The UPLB Genetics Society

About GeneSoc

The UPLB Genetics Society, also known as GeneSoc, is an academic organization that was established in 1983, pioneered by 23 Biology and Agriculture majors. Through the years, the organization strives to promote and create awareness about the science of Genetics in the Philippines; facilitate the interaction between the faculty and members of the organization; and give each member an opportunity to discuss trends, activities and ideas in Genetics and its related fields.
For more than 30 years of existence, GeneSoc has accomplished several prestigious achievements not only in the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB) but in the whole country as well. The organization regularly sponsors activities including the BIO 30 Tutorials, annual BIO 30 InterLab Quiz Contest, IQlympics General Info-IQ Quiz Contest, the annual Genetics Week, National Intercollegiate Genetics Quiz Contest, and Genetics Camp. Aside from these academic ventures, the organization also conducts outreach programs in different communities and participates in a number of athletic events within the University.
In further recognition of its significant role in the advancement of the nation, GeneSoc has been affiliated to the networks and alliances which embody principles and advocacies that are ultimately heading towards nation building.

Vision

To be the leading organization in upholding academic excellence and promoting the science of Genetics in the Philippines.

Objectives

To promote and create awareness about the science of Genetics in the Philippines;
To facilitate the interaction between the faculty and the members of the organization;
To function as a study group for students interested in Genetics and its related fields in the University; and
To give each member an opportunity to discuss trends, activities, and ideas in Genetics, and its related sciences.

The UPLB Genetics Society Preamble

“We, the members of The UPLB Genetics Society, recognizing the importance of an organization in order to contribute to the advancement of the nation, by encouraging creative appreciation of the science of Genetics in the context of social relevance, by fostering excellence in our every undertaking and by involving ourselves with the University constituency, do hereby promulgate this Constitution, attesting to uphold its integrity.”

History

It was on December 20, 1983, when The UPLB Genetics Society first breathed its way into history. Paulino Daniel Cepeda (BS Biology - Genetics) along with 23 Biology and Agriculture majors pioneered its founding. Through the years, GeneSoc has been promoting and creating awareness about the science of Genetics in the Philippines, facilitating the interaction between the faculty and the members of the organization, functioning as a study group interested in Genetics and its related fields in the University, and giving each member an opportunity to discuss trends, activities and ideas in Genetics and its related sciences.

To pursue the goal of promoting academic excellence, the organization sponsors the BIO 30 Tutorials every semester to provide supplementary lectures for students taking up the Genetics course. GeneSoc also developed its reputation as a force in campus quiz contests with the BIO 30 Interlab Quiz Contest held usually during the first semester and the IQlympics on the second semester. These two quiz contests are participated in by students as well as other organizations in the university. More so, The UPLB Genetics Society has held the annual Genetics Week from 1986, as a way of celebrating trends and frontiers in Genetics. It features an exhibit, the IQlympics, a symposia, and the Open Tambayan-- all events encouraging and inviting audiences within and outside academic premises. Further, the BIO 30 Week was introduced in 2008 and has since aimed to present the advancements in Genetics and its applications in the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB) community.

The UPLB Genetics Society

Informal Name:GeneSoc
Classification:Academic OrganizationNon-profit, Non-sectarian
Date of Establishment:December 20, 1983
Address:RB Espino Wing, LB Uichangco Hall, Institute of Biological Sciences, College of Arts and Sciences, UP Los Baños, College, Laguna, 4031
Members:113 batches of over 789 alumni, resident and non-resident members, and 8 honorary members (as of August 2021)
Notable Achievements:Pioneer Convenor of the National Genetics SymposiumOrganizer of the Annual Genetics CampOrganizer of the National Intercollegiate Genetics Quiz ContestPioneer Member Organization, and Convenor of VYLH-PhilippinesOne of the 25 student formations that established SAKBAYAN-UPLBOne of the founding organizations affiliated to SOLIDARIDAD-LBNational Finalist, 14th Search for Ten Accomplished Youth Organizations2013 UPLB College of Arts and Sciences Best Student OrganizationHost, PalaCASan 20162018 UPLB Natatanging Organisasyon (Most Outstanding Student Organization - University Level)Six summa cum laude graduates, and numerous honor graduates
Affiliations: VYLH-PhilippinesSAKBAYANSolidaridad-LBYAPJUST

The UPLB Genetics Society is also known to have sponsored the first National Genetics Symposium in 1990, which was held again in 1992 and 1994. This event became the forerunner of the Philippine Society for the Advancement of Genetics (PhilSAGen) - the organization of leading professionals related to the science of Genetics in the Philippines. In 1996, the PhilSAGen took over the sponsorship of the symposium. Two years later, GeneSoc sponsored the 1st Luzon Intercollegiate Genetics Quiz Contest, which was participated in by twelve universities. The event was followed by two more editions in 2000 and 2002. And in 2006, GeneSoc launched the Genetics Camp (GenCamp), a two-day activity for high school students and faculty members which eventually replaced the Intercollegiate Quiz Contest, initially catered to students from Los Baños and its vicinity. GeneSoc eventually achieved a Luzon-wide coverage in the 2009 Genetics Camp. In 2013, the Intercollegiate Genetics Quiz Contest was revived into a national competition, the National Intercollegiate Genetics Quiz Contest (NIGQC). Aside from these academic activities, the organization has also been participating in athletic events in the College of Arts and Sciences (CAS-UPLB), such as the PalaCASan and kasCASan.

