About the Program

The Department of Horticulture was established in 1982 with the leadership of Dr. Casimiro D. Carcallas. Since its creation, DoH developed programs and initiated courses which were relevant and responsive to the needs of the Horticultural industry.

By definition, horticulture is the science, art and business of intensive production, distribution, and utilization of high-value plants, including both annual and perennial species, both food and non-food plants, and plants grown outdoors, indoors, and in protected or controlled environments. Horticultural crops are conveniently categorized into vegetables, fruits, ornamental crops and plantation or industrial crops.

VSU’s Department of Horticulture focuses on production management (including sustainable, organic and protected cultures), crop physiology, seed systems (seed technology, vegetative propagation, tissue culture, nursery culture, and seed banking), landscape development, and postharvest technology (postharvest handling of fresh produce, primary processing, food safety, and technical aspects of supply chain management).

Career Opportunities

Graduates of this program can be

• Horticultural Entrepreneurs and Market Players
• Managers and Technical Officers of Commercial Horticultural Enterprises
• Researchers, and Extension/Development Workers in Colleges/Universities, Research Institutes, and Related Institutions in the Public and Private Sectors
• Planners, Technical Experts and Consultants of Various Horticultural Initiatives
• Technical Personnel of Input, Logistics and other Support Industries of the Horticulture Sector
• Instructors

Notable Alumni

The following Viscans who graduated in this program have made a name in their field:

• CHERRIE ATILANO – (Class of 2007) Graduated Magna Cum Laude with a Bachelor’s Degree in Agriculture, Major in Horticulture specializing in Tissue Culture. A locally and globally recognized and awarded Farmer Entrepreneur. Cherrie is the President and Founding Farmer of AGREA Philippines. She is also a co-founder of HATIENDA Holdings Inc., an agritourism and Agri-processing space to produce Filipino agricultural products for local and export markets. She is currently appointed by the United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, to be a high-level ambassador of the UN Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN) Movement.
• BEATRIZ S. BELONIAS – (Class of 1996) Dr. Belonias is a Master of Science graduate of the Department of Horticulture. She is also an associate editor of the journal Annals of Tropical Research. At present, she is the VSU Vice President for Academic Affairs.
• DEWOOWOOGEN P. BACLAYON – (Class of 1993) One of the successful alumni of the Department, he is now the campus Administrator of Southern Leyte State University (SLSU). He is also the Dean of the College of Aquatic and Applied Life Sciences of SLSU.
• MERIVIC G. CATADA – (Class of 1997) She is the Vice President for Research and Development (formerly known as Research, Extension and International Linkages) of the Negros Oriental State University (NORSU)
• MORA CAPANGPANGAN ABARQUEZ – (Class of 1982) – She is one of the pioneering major students of the newly formed Department of Horticulture. Currently, she is appointed as LGU Baybay’s Agricultural Officer.