. RENARD M. JAMORA
University of the Philippines Los Baños
Dr. Renard M. Jamora is an Assistant Professor in the Microbiology Division of the Institute of Biological Sciences, College of Arts and Sciences at the University of the Philippines Los Baños. He finished his Master of Science in Microbiology degree (Minor in Molecular Biology and Biotechnology) in the University of the Philippines Los Baños and his doctorate degree in Public Health (Medical Microbiology) in the University of the Philippines Manila. He is also a Registered Microbiologist since 2019.
Dr. Jamora is a charter member and the current Promotions Committee Chair of the Philippine One Health University Network (PhilOHUN). He spearheaded PhilOHUN's first ever formal international webinar series, which took place from September to December of 2020. The webinars were funded by USAID One Health Workforce - Next Generation (OHW-NG). At the moment, he is the project leader of the Development of Awareness-Knowledge, Attitude, Practice (A-KAP) survey, and use as pre- and post-tests for measuring the effectiveness of One Health training modules project and a project staff of Adaptation and scale-up of One Health modules at universities in the Philippines (Fundamentals of Infectious Disease) project both funded by Chevron U.S.A in coordination with Southeast Asian University Network (SEAOHUN) and PhilOHUN.
Moreover, he is also the Project Leader of DOST-SEI’s extension project called Virtual Laboratory Application in Science (VLAS). VLAS seeks to include virtual reality technology into the Philippine K to 12 science curricula. In light of the recent upheaval in the educational landscape caused by the pandemic, the application of virtual reality has an enormous promise.
Dr. BERNADETTE MENDOZA
University of the Philippines Los Baños
Dr. Bernadette C. Mendoza is currently a Professor at the Microbiology Division, Institute of Biological Sciences (IBS), College of Arts and Sciences, University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB). She is a life member of the Philippine Society for Microbiology, Inc. (PSM) and a Diplomate of the Philippine Academy of Microbiology (PAM).
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She obtained her Doctor of Public Health (major in Medical Microbiology) degree in 2001 from the University of the Philippines Manila as a scholar of the Philippine Council for Health Research and Development. She was a postdoctoral fellow at the Public Health Agency of Canada in Guelph, Ontario, Canada and, earlier, and an exchange scientist at the University of Wales College of Cardiff and a recipient of a Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) research grant at the Nagoya University in Japan. She co-instituted an Introductory Medical Microbiology course at IBS, UPLB.
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She has co-authored peer-reviewed publications on One Health-related research topics such as : (1) detection of E. coli O157:H7 and other verotoxin-producing E. coli in raw, ground beef samples from selected wet markets in Laguna, Philippines, (2) characterization of the multiple drug resistance profile (MDR) of Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica Serovar Kentucky and the serogroup, pathotype and MDR profile of E. coli strains from layer chickens in San Jose, Batangas, Philippines, (3) molecular-based detection of pathogenic Listeria spp. in Philippine raw carabao milk and white cheese, and (4) serology and DNA-based detection and serotyping of Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae Pohl from backyard pigs in selected provinces of Luzon, Philippines.
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She is currently actively engaged in teaching both undergraduate and graduate students of Microbiology and in research projects on bacterial pathogen detection in selected vegetable farms in Laguna and Quezon provinces, and in medically significant Candida species.
Dr. MICHAEL L. TEE
University of the Philippines Manila
Professor, University of the Philippines Manila, Philippine
Vice chairman of the South East Asian One Health University Network
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Dr. Michael L. Tee is a Professor and University Scientist at the University of the Philippines Manila. He is currently the chairman of the Philippine One Health University Network and Vice Chairman of the Southeast Asia One Health University Network. He is a specialist in internal medicine and rheumatology. His research interests originally focused on autoimmune diseases such as lupus, gout, and rheumatoid arthritis. However, as COVID19 developed into a pandemic, Dr. Tee initiated several studies that aimed to guide policy directions in government response. He is a fellow of the OCTA Research Group, a well-recognized independent science advice provider for COVID-19 in the Philippines.
Dr. LOTIS M. BALALA
Visayas State University
Dr. Lotis M. Balala is an Associate Professor at the College of Veterinary Medicine, Visayas State University, Visca, Baybay City, Leyte. She obtained her MS in Veterinary Medicine and PhD Microbiology at the University of the Philippines Los Baños, Laguna. She currently heads the Veterinary Paraclinical Department which handles Veterinary Microbiology, Public Health, Epidemiology, Parasitology, and Pathology courses. Her research included Salmonella detection in free-range poultry, assessing environmental impact of livestock waste, survey of animal-borne zoonoses, AMR, and antimicrobial screening of medicinal plants.
Dr. CELINA C. GELLADA
West Visayas State University
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Dr. MARIA KRISTINA G. ALMONTE
West Visayas State University
Dr. Maria Kristina Gonzalez-Almonte completed her Bachelor of Science in Biology from the University of the Philippines in Visayas and graduated with a Doctor of Medicine degree from the University of the East Ramon Magsaysay Memorial Medical Center. She obtained her Masters in Public Health (Epidemiology) from the University of the Philippines Manila and finished her residency training in the field of Radiology from West Visayas State University (WVSU) Medical Center.
She has certificates in Health Information Management and Sustainability Management and is presently Assistant Professor 2 in the WVSU College of Medicine and Professorial Lecturer at the Iloilo Doctors College of Medicine. In both medical schools, she teaches the disciplines of Epidemiology, Research, Public Health and Health Administration. She is also a member of the Technical Review Committee for Research at WVSU.
Her focus is now in Community Medicine where she shows her passion for mentoring her students to create health promotion programs and health advocacies for communities in the Province and City of Iloilo. She is currently involved in mental health wellness, health communication, and public health leadership.
Married to Mr. Napoleon Gregorio Almonte, writer and publisher of many inspirational and leadership books. Mr. Almonte is also a faculty of the College of Communication of WVSU. Together, they crafted the Dr. Jose Rizal Public Health Leadership model for PhilOHUN.
