Research Utilization

In line with its commitment to optimize the use of research to help alleviate the health and nutrition problems in Region IX, the Zamboanga Consortium for Health Research and Development (ZCHRD) through the DOST’s Philippine Council for Health Research and Development (PCHRD) and Pfizer Philippines conducted the second round of critiquing of the two (2) research proposals on January 20, 2012 at the Conference Room of the Department of Science and Technology Regional Office No. IX (DOST IX). The papers will come from the Ateneo de Zamboanga University - College of Nursing (ADZU-CN) and Western Mindanao State University (WMSU) -College of Communications & Humanities, respectively.

The ADZU research proposal aims to focus on describing the perinatal practices of the Subanen, Badjao, and Tausug women. The study, entitled “Documentation of the Perinatal Practices of the Subanen, Badjao & Tausug in Zamboanga City Basis for Enhanced Health Care Services” hopes to develop a framework to improve the perinatal care services of the indigenous people.

On the other hand, the WMSU - College of Communications & Humanities will be delving into the prevalence of mothers who exclusively breastfeed their infants, through a study on “Exclusive Breastfeeding Among Selected Low Income Barangays in Zamboanga City”. Aside from the prevalence and affecting factors, the research

Pfizer’s funding is given through the program “Providing an Enabling Environment for Research in Health (PEER Health). It is an exclusive research grant given to researchers in Zamboanga Peninsula and ARMM through the tripartite partnership of the PCHRD-DOST, University of the Philippines-Manila, National Institutes of Health (UPM-NIH) and Pfizer Philippines Foundation.

The PEER Health Research Grant Program promotes the value of health research by supporting local researches that respond to current and relevant health concerns in the Philippines. Through this program, interested young researchers will be provided funding support, training, and mentoring on research protocol development, project implementation, good clinical practice, research ethics, data analysis, and publication of results in a scientific journal.

For more information, you may visit or call the DOST-IX office at Pettit Barracks, Zamboanga City with telephone numbers (062) 991-1024 and look for Mr. Ricardo Apolinario III. (DOST-IX Press Release)

The Zamboanga Consortium for Health Research and Development (ZCHRD) through the DOST’s Philippine Council for Health Research and Development (PCHRD) announces the initial approval of funding support to three (3) local health research proposals in Zamboanga City.

The research proposals are 1) “Documentation of the Perinatal Practices of the Subanen, Badjao & Tausug in Zamboanga City Basis for Enhanced Health Care Services” by Ateneo de Zamboanga University (ADZU) - College of Nursing; 2) “Assessment of School-based Nutrition Health Program in Public Elementary Schools in Zamboanga City” by Western Mindanao State University (WMSU) - College of Communications & Humanities; 3) “The Status of Breastfeeding Program of the government among Selected Low Income Barangays in Zamboanga City” by WMSU - College of Communications & Humanities.

Specifically, Pzifer’s funding is under the program re “Providing an Enabling Environment for Research in Health (PEER Health). This program is a tripartite partnership of the PCHRD, University of the Philippines Manila - National Institutes of Health (UPM-NIH) and Pfizer Philippines Foundation.

The PEER Health Research Grant Program promotes the value of health research by supporting local researches that respond to current and relevant health concerns in the Philippines. Through this program, interested young researchers will be provided funding support, training, and mentoring on research protocol development, project implementation, good clinical practice, research ethics, data analysis, and publication of results in a scientific journal.

Applicants-researchers should be no more than 45 years of age, a Filipino citizen, and affiliated with a pre-selected research-based institution. The research topic must fall within the following areas:

1. Ways to address the problem of malnutrition in a resource-poor setting;
2. Evaluation of strategies for controlling parasitic infections in endemic areas;
3. Strategies to improve health-seeking behavior and access to reproductive health services;
4. Public health interventions to reduce maternal and child mortality (e.g. pre-pregnancy package implementation and birth outcomes,factors affecting home deliveries vs. health facility deliveries, and factors affecting adolescent and teen pregnancies);
5. Interventions for the prevention and control of important infectious diseases such as dengue, leptospirosis, measles, TB, etc.;
6. Impact of climate change on health; and
7. Role of complementary and alternative medicine.

ZCHRD is an organization created to optimize the use of research to help alleviate the health and nutrition problems of the people in Region IX, with financial and technical support of the DOST-PCHRD. The consortium is led by the ADZU with Dr. Teresita Montano as the Chairperson.

As 2012 looms, ZCHRD preps up to welcome the incoming year with enthusiasm as it conducted its strategic and work financial planning last December 12-13, 2011. Dr. Teresita G. Montaño said that well defined strategic and work financial plans are the core of any organization that would want to boost their growth in terms of health researchers.

The consortium Chair facilitated the 2-day activity all throughout, consequently moving around from one table to another entertaining queries and provides inputs to the four (4) committees.

The members revisited the vision, mission, goals and objectives of the consortium to determine its applicability to the current situation of the Peninsula. Modifications were made to effectively address the National Unified Health Research Agenda (NUHRA). The research agenda of the consortium was also reviewed. It was tailor-fitted to target each if not all the priority areas of PCHRD.

