University of San Carlos Biology Department

We were deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Doc T***sie, who was a dear friend, colleague, a mentor, a professor, and a former member of the faculty of the USC Department of Biology. We consider ourselves extremely fortunate to have had the opportunity to meet and gain knowledge from someone like him.

—– In honor of Doc T***sie, here are some parting words from friends, students, and family members, as well as colleagues.
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Message from USC Marine Biology Class 1982:

We were deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Doc T***sie, who was a dear friend, colleague, a mentor, a professor, and a former member of the faculty of the USC Department of Biology. We consider ourselves extremely fortunate to have had the opportunity to meet and gain knowledge from someone like him.

—– In honor of Doc T***sie, here are some parting words from friends, students, and family members, as well as colleagues.

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Repost from Dr. Danilo B. Largo:

A tribute to a colleague and a dear friend: Antonio “T***sie” Batomalaque (Sept. 12, 1955 – May 24, 2022)

A dear friend and a mentor, that’s how I consider T***sie to be. But more than a mentor to me, I also considered him as a brother whom I started with in my early career in the Biology Department, learning from him the skills of microtechnique, preparing chemical reagents and assisting laboratory classes until I took over his position as a Microtechnician when he took a leave of absence in 1982 to train in Advanced Microbiology under a UNESCO program in Japan. Truth be told, he came back but never get back his old position, instead took a full teaching load in the Bio Dept. and leaving me the Microtechnician job as a full time administrative staff. This, he unselfishly opened the door for me and the opportunity to advance my career, until what I have become now.

T***sie was such a jolly person and never had a dull moment with him when he was around - in our meetings, class field trips, biological expeditions, and yes, even during recollections, cracking jokes one after another, witty ones and, sometimes, the green ones, much to everyone’s heart out. His wit and talent was legendary to us, even to his friends in Japan when he was still there as a Japanese govt. fellow in Tsukuba writing a regular joke corner for a Filipino magazine catering to expats and students in the 90s. When he was Dean of the School of Education, T***sie was our constant icebreaker during Council of Dean’s meetings that, at times, brought the house down with his jokes.

Working with T***sie was a lot of fun as he always shares funny stories. He enjoyed the little things in life, both literally and otherwise. He likes to play miniature toys, Japanese cartoons, oregami and collect key chains from his travels abroad and as gifts received from friends, which practically filled his table and the wall in his office when he was our Biology department chair back then. He also loves music, especially inspirational ones and OPM that he likes to share with many of his friends as birthday or Christmas gifts. In our younger years, watching Tagalog movies was our favorite pastime when downtown theatres in Colon were the place to be during weekends in the 80s (no SM or Ayala Malls yet), followed by eating pansit with coca cola at a popular refreshment parlor then called Fareez Delight in Manalili, to end the day.

While everybody sees him as an outgoing person, T***sie was also a quiet and a private person and a man of faith - a devotee to Santo Nino, whose Friday afternoons were regularly spent at the Sto. Nino Church. His command of the Japanese language makes him a highly in-demand tutor by workers in Japanese companies at MEPZ, working part-time on weekends to augment his income and support his family. Yes, T***sie has been his family’s breadwinner, who made sure his siblings and nieces finish college. I respect his privacy that even now I never get to know where he lives after moving to Mactan from their Labangon residence. Being from the southern Cebu town of Malabuyoc where his family originally came from, and where I also trace my own fraternal roots, I looked upon him as a townmate as he always talked about my relatives whom he knew more than I was.

I lost a friend in T***sie, as many do, and I’m sure he will find his way to heaven through our prayers.

Rest in peace dear T***s.

(His body lies in state at St. Peter Memorial in Mandaue City near Pacific Mall going to Marcelo Fernan Bridge but viewing will only start tomorrow, May 26. Interment will be announced later)

See post : https://www.facebook.com/danilo.largo.31/posts/10160460220798706

Enroll Now!

- Bachelor of Science in Biology (B.S. BIO.)
- Bachelor of Science in Marine Biology (B.S. M.B.)

Enroll Now!
- Doctor of Philosophy in Biology (Ph.D. Bio.)
Tracks: Bioscience, Marine Biology, Environmental Science
- Master of Science in Biology (M.S. BIO)
- Master of Science in Marine Biology (M.S. M.B.)
- Master of Science in Environmental Science (M.S. E.S)

For more details please email to [email protected].

The USC Biology Department Alumni Webinar Series is back with another set of speakers coming from former students of the department itself. This week, we will have Dominic Belleza, Dan Anthony Bataan, and Kathleen Kay Buendia, all of which are currently pursuing their graduate studies in Japan. Here are the introductions from each speaker:

"I am Dominic Belleza, USC alumni, class of 2008. I earned my degree in Masters of Fisheries and Environmental Science in March 2020 at Nagasaki University, Japan. I am currently a PhD student at Nagasaki University, continuing my study on the ecology of seaweed forest ecosystems. My talk will be about how seaweed forests are in decline and how they can be restored by understanding how the fear of predators changes the behavior of herbivores. I also highlight the important role of predators and how their disappearance can lead to negative changes throughout the ecosystem. Finally, I will also share about my experience and challenges as a student in Japan."