Within the University, GeneSoc is affiliated to networks and alliances which embody principles and advocacies that are ultimately heading towards nation building. In 1996, GeneSoc was among the 25 formations to establish SAKBAYAN (Samahan ng Kabataan para sa Bayan)- UPLB, an alliance of organizations, fraternities, and sororities in the University that stand against the commercialization of education and campus repression, aiming towards the upholding of a pro-student and pro-people education. In 2002, having GENEWS as its official publication, GeneSoc became one of the organizations to have established UP Solidaridad LB, a chapter of UP Solidaridad, which is an alliance of student publications and writers’ organizations in the whole UP System that advocates for campus press freedom. In its goal of advocating for peace and defending human rights in both the academe and the civil community, GeneSoc has also affiliated with Youth Advocates for Peace with Justice (YAPJUST)- UPLB since August 14, 2020, which is an alliance of individuals, formations and organizations that campaign for social justice.

The society also conducts advocacy and outreach programs such as medical and dental missions, and community health promotion to communities under rural areas. Projects such as the "Adopt-a-Room" that would benefit the Institute of Biological Sciences have also been conducted by the organization. In 2007, the organization initiated the Hope Intervention Outreach Program: One Gene, One Child which caters to Hope Intervention Center, a special education center for children diagnosed with autism and related developmental disabilities in Calamba, Laguna.

In 2008, GeneSoc started another advocacy program that was grounded on the importance and capacity of the youth in promulgating change in society. After being handpicked by Dr. Carmencita Padilla, the former director of the Institute of Human Genetics of the National Institutes of Health - UP Manila, GeneSoc accepted the challenge to take the lead on building a youth leaders network that will promote awareness on folic acid supplementation, rare disorders and newborn screening. Together with technical partners from the Institute of Human Genetics - National Institutes of Health (IHG-NIH) and the Department of Health, the endeavor materialized as the Volunteer Youth Leaders for Health (VYLH)-Philippines in July 2009. As part of its commitment to the VYLH network and its advocacies, GeneSoc takes part in strengthening the network of university and community-based organizations in Los Baños, and training community-based youth volunteers through the K4Health Community Youth Training Program which was launched in 2016.

As part of the goal to unite the organizations under the Institute of Biological Sciences (IBS) and to welcome the new batch of BS Biology freshmen that have qualified into the degree program in UPLB, GeneSoc envisioned the idea of a collective partnership with IBS organizations and aimed to provide a comprehensive guide for the freshmen. This idea was materialized through the formation of The Haynayan Initiative on July 2020, as GeneSoc collaborated with three IBS organizations-- namely, Symbiosis - The UPLB Biological Society, Philobioscientia - The UPLB Life Sciences Society, and The UPLB Microbiological Society. The project entitled “ReBIOer” was then created and published to provide extensive knowledge and learning activities on the fundamental Biology courses offered in the First Year of the BS Biology curriculum, including BIO 11.1 (Investigative Biology Laboratory), MCB 11 (Biology and Application in Microorganisms), BIO 14 (Biodiversity), BIO 30 (Genetics), and BIO 150 (Ecology). An annual publication of ReBIOer has since been implemented for the BS Biology freshmen.

With endless dedication and perseverance, The UPLB Genetics Society has and will continue to live up to the dream of pursuing its commitment to excellence and service, taking bolder steps and continually exceeding its limits.

The official seal and logo of

The UPLB Genetics Society

Official Seal

The seal of the organization consists of the stylized profile of a man’s silhouette with the graphic representation of a plasmid placed inside it. A plasmid refers to an extrachromosomal circular double stranded DNA capable of independent replication. The head being the seat of mental capacity resonates the thrust of the organization towards fostering academic excellence. It also represents the founding president of the organization, Mr. Paulino Daniel Cepeda.
This silhouette is enclosed inside two concentric rectangles with rounded corners. The inner rectangle represents the organization's involvement within the University while the outer signifies the organization's work outside the University. The four corners of the border signify the four emerging fields during the establishment of the organization - Microbiology, Agriculture, Genetics and Systematics. The rounded edges depict another thrust of the organization, molding well-rounded students and leaders.
In between the rectangles, printed in bold letters is the name of the organization and year of its establishment (THE UPLB GENETICS SOCIETY 1983). All lines, letters, and symbols are rendered in GeneSoc blue (#282687) against a white background (#ffffff).

Commemorative Logos

Silver Founding Anniversary

30th Founding Anniversary

60th year of the DNA Double Helix

37th Founding Anniversary

The official logo of GENEWS

Official Publication, GENEWS

The name of the official publication of The UPLB Genetics Society is GENEWS. Since its maiden issue in 2006 with Ms. Rachel Reventar as its first Editor-in-Chief, the newsletter has been regularly distributed to the participants of major GeneSoc activities, to the offices, and other organizations in the University. GENEWS primarily reports the recent activities of the organization. It also presents literary contributions from the members, local and international advancements on the field of Genetics, and profiles of the new members of the organization.

