The Regional Health Research and Development Consortium XI (RHRDC XI) once again proves its strong health research thrust as it bags most of the major awards during the recently conducted 6th Philippine National Health Research System (PNHRS) Week Celebration at Sofitel Philippine Plaza, CCP Complex, Pasay City held on August 8-10, 2012.
This year’s theme “Sustaining Research Partnerships for Better Health” was emphasized by the entries during the conference such as Poster Exhibits and Oral Research Competitions in Health Science and Technology (student and professional categories). The competitions featured local research papers conducted by students, faculty members, medical doctors and other researchers from the seventeen (17) health research consortia in the country.
The RHRDC XI team bagged 1st place in the poster exhibit competition (student category) with Mr. Michael A. Casas’ research study entitled “Optimization of Pectin Extraction from the Peels of Citrus microcarpa (Kalamansi) and Proximate Analysis of the Residue for Selected Parameters.” Mr. Casas graduated from Ateneo de Davao University and is now teaching at the Philippine Science High School-Southern Mindanao Campus (PSHS-SMC).
Another 1st place was bagged by the research study entitled “Inhibition of Angiotensin I-Converting Enzyme (ACE) by Indigenous Fermented Foods” conducted by the University of the Philippines Mindanao with the proponents namely, Dr. Dulce M. Flores, MitchellRey M. Toleco and Kristine Mae Y. Abao.
Still in the poster exhibit competition (professional category), Dr. Anthony C. Sales of DOST XI, Cecille A. Monton of the Davao Food Safety Team, Dietmar Speckmaier of the Center for International Migration, Jane Roldan and Ann Yngete of the University of the Philippines-Mindanao bagged the 3rd place with their study entitled “Microbiological Quality Assessment of Selected Street Foods and Survey on the Hygienic Practices and Food Safety Attitudes of Vendors in Selected Areas of Davao City, Philippines”.
The University of Immaculate Concepcion students with their study entitled “Phytochemical and Antimicrobial Screenings of Five Medicinal Plants used as Folkloric Medicine by the Mindanaoan Lumads” was one of the finalists for the oral research competition (student category). Another study from the San Pedro College entitled “The Water Formulation of Cucumis sativus (Cucumber) Peel Extract as an Antihyperglycemic Agent” was also one of the finalists for the poster exhibit competition (student category).
The PCHRD Gruppo Medica a
ward was also given during the celebration which recognizes relevant and innovative research works on herbal medicine undertaken by undergraduate students. The award emphasizes research that can lead to practical and/or commercial applications. Students from the San Pedro College with their study entitled “The Antihyperglycemic and Antihypercholesterolemic Activities of the Capsule Formulation from the Whole Plant Extract of Cynodon dactylon Linn. Pers. (Bermuda grass)” by John Carlo L. Madrid, Shiela Mae U. Decoy, Rowena A. Evasco, Mae Ann F. Hong, Razel Mae A. Mabitasan, Prof. Fatima May R. Tesoro (adviser) and Prof. Leilani Betonio (Dean) bagged the 3rd place. Certificate of recognitions and cash awards were given to the winners and finalists.
PNHRS Week Celebration is an annual event conducted by the Philippine Council for Health Research and Development of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST-PCHRD) every 2nd week of August by virtue of Proclamation No. 1309 signed in 2007. The celebration provides a platform for the different stakeholders to interact, learn from each other, share information and experiences, voice concerns of respective regions and contribute research-based solutions to health problems.