"I am Dan Anthony Bataan, a University of San Carlos Alumni, Class of 2010. I earned my degree in Master of Science in Environmental Studies in the University of the Philippines in 2015. I am currently a 3rd year Ph.D. student in Kochi University, Kochi, Japan. My research focuses on the cryptic species of branched-tabular Acropora corals in the temperate waters of Southwestern Japan. My study deals with clarifying the relationship of these corals using morphological and molecular approach. The result of this study may help explain unclear taxonomic relationship of Acropora corals having similar morphology."

"I am Kathleen Kay Buendia, an alumna of BS-Biology program class of 2015 and earned my Master’s degree in 2019. Currently5 studying in Hiroshima University as a PhD student specializing in Protein Biochemistry (Lectinology). My research focuses on the isolation, characterization and application of lectins from red edible seaweeds in Japan and Philippines. Aiming to uncover biomedical applications in pharmaceutical industries. My talk will be about the story how I got into Lectinology, my experience in study abroad for a sandwich program and introduction of lectin, purification and its applications."

See you all this May 15 (Saturday), 1:00PM (PST).

We will be having the 13th Session of our Alumni Webinar Series this coming April 24, 2021 (2:00PM PST).

Mr. Jan Robinson Weiten is a Marine Biology graduate of the University of San Carlos. He has also studied nautical education and has presented on multiple platforms about plastic pollution. His presentation will involve an overview on the top plastic polluters, its effect on ocean whales, and an introduction on microplastics. Furthermore, he will expound on the possible solutions to the problem of plastic. During this time, people will be made aware of the consequences if we humans do not intervene in this pollution.

USC Biology Department Alumni Webinar Series Session 12, "𝗗𝗘𝗩𝗘𝗟𝗢𝗣𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗖𝗨𝗟𝗧𝗨𝗥𝗘 𝗧𝗘𝗖𝗛𝗡𝗜𝗤𝗨𝗘 𝗢𝗙 𝙎𝘼𝙍𝙂𝘼𝙎𝙎𝙐𝙈 𝗙𝗢𝗥 𝗛𝗔𝗥𝗩𝗘𝗦𝗧𝗔𝗕𝗟𝗘 𝗖𝗥𝗢𝗣 𝗔𝗡𝗗 𝗙𝗢𝗥 𝗙𝗜𝗦𝗛𝗘𝗥𝗬 𝗦𝗧𝗢𝗖𝗞 𝗘𝗡𝗛𝗔𝗡𝗖𝗘𝗠𝗘𝗡𝗧 𝗪𝗜𝗧𝗛 𝗣𝗥𝗢𝗦𝗣𝗘𝗖𝗧𝗦 𝗙𝗢𝗥 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗣𝗛𝗜𝗟𝗜𝗣𝗣𝗜𝗡𝗘𝗦 𝗔𝗡𝗗 𝗕𝗘𝗬𝗢𝗡𝗗" will be happening this 𝗔𝗣𝗥𝗜𝗟 𝟭𝟳, 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟭 (𝗦𝗔𝗧) at 𝟵:𝟯𝟬𝗔𝗠 (𝗣𝗦𝗧).

𝘚𝘢𝘳𝘨𝘢𝘴𝘴𝘶𝘮 is widely distributed in tropical to temperate areas of the world forming large biomass in shallow, rock areas, referred to as seaweed or 𝘚𝘢𝘳𝘨𝘢𝘴𝘴𝘶𝘮 beds. The ecosystem services these seaweed beds provide are linked to our fisheries resources. On the other hand, the commercial uses of 𝘚𝘢𝘳𝘨𝘢𝘴𝘴𝘶𝘮 biomass drives their collection from wild populations. The need to culture 𝘚𝘢𝘳𝘨𝘢𝘴𝘴𝘶𝘮 will be explained further followed by the description of the land-based hatchery system that was developed. Two methods of outplanting the hatchery-produced seedlings in the wild will be compared. With these supply of seedlings, the potential of producing biomass for harvest to meet the industrial demand and how these seaweed beds created from these seedlings could be used to enhance fishery stocks are shown.

From POTENTIAL we move on to the ACTUAL EXPERIENCE OF CREATING SEAWEED BEDS IN JAPAN.

To share this experience, Prof. Danilo Largo, will be joined by his mentor, PROF. EMERITUS MASAO OHNO of Usa Marine Biological Institute, Kochi University. A pioneer, visionary and dedicated seaweed bed creator in JAPAN. As he worked on seaweed bed creation, Ohno sensei opened the doors to Japan’s long history and valuable seaweed research by writing in English and having foreign students in his lab, many of whom are the leading seaweed researchers in many parts of the world today. We are fortunate to have Ohno sensei with us and we look forward to a fruitful sharing of their Japanese experience in the open forum that will follow. We will also be joined by Mr. Joey Gatus, a speaker in our previous webinar who at that time brought up some questions relevant to today’s topic.

Prof. Largo and his co-editors dedicated the 2020 edition of the Seaweed Resources of the World to Ohno sensei and has outlined his vast contribution and selfless dedication to his seaweeds and students in an editorial published in Botanica Marina. To know more of Ohno sensei’s work and accomplishments, please refer to https://www.degruyter.com/document/ doi/10.1515/bot-2020-0038/html