The committee workshop proper began with Dr. Montaño addressing the committees to submit at least two (2) activities per committee, some suggested a Mentoring program, a literature review workshop, and other dovetailed activities targeted in problem-based projects/plans.

Research and development (R&D) stressed the need to have a procedures manual and an R&D agenda for ZCHRD. They also saw the need to prepare for the 2013 Regional Health Research Summit in collaboration with the Department of Health IX through a forum on health research. The protocols that will be reviewed by R&D for the said forum will be reviewed and screened based on the event’s theme. The said screening will also be the avenue to select presenters for the 2013 regional health research summit of ZCHRD.

Ma. Agnes Z. Mabolo, DOH IX Medical Specialist & Research Coordinator, and concurrent chair of the quad media arm of the consortium, the Research Information and Communication, Utilization and Publications Committee (RICUP) will be spearheading the said event of DOH.

As part of RICU’s effort in promoting health research in the region, Dr. Mabolo stressed in their committee discussion the need to increase the awareness of Zamboangueños to include Isabelanos of Isabela City, Basilan. With the region’s limited access to the internet, it is the responsibility of government through its agencies to help disseminate new knowledge gained from breakthroughs in health through information technology. The population is a double-edged sword, it is up to government on how to use the people to advance public interest, the medical specialist said.

RICU will employ quad media to penetrate different locales. Radio and print for the rural areas, television (tv), radio, and some print materials for the Rurban, and tv & the internet for the urbanized area. As a conclusion of the RICU’s activities, an information drive to be implemented in the provinces will be conducted first.

The Ethics Review Committee (ERC) of the consortium on the other hand proposed to capacitate their members with advance training in ethics review. In its quest for improvement, the ERC will revisit their operations manual to include updates from the recently concluded ethics review training. This will include the adaption of ISO standard forms and improvements in the content of the manual to include the process of ethics review. Ethics Committee will also facilitate in the screening of research papers for the September 05, 2012 health research forum, and the literature review write shop of the Human Resource Development Committee.

While the three committees will be busy in streamlining processes and improve networks and linkages with stakeholders, the Human Resource Development Committee headed by the social scientist Dr. Servando D. Halili, Jr. with his team proposed to conduct a workshop on literature review writing. The objective of this workshop will be to capacitate novice, beginning, and proficient professional researchers with the knowledge in writing the theoretical backbone of researches. The proposals derived from this workshop will then be refined according to PCHRD’s standards for possible funding.

The Strategic and Work Financial Planning ended with a luncheon with all the members of the different committees after submitting proposals in soft copies to the consortium secretariat. RICUP met immediately after the workshop to plan schedule their activities for 2012 primarily the Information drive in the province of Zamboanga del Norte.

The DOST Science Education Institute (DOST-SEI) announces the availability of scholarships for Master’s and Doctorate (MS & PhD) degrees in priority S&T areas through the implementation of the Accelerated Science and Technology Human Resource Development Program (ASTHRDP). Acceptance of the application is now open until April 30, 2012.

The DOST-SEI offers two (2) types of graduate scholarship:

1. 1. University-based MS/PhD Program
   2. Thesis/Dissertation Grant Support for R&D priority areas of DOST

The grant of the scholarship aims to help improve the country’s global competitiveness and capability to innovate through alternative approaches on HRD in S&T and to accelerate the production of high-level human resources needed for S&T.

Applicants to the scholarship program must belong to any of the following:

1. 1. Professionals doing research or those from industry
   2. Newly graduated students
   3. On-going MS/PhD students in priority S&T fields and DOST network schools

Moreover, the applicant must also:

• • Not more than 45 years old at the time of application;
  • Be in good health condition;
  • Be a Filipino citizen;
  • Have passed the admission requirements for graduate studies at any of the DOST identified institutions; and
  • Have passed the interview and other screening procedures.

Among the privileges that DOST scholars will be receiving are:

^{*given only to those who will study outside their home province}

The scholarship awardees may choose from any of the following priority fields of study which include:

1. 1. Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Resources
   2. Biological Sciences
   3. Biotechnology
   4. Chemical Sciences
   5. Earth, Atmospheric and Space Sciences
   6. Environmental Sciences
   7. Fisheries and Marine Science
   8. Information and Communication Technology
   9. Materials Science and Nanotechnology
   10. Pure and Applied Mathematics
   11. Health and Pharmaceutical Sciences; and
   12. Pure and Applied Physics

The scholarship award shall be for full-time graduate studies for the completion of an MS/PhD degree in any of the DOST identified priority fields. Awardees shall execute a Scholarship Agreement with DOST. Furthermore, an evaluation of the academic performance of the scholar based on established policies shall be done to determine the scholarship status every semester or term. A service obligation to be rendered in the Philippines shall be required of the scholars after finishing the MS/PhD degree, i.e. one year for every year of scholarship. And a refund of scholarship grant with interest for non-completion of the graduate program and failure to comply with the service obligation.

Application Form and Brochure about the scholarship can be downloaded at www.sei.dost.gov.ph. Completed application and other documentary requirements may be submitted personally or by mail to the Graduate Office of the Science Consortium Member Universities, DOST Councils and SEI.

For more inquiries, please contact Ms. Josephine B. Nohay at telephone numbers (062) 991-1024.