In its continued pursuit of academic excellence and sustainable research the Research and Planning Office (RPO), under the leadership of its director, Dr. Noeda Madamesila, held a two-day “Research Capacity Building Workshop for Developing Publishable Academic and Scientific Papers,” on June 26-27, 2025 at the school Auditorium.
The workshop gathered faculty researchers in the institution across disciplines for intensive training on refining research outputs toward publication. School President Rev. Fr. Jose Rene C. Delariarte, OSA expressed the institution’s support for strengthening research in higher education.
Furthermore, the workshop was facilitated by seasoned research experts and mentors Dr. Jonel Saludes, Dr. Reymund B. Flores, Dr. Randy Madrid, Dr. Alexander Balsomo, Dr. Ma. Karmella Apaya, Dr. Rhoda Campillan, Dr. Geneve Parreño-Lachica, and Mr. Norman Laurista—each bringing years of academic and research experience to the table.
As a keynote speaker, Dr. Jonel Saludes emphasized the importance of internal capacity-building, stating, “We cannot give what we do not have,” underscoring the need for researchers to continuously seek knowledge in order to make meaningful contributions to their field.
Meanwhile, Dr. Reymund B. Flores delivered a lecture titled, “On Publishing Academic Outputs: Retelling the Same Old Stories,” delving into the challenges, strategies for publishing scholarly journals, and how to deal with rejections.
Moreover, Dr. Flores’ talk sparked active discussions during the open forum where each guest research mentor joined in, particularly around the emerging role of Artificial Intelligence in research and placed emphasis on personal scrutiny.
One of the highlights of the workshop was the small-group mentoring session, where participants were grouped with their assigned mentors to discuss their research papers in depth.
On Day 2, the collaborative setup was extended into one-on-one consultations at each table group, allowing for personalized feedback and focused guidance tailored to each faculty researcher’s needs.
The workshop continued with participants and mentors sharing their experiences, reflecting how research connects people. It became a meaningful moment to express gratitude for the guidance received and the opportunity to be mentored.
“We publish and we flourish, but at the same time our flourishing is not only ourselves, but our society where we are serving,” said Dr. Alexander Balsomo, one of the research mentors.
The workshop concluded with the recognition of participants whose research is completed and on its way to publication. Each was given a pledge of commitment contract to continue the publishing process, with the Research and Planning Office (RPO) assuring full