MARY JOY B. SANDE, R.N., RM., MN., PhDNEd, a Bicol University College of Nursing professor and Bicol HeaRT (Health Research Training) Batch-2 scholar of Bicol Consortium for Health Research and Development (BCHRD) is the region's representative who won 2nd-Place on the recently conducted 3-Minute Pitch to Policymakers Competition last March 17, 2021 01:00 PM via Zoom conference with her winning policy-pitch entitled "Antenatal care: Every Pregnant Mother's Right for Quality Care". The said pitch was sourced from one of the recently concluded researches of DOH CHD V in collaboration with BCHRD and Bicol University entitled "Utilization and Implementation of Antenatal Care Services in Iriga City and Tabaco City".

Dr. Sande won 20,000Php along with certificates.

The 3-Minute Pitch to Policymakers Competition is one of the highlights of the Philippine Council for Health Research and Development's (PCHRD) 39th-anniversary celebration with the theme "Strategic R&D Partnership for Global Health." The said competition will focus on the presentation of successfully completed health research studies with aims of exercising and cultivating researchers’ presentation, and research communication skills as a way of sharing evidence to stakeholders and policymakers.

For this year's event, we were able to witness 12 policy pitches of competitors who were nominated by their respective regional health research and development consortia. Competitors will present their completed research in a three-minute, one-slide presentation for a non-specialist audience based on set criteria.

Winners of the competition has received Php 10,000 for the 3^rd place, Php 20,000 for the 2^nd place, and Php 30,000 for the 1^st place.

Prizes for audience votes will also be given as People’s Choice Award worth Php 5,000.