Canadian Ambassador presented with ornamental katmon variety

In an institutional first for the UPLB Institute of Plant Breeding (IPB), an ornamental tree species was presented to the Canadian ambassador to the Philippines on September 14, 2026. Dillenia philippinensis ‘David Hartman’, an IPB-bred variant of the endemic tree katmon, was presented to His Excellency Ambassador David Hartman at the IPB Seminar Room.

The program opened with a message from Vice Chancellor for Research and Extension Nathaniel C. Bantayan, who shared a brief history of UPLB’s ties with Canada. He enumerated several Canadian universities that had historical partnerships and collaborations with UPLB, including the University of Guelph, Queen’s University, and Dalhousie University.

He noted the growing economic and military ties between Canada and the Indo-Pacific, specifically the Philippines. With the Filipino population in Canada having reached almost a million, he said that it was timely that the partnership between the two countries be further strengthened.

Vice Chancellor Bantayan’s message was followed by special numbers by Janessa Pinuela of the UPLB Talent Pool and the UP Rural High School Glee Club.

These performances were followed by an audiovisual presentation that narrated the development of the ornamental katmon and the formal presentation of Dillenia philippinensis ‘David Hartman’ to the ambassador.

The presentation was led by College of Agriculture and Food Science dean Dr. Amado A. Angeles, IPB director Elmer E. Enicola, and Dr. Maria Luisa D. Guevarra, who led the IPB team that developed the new variety, alongside Vice Chancellor Bantayan, and UPLB Chancellor Jose V. Camacho, Jr.

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Ambassador David Hartman, in his response, expressed immense gratitude, saying he felt “incredibly honored and incredibly privileged” to be named after the katmon variety.

He spoke about the importance of partnerships and collaborations, and emphasized that the challenges the world faced, especially regarding sustainability, could not be addressed in isolation. “Progress is strongest when we work alongside our partners,” he said.

Chancellor Camacho gave the closing remarks and thanked those involved in preparing the program. He highlighted the Philippine-Canada Network for Sustainability, which he considered one of the most important achievements of the UPLB-Canada relationship and which was formed and nurtured by Ambassador Hartman during his tenure.

Citing prior presentations of hibiscus varieties to ambassadors, Chancellor Camacho shared UPLB’s rationale of acknowledging the support the University received from the ambassadors’ diplomatic works. He said that the presentation of hybrid plant varieties showcases and leverages the fruits of the University’s research to nurture international relationships.

Chancellor Camacho said that the presentation of Dillenia philippinensis ‘David Hartman’ represented UPLB’s deep investment in internationalization and sustainability initiatives with Canadian universities. He also expressed his deep admiration for the ambassador’s perseverance in nurturing new collaborations and hope in the midst of hardships, “to come together and make the world better.”

Source: University of the Philippines