Filipinos are tied to a vibrant food culture and food staples have become a huge part of their lifestyle. One of the universal favorite, must-have food in a local dining table is bread; in fact, several versions of it have been shared in all corners of the Philippines and even in some parts of the world.

One of the pioneer bread industries in the Philippines is Gardenia. Many people prefer Gardenia not only because of the wide variety of bread available, but also because it provides an individual with a balanced diet, an amazing grain, and is a healthy choice. A single slice of it can provide a balanced diet and this factor is necessary as it is a foundation to having a healthy lifestyle. Moreover, having amazing grain enables one to stay full for longer periods of time. Lastly, bread is a healthy choice as it is convenient, versatile, has rich carbohydrates, contains dietary fiber, and it brings great taste and freshness with every bite.

On July 22, 2022, the Chemical Engineering students, chiefly the third year students, of Batangas State University - The National Engineering University sit under a rich mine of power plant discussions by the First Gen Corporation held through Zoom platform. The discussions were headed by Mr. Ryan Manalo, a mechanical engineer and the representative of First Gen under the Asset Performance and Special Project deparment.

Last July 29, NASAT Labs provided a laboratory plant tour for the Third Year BS Chemical Engineering students of Batangas State University - The National Engineering University. Sir Marlon Llana, a technical and operations director of NASAT Labs, spearheaded the discussion of the virtual plant tour, including its company and nanotechnology and its applications, along with some of the characterization tools available in their laboratory. This is a continuation of the students’ activity series for their course, Field Trips and Seminars (ChE 420), that aims to provide an exclusive visit to their facilities amidst the restrictions of the pandemic. Through this, the attendees are also expected to increase their knowledge and familiarity with the laboratory equipment through their applications.

On the first day, UNILAB as one of the participating companies, conducted a virtual plant tour last July 22, 2022 led by Mr. Adonis Marvin Santos, the representative of the said company.

Mr. Santos presents the company’s top-quality prescription products, comprehensively discusses the manufacturing process of their products and shows the laboratory where the finished products are tested prior to approval and release.

In today’s generation, several designs and advanced qualities of products are being patronized by people. And with that, companies tend to adapt and develop their existing products into new and innovative ones. Knowing the process by which ceramics are produced gives one an understanding of the material from the moment it is created. As consumers select flooring products, bathroom accessories, or even cabinets, it's like choosing to live with these components for several years to come. There is more to tiling the floors than merely providing a protective surface for the portions of someone’s home that they cover. They contribute to the look and feel of the living space, which is a significant part of the role that they play in the process of designing the interior of a dream home.

This Virtual Plant Tour was facilitated by 3rd Year Chemical Engineering Students. Several companies were invited to participate and conduct their online plant tour. Brief discussions of history, background, process, and products are done. Afterward, a question and answer portion was also facilitated. Students who attended this virtual plant tour will have a profound understanding and knowledge of how a manufacturing process in Mariwasa Siam Ceramics Inc. works, how their products are produced, and how they maintained the good quality service they are providing to their customers.

Pandemic has a major impact around the globe, alcohol has become a necessity for each individual. Alcohol consumption significantly increased due to the global pandemic, in line with this, Asian Alcohol Corporation was invited to be one of the guest industries to share what is the behind process for the production of this type of alcohol. Asian Alcohol Corporation (AAC) is the second biggest distillery in the Philippines located in Negros Occidental. The second-largest distillery in the Philippines is Asian Alcohol Corp., which is situated in Negros Occidental.

AAC provided a virtual plant tour to the students of Batangas State University - The National Engineering University, specifically, the 3rd-year Chemical Engineering students last July 28, 2022. The discussion of the virtual plant tour covered the general information, business capacity, process description, equipment and facilities, and quality assurance laboratory facilities of the AAC, which was led by Engr. Allan Rae Gayatin specialized in distillery operations. AAC is a type of business that differs in manufacturing, fermenting, distilling, and selling refined and/or denatured alcohol.

To open the conclusion of this mid-year’s series of activities for ChE 420 course (Field Trips and Seminars), Holcim Philippines, Inc., on August 5, was invited to have an exclusive virtual tour of their manufacturing process and plant. This happened on the 5th day of the program series organized and attended by the 3rd Year BS Chemical Engineering students of Batangas State University - The National Engineering University, under the supervision of Dr. Reymark Maalihan and Engr. Rejie Magnaye, their course instructors.

This specific virtual plant tour aims to provide the attendees with the general knowledge about cement manufacturing industry. It also aims to give an overview of their company’s history, values as an industry, facilities, and process flow. Moreover, to clarify certain misconceptions about the industry is among their objectives.

A great way to close a series is to end it with something remarkable, and Advanced Device and Materials Testing Laboratory (ADMATEL) has definitely done it right. The 5th day of August marks the final day of virtual plant tours organized by Third Year BS Chemical Engineering students from Batangas State University - The National Engineering University via Zoom. The tour's goal was to showcase ADMATEL to people from diverse companies, research, and academia. The company intends to offer its basic to advanced technological expertise on various laboratory equipment.

The program was led by emcees from ADMATEL itself, Ms. Kim Gutierrez and Mr. Miker Geralde, who began with some icebreaker questions before playing the readily available video of the virtual laboratory tour. In the video, Dr. Araceli M. Monsada, ADMATEL's Supervising SRS/Laboratory Manager introduced the institution and the virtual plant tour they started due to pandemic restrictions. The actual virtual tour was delivered by Dale Mhar Alfache, Laboratory Analyst of ADMATEL, who discussed the laboratory's PPE requirements as well as its facilities and equipment. The most engaging part of the virtual tour is the open forum wherein the representatives of ADMATEL sufficiently answered the queries of the third-year ChE students. The tour concluded with the closing message of Dr. Monsada.