Aside from the print material, GENEWS is also accessible in the world wide web via GENEWS ONLINE, which aims to capture a wide range of readership in the ever-advancing accessibility of journalism in the technological field. Portable Document File (PDF) formats of the current and previous GENEWS editions are also made available for public viewership through the GENEWS Archives and the online platform, Issuu.

Official Mascot, Genoc

GeneSoc is one if not the only academic organizations in UP Los Baños with a mascot. The mascot was created by Leonel Cadapan (Genome) and named "Genoc". The mascot is a male fruit fly (Drosophila melanogaster M.). In genetics and developmental biology, the fruit fly is used as a model organism, making it one of the most studied organisms in biological research. The female counterpart of Genoc was named "Sophie" and their offspring was named "Maggie", the maggot.

Genoc, the official mascot of The UPLB Genetics Society (left),

PalaCASan 2013 rendition of Genoc (right)

Taglines and Slogans

Redefining passion (since 1983)
Passion, Redefined
Replicate passion. Transcribe excellence. Translate brilliance.
Excellence is an understatement
Living 360
Born to be extraordinary
It's in the GENES!
The sky is the limit.
Transcending excellence through passion and service

Notable Members

Academician Dr. Glenn Gregorio (PhD) (Recombinants)

Director, Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA); Former Senior Scientist/Plant Breeder, International Rice Research Institute (IRRI); Principal investigator for IRRI's project on developing stress-tolerant rice for Asia and Africa, as well as for the other CGIAR challenge programs; 30th Grand Alumni Homecoming Distinguished Alumnus; Conferred the rank and title of Academician by the National Academy of Science and Technology - Philippines (NAST) in 2018

Dr. Joseph C. Lim (MD, PhD) (Eugenics) †

4th Place Physician Licensure Examinations (1999), First Filipino to win the Gates Cambridge Scholarship (2004)

Dr. Peter Guzman (PhD) (Charter)

College of Agriculture Distinguished Alumnus in Science and Technology, 97th Loyalty Day (October 2015); Commercial Pipeline Breeder of Monsanto; Former UPLB assistant professor; Responsible for the development of the graduate course in molecular plant breeding and implementation of a seed production and distribution program for yellow and white corn varieties, benefiting around 20,000 resource poor farmers in the country

Dr. Benildo de los Reyes (PhD) (Charter)

Professor of Molecular Genetics and cooperating faculty member of the Department of Molecular and Biomedical Sciences, arrived at the University of Maine

Dr. Leodovico Ilag (PhD) (Charter)

Involved with early stage biotechnology companies worldwide with focus on recombinant antibodies, one of the seven Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Balik Scientists and part of the establishment of the Virology and Vaccine Institute of the Philippines (VIP) Program of DOST; 2010 UPLB Outstanding Alumni Awardee for Biotechnology Research and Entrepreneuship; Elected as Corresponding Member of the National Academy of Science and Technology in 2023.

Dr. Sylvia Briones-de Guzman (F1)

City Health Officer of Calbayog City, Samar; Recognized together with the city government for being one of the first to bring complete response and relief to the City of Tacloban, Leyte after Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda)

Ms. Fides Marciana Zipagan-Tambalo (Operons)

Led the development of BIOTECH Monascus Red Food Colorant; Conferred the rank of Career Scientist I under the Scientific Productivity System; 2025 CAS Distinguished Alumnus for Research Excellence

Mr. Jose Alden Arellano (SNURPS)

Founder of DIAMED Enterprises, one of major local players in life sciences, molecular biology, clinical diagnostics products; 2025 CAS Distinguished Alumnus for Scientific Advancement and Entrepreneurship

Mr. Paul Benjamin Hilario (Exons)

Artist; curator of the Riceworld Museum and Learning Center of the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI); curator of IRRI-collected and donated artworks and performs the role as IRRI’s historian

Mr. Cherubim Tito Cecilio (Gene Pool)

Winner, MTV-Philippines Fashionista Model Search (2002); Prince Model of the World, and Philippine representative to the Best Model in the World contest in Istanbul, Turkey (2002)

Mr. Ryan John Pascual (Regulon)

First National President of Volunteer Youth Leaders for Health - Philippines (2011-2012); Folic Acid Campaign coordinator during the formation of VYLH-Philippines (2009-2010); One of the Outstanding Volunteers of VYLH-Philippines recognized during its 10th Year Anniversary

Mr. Rufus Thomas Adducul (Enhanceosomes)

Third National President of VYLH-Philippines (2019-present)

Eight (8) Honorary Members

Dr. Rita Laude
Dr. Adelina Barrion
Dr. Merlyn Mendioro
Dr. Raquel Fortun
National Scientist Carmencita Padilla
Dr. Rhodora Aldemita
Dr. Gabriel Romero
Academician Maria Corazon de Ungria

Six (6) out of the 14 summa cum laude graduates of the BS Biology Program (As of 2010)

Ten (10) BPI-DOST Awardees

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