Lawyer, university lecturer, television host, and public service advocate Atty. Ma. Gabriela “Gaby” Roldan-Concepcion is now immortalized through a gumamela hybrid that has been named in her honor.

With the launching of Hibiscus rosa-sinensis ‘Gabriela Roldan-Concepcion,’ Atty. Concepcion is the latest addition to a few Filipino women whose name has been attached to the said flower.

UPLB officially presented the hibiscus hybrid to Atty. Concepcion on Mar. 23 at the Executive House amphitheater in UP Diliman.

Agripina O. Rasco, university researcher at the Institute of Plant Breeding (IPB), led the scientific team that bred the said hybrid.

Hibiscus rosa-sinensis ‘Gabriela Roldan-Concepcion’ has pinkish red corolla. It has delicate pink lines radiating from the eye to the middle corolla. The color of its eye is fire brick red. Its leaves are light green.

The hibiscus hybrid is of medium height and flowers all year round and is resistant to pests and diseases. It has been registered with the National Seed Industry Council (NSIC) with registration number NSIC 2016 Or90.

“It’s pretty overwhelming,” said Atty. Concepcion in her message during the hibiscus presentation program, which was also her birthday.

“I would like to thank UPLB from the bottom of my heart. I think you can sense how much love went into this evening,” she said, after witnessing a mini concert that was part of the presentation program.

The mini concert featured UPLB performers–singers Mark Virtudes and Charisse Dungca, pianist Darren Vega, and saxophonist Dr. Antonio Jesus Quilloy. Virtudes and Vega are students, Dungca is an alumna, while Dr. Quilloy is a faculty member of UPLB.

They took turns performing after Ryan Jay Galang of the College of Development Communication read stanzas of the poem “Harana kay Gabriela,” one that he penned together with Mark Lester Chico, the mini concert’s director.

Atty. Concepcion also advocated support for IPB  as she acknowledged its ingenuity in breeding the hibiscus hybrid.

“IPB is not just for plants and ornamentals. It is for many other things. It is also to protect the farmers against drought and pests,” she said.

Leading the UPLB contingent was Chancellor Fernando C. Sanchez, Jr., who delivered a message during the event.  

“A hybrid that was formerly named ‘Cheery Twirl’ for its bright red hue and ruffled petals will now bear the name of a woman of brilliance, elegance, and beauty,” he said.

“Atty. Concepcion has been a powerful voice for helping our fellow Filipinos gain a better understanding of our nation’s legal system. She has also been an ardent advocate of such issues as family, children’s rights, and mental wellness,” Chancellor Sanchez added.

Hibiscus rosa-sinensis ‘Gabriela Roldan-Concepcion’ belongs to the “Women in Public Service” series that is dedicated to women who have notably served their communities and the society.

Aside from being a consultant for Family Law and Intellectual Property at Nisce, Mamuric, Guinto, Rivera & Alcantara Law Offices, Atty. Concepcion regularly appears in the morning show “Unang Hirit” to explain family law concerns.

She is also a lecturer at the UP College of Law and a board member at both the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board and the Intercountry Adoption Board.

Witnessing the presentation of Hibiscus rosa-sinensis ‘Gabriela Roldan-Concepcion’ was her husband, UP President Danilo L. Concepcion, their children, and other family members and friends. (Mark Jayson E. Gloria)