The MIMAROPA Health Research and Development Consortium (MHRDC), the youngest regional health research consortium in the Philippine National Health Research System (PNHRS) visited the Region 1 Health Research and Development Consortium (R1HRDC) on June 27-29, 2017 to benchmark the best practices that made the latter consortium succeed.

A meet and talk session that was held at Mariano Marcos Memorial Hospital and Medical Center (MMMH&MC) in Batac City Ilocos Norte in which the R1HRDC's organizational structure was discussed together with how the consortium runs the organization in a resilient, effective and efficient manner that made it become a well established one. They also visited the Tuklas Lunas Center situated at Mariano Marcos State University (MMSU) Batac City, Ilocos Norte.

Participants from MIMAROPA region were composed of Prof. Marissa Pontillas (Chair, MHRDC),Dr. Patrick Regoniel (Director, MHRDC), Mr. Marvin Plata (Chair, ERC), Dr. Romeo Lerom (Chair, R&D), Dr. Diosdado Zulueta (Chair, CBC), Dr. Virginia Alkiate, Ms. Sol Theresa Logo, Mr. Hagari Toyokan, Mr. Justine Byla-ay (CHED MIMAROPA), Ms. Sabrina Elechosa (SRS II, DOST-PCHRD),Mr.Jezreel Sarabia (member,ERC), Ms. Rhoda Lyn Ramos (DOST MIMAROPA-Project Staff), Ms. Angela Kaye Reyes, Ms. Janet Cayabyab and Ms. Angelie SOngco (DOH-MIMAROPA).

Imparting the strategies and techniques from region 1 were Dr. Maria Lourdes K. Otayza, chair R1HRDC, Dr. Jose B. Orosa III, chair R&D, Dr. Mercita Queddeng, chair RUC, Dr. Hilarion H. Maramba Jr.,chair ERC with members Dr. Larguita Reotutar, Dr. Marivic Alimbuyuguen and Ms. Anita Criste and Ms. Lucila Roja from DOST-PCHRD.

This undertaking along with the support of the R1HRDC and the Philippine Council for Health Research and Development (PCHRD) is one of MHRDC's ways to achieve their mission to be the catalyst of change not only in research but also in the health of the MIMAROPA Region.