Membership expansion is important and critical to the success of every organization for it is a sign of growth and maturity. The Region 1 Health Research and Development Consortium (R1HRDC) and Regional Ethics Monitoring Board 1 (REMB-1) simultaneously visited institutions in Pangasinan on May 22, 2018 to promote their services in the field of health research.

Through the years, R1HRDC have been a partner to many academes and health institutions in the region and it is continuously striving to reach every research enthusiast. The team is composed of Dr Leo B. Solis, Ms Ana Gay Ranga of R1HRDC and Ms Lucila Roja from PCHRD who visited institutions of Drug Treat and Rehabilitation Center in Dagupan City and Philippine College of Science and Technology in Calasiao.

Meanwhile, the visiting team of the recently established REMB-1 is composed of Ms Anita Criste, Mr Ariel Bacani and Ms Liezel Biag who visited Virgen Milagrosa University Foundation in San Carlos City and Lyceum Northwestern University in Dagupan City. This is to encourage the institutions to establish their Ethics Review Committee (ERC), check their activities, undergo for accreditation and to promote the activities of REMB-1 being the arm of the Philippine Health Research Ethics Board (PHREB) in the region.

This institutional visit is one of the many ways and activities of both offices in order to strengthen ties between them and their stakeholders.