Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering (ABE) students of Bulacan Agricultural State College (BASC) gained hands-on experience in tilapia aquaculture through a four-day immersion at St. Mary’s Aquafarm in Bangyas, Calauan, Laguna, from October 26 to 29, 2026.

Conducted as part of ABE 173 – Aquaculture Engineering, the off-campus activity was under the academic supervision of Engr. Rhuelyn A. Ballaran, Associate Professor II, Engr. Shiela Marie F. Gatchalian, ABE Program Chairperson, and Dr. Engr. Alfredo L. Taluban Jr., Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology (CET).

During the immersion, students participated in various aquaculture operations, including water quality assessment, pond preparation, fish breeding, harvesting, and farm maintenance. The activity provided opportunities to apply classroom concepts to actual farm practices while learning directly from aquaculture practitioners.

On the first day, farm owners Lilia D. Leynes and Ruel Leynes introduced the students to tilapia culture, farm operations, and safety practices. Students also conducted water quality assessments using portable instruments to measure pH, temperature, and dissolved oxygen.

The succeeding days involved hands-on activities such as pond cleaning, liming, and fertilization, as well as fish counting, size grading, and harvesting. Students also learned the proper preparation and packing of newly hatched tilapia fry for delivery, including the management of water and oxygen supply during transport.

The immersion further covered fish breeding and hatchery operations, where students learned about fish incubation, sex determination, and the use of hormone-treated solutions in producing all-male tilapia for grow-out production. They also participated in repairing hapa nets used in fish culture operations.

As part of the learning activity, the students visited the indoor vertical hydroponics facility of the Agricultural and Biosystems Structures and Environmental Engineering Division (ABSEED) of the University of the Philippines Los Baños. The visit introduced them to the potential integration of aquaculture and crop production through aquaponics. They also visited the National Agrometeorology Station to gain additional exposure to agricultural and environmental monitoring.

The immersion aimed to strengthen students’ competencies in aquaculture practices, particularly in water quality monitoring, pond and tank preparation, artificial spawning, and stock grading. It also emphasized the importance of farm biosecurity and occupational safety in aquaculture operations.

Through the activity, BASC ABE students gained practical insights into tilapia production and the application of agricultural and biosystems engineering principles in aquaculture. The initiative reflects the College of Engineering and Technology’s commitment to providing experiential learning opportunities that prepare students for professional practice.

The activity advances the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 2 (Zero Hunger) through sustainable food production, SDG 4 (Quality Education) through experiential learning, SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation) through water quality management, SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth) through industry-relevant skills development, SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production) through sustainable farm practices, and SDG 14 (Life Below Water) through responsible aquaculture and aquatic resource management.

#BASC #BASCABE #AquacultureEngineering #TilapiaAquaculture #ExperientialLearning #SDG2 #SDG4 #SDG6 #SDG8 #SDG12 #SDG14

Photo Credit: Engr. Rhuelyn A. Ballaran