Central Mindanao University’s (CMU) Jason Alcano wins first place at the Oral Research Paper Presentation Competition for the Grantees of the Department of Science and Technology – Philippine Council for Health Research and Development (DOST-PCHRD) Undergraduate Thesis Grant in Natural Products held via Zoom  last 9 August 2022.

Conducted as part of the 15th Philippine National Health Research System (PNHRS) Week, the competition was participated by grantees of the program who received the top six highest average scores from technical evaluators in 2019 and 2021. 

Alcano’s winning research presentation entitled, “Exploring the Philippine Endemic Hornstedtia conoidea fruit and Etlingera elatior inflorescence: Its metabolite profile and antioxidant activity and its potential for functional powder development,” focused on the metabolomic profiling of two understudied edible ginger plants. Parallel to the theme of the 15th PNHRS week, he emphasized how “it is only fitting to tap our own biodiversity, our local plants, to look for alternative medicine and food sources.”

Meanwhile, Wenzel Perian of the Western Mindanao State University and Jerson Angelo Armecin of the Velez College Philippines bagged the 2nd and 3rd place in the competition, respectively. Their studies likewise focused on natural products, specifically on mango peels and seed extracts, and seaweed extracts. 

Highlighting how the research grant and competition serve as a platform to train young researchers, DOST-PCHRD Executive Director Dr. Jaime Montoya explains the relevance of building a pool of well-rounded researchers. “Along with assisting our young researchers in the conduct of research, we believe it is equally important to allow them to gain experience in communicating their studies which is the focus of this activity,” he said. 

“Throughout the years, our researchers have proven that indeed, our talents across the regions are worth supporting. In turn, the Council will always support Filipino researchers of all ages in realizing their potentials and building their capacities in health research through programs such as the Undergraduate Thesis Grant and the Oral Research Paper Competition,” Dr. Montoya added.

A replay of the competition may be accessed here.

Both professional and student contenders from Western Visayas clinched the first place in the Oral Research Paper Competition during the 15th Philippine National Health Research System (PNHRS) Week held on August 8-9, 2022 at Marriott Hotel, Clark, Pampanga.

Ms. Adrienne Marrie Bugayong Janagap of the University of the Philippines (UP) Visayas bagged the first place in the Professional category with her research entitled, “Tubby and Hmgb2 Interaction and Potential Role in Adipogenesis,” while the winner in the Student category is Ms. Princess Jewel Guzman of Colegio San Agustin-Bacolod, with her research entitled, “Practices and Challenges of Antimicrobial Stewardship among Pharmacists in Selected Community and Hospital Pharmacies in Bacolod City.”

Aiming to provide a platform for the dissemination and sharing of selected health research outputs conducted by both professional and student researchers, the PNHRS holds the competition yearly as part of the PNHRS Week celebrated every second week of August.

The other winners of the competition are as follows:

Professional

• 2nd place - Region 1: Ms. Sarah Jane Tan of Mariano Marcos Memorial Hospital and Medical Center (Serologic SARS-CoV-2 Antibody Level and Factors Affecting its Production After COVID-19 VAccination Among Employees of MMMHMC)
• 3rd place - Region 10: Mr. Mark Lloyd Dapar of Central Mindanao University (Quantitative ethnopharmacological documentation and molecular confirmation of medicinal plants used by Monobo tribe of Agusan del Sur, Philippines

Student

• 2nd place - Region 5: Ms. Maedel Joice B. Castro of Bicol University (CoVfirm: A Web browser Plug-in for COVID-19 VAccine False Information Detection)
• 3rd place - CARAGA: Ms. Hazel Faith N. Pelpinosas of Caraga State University (A Type of SEIR Model with a Large Set of Undetected Asymptomatic with Short and Long Term COVID-19 Dynamics to Better Comprehend Vaccination Immunity and Treatment

The competition, held in a hybrid format, allows researchers to showcase their research outputs and highlight relevant findings that can be used and adapted to further realize a healthy Filipino community.

“Thank you, PCHRD, for supporting an idea in 1996.” 

University of the Philippines Manila (UPM) Chancellor Carmencita Padilla highlighted the importance of believing in research ideas by citing her work on newborn screening in 1996, during her keynote message for the 40th anniversary of the Department of Science and Technology - Philippine Council for Health Research and Development (DOST-PCHRD) last March 17, 2022.

“In 1996, my mentor, Dr. Carmelita Domingo, and I initiated the newborn screening project in 24 hospitals,” she recalled. “This entails getting a few drops of blood from the heel of a newborn to run tests to diagnose certain conditions that can be treated immediately to save the baby from mental retardation and death.”

Needing to cover 18 private and six government hospitals for an adequate sample size, Dr. Padilla shared how they worked to secure funding for the project from the DOST-PCHRD and UPM. She shared how the support from both institutions paved the way for the research project which became the basis for the National Comprehensive Newborn Screening Program, which is now supported by Republic Act 9288 or the Newborn Screening Act of 2004.

She explained how the project started as Dr. Domingo’s vision. “For 17 years, (she) was trying to get funding. She learned about newborn screening in the US when she was doing her pediatric residency program. That was in the 60s. She wanted the country to join the world in getting it adopted as a national policy.”

Relative to this, she addressed funding agencies to emphasize how important it is to believe in ideas, whether big or small. “Big things come from small ideas. And no matter how small an idea is, they should be given a chance to be proven in the context of science and research.”

“If PCHRD did not give me that half a million (of funding support), and just depended on the private sector for the numbers needed for a national recommendation, then maybe, we still do not have a national newborn screening program.”

Compared to when it started, the program was able to significantly expand its coverage, which now screens for 29 conditions and is implemented by more than 7000 facilities in the country.  (Newborn Screening Program | Department of Health website) Dr. Padilla proudly reported that through the years, “the program has saved thousands of newborns from mental retardation and death.”

In completing research projects, she reminded researchers to keep the greater good in mind and to bring their research output to the people. She also emphasized how the future for health research is a shared responsibility: "With government funding and the academe for a nurturing environment, and the researchers for the continuous supply of new solutions for the old and new issues of the country.” 

“My fellow researchers, I have enjoyed my research journey. Do enjoy your journey,” she concluded.

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Dr. Carmencita Padilla is a pioneer in genetics in the Philippines and the Asia Pacific region. She is a Professor of Pediatrics at the College of Medicine and the current Chancellor of the University of the Philippines Manila. She is the Founding Director of the Institute of Human Genetics and the Newborn Screening Reference Center at the National Institutes of Health. Recognizing her varied contributions to the academic growth of genetics in the Philippines, she was conferred Academician of the National Academy of Science and Technology (NAST) in 2008. 



Written by: Jwynne Macan