The episode I liked the most was Saribuhay episode 6: Barcoding of Marine Fishes in Luzon and

Mindanao. The research they conducted in the episode focused on utilizing DNA barcoding in identifying
and keeping a record on the various species of fish residing here in the Philippines, particularly Luzon
and Mindanao which were the places focused on in the video. DNA barcoding is a technique where one
extracts a short genetic marker from any species and converts it into a barcode which can be used as a
reference to compare with other species. With this kind of method of identification, researchers can now
reduce the margin of errors they make whenever they classify similar looking animals. In the episode,
they were able to distinguish three species of eel that were thought to be only one species.

This research is important especially in the conservation of the variety of wildlife we have here in
the Philippines. By utilizing this research, people in this field would be better able to map out the
distribution of our wildlife throughout the habitats located in the Philippines and do their utmost to
preserve our biodiversity. From this episode, I have learned of this new method that I’ve never heard
before. The way they were basically creating a sort of dictionary for fish species was truly fascinating.
Most of all, you could imagine how well this could also be utilized in the business world. This research
can provide an avenue where people can be assured that the fish they’re buying is truly the fish that
they want. No more passing off some third-rate fish meat for some high class tuna or something.