CLSU’s fruit tree project dying from gross neglect

Several thousands of cloned fruit seedlings are dying from neglect if not already dead at the Central Luzon State University (CLSU) in the Science City of Muñoz, Nueva Ecija. This is the state of rambutan, mango, mangosteen, high-grade lanzones and other fruit plants in a 6.5 hectare project at the university grounds that make Bernardo Dizon sad no end.

"Almost half of the trees are dead," Dizon laments while surveying the state of health of the demonstration farm he helped set up six years ago.

In stark contrast, Dizon’s one-hectare demo farm he supervises at the pomology section is a lush and productive enclave which continues to draw tourists and farming enthusiasts.

Bernie Dizon, a product of the university, is an agricultural scientist and principal proponent of modern technology in the culture and farming of local and exotic fruit trees.

On April 22, 1996, pomologist Dizon signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with the then CLSU president Fortunato Battad to "assist in the promotion and marketing of fruits and planting materials in the project." Thus, the one-hectare CLSU-Dizon Fruit Research and Techno-Demo Center situated at the pomology section of the university came into being. The term of the agreement is for 25 years ending in March 2021.

Over the years, Dizon supplied the required planting materials of different cultivars – this serves as his land rental – to the whole 6.5 hectares spread throughout the university grounds.

The man went to work to make his dream come true. That of preparing and executing a master plan for provincial and regional enterprise focused on high-value fruit tree propagation worthy of international recognition and respect.

Until the dream came tumbling down. The visionary – "truly, no prophet is recognized in his own place," he says – is discouraged when nobody in the top echelon of CLSU wanted to have a part of his vision. "The project in Nueva Ecija is in ruins due to intentional neglect."

For the past decade, he advocated the use of multiple rootstocks of certified high-grade seedlings. Much to his dismay, however, instead of giving him support, university officials, past and present, compete with CLSU’s own project by purchasing seedlings from Zambales and Batangas for what reason people can only speculate. This practice he notes runs counter to the terms of the MOA where he and the university will work in tandem for the promotion and marketing of fruits and planting materials.

Too, the promised demonstration area of at least one-eighth hectare along the highway in front of CLSU did not materialize.

Other than that, his seedlings were given by the past and present presidents of the CLSU to political luminaries without compensation for him to spend in the expansion of his propagation and distribution activities. He had signatures and pictures to show to prove his point.

What puzzles him is that why the university is practicing "backward technology" in the culture and production of high-value fruits. There are many century-old "lamao" or "manggang kalabaw" varieties of mangoes in the confines of the university. Instead of propagating their own scions and seedlings, the CLSU authorities would rather buy seedling materials from the outside which is costly, counter-productive and does not help self-enterprise any.

Dizon’s other project fares much better, drawing fruit tree enthusiasts from across the country – from northern Luzon to as far south as Sultan Kudarat in Mindanao. A just renewed MOA with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) provides Dizon with 4,000 square meters for 20 years at the Ninoy Aquino Parks and Wildlife Nature Center in Quezon City.

Here, he set up over the years an orchard of exotic fruits trees serving as techno-demo learning center every Sunday with structure for free lecture and hands-on demonstration. This is a demonstration garden serving as showcase for multiple rootstock techniques for millennium and guimaras mangoes, varieties of chico, mangosteen, rambutan, longkong, duku lanzones, lychees, apple macopa, magallanes pummelo, lakatan banana and other local and exotic fruits.

Convinced that high-value fruits are potential dollar earners, he sough to have this techniques recognized and integrated into the mainstream of national agricultural programs.

What about his complaints which had been dismissed by the present CLSU president, Rodolfo C. Undan for lack of merit? Says Dizon, I have filed a complaint with the Office of the President for violation by CLSU of the terms of the MOA between us and the anti-graft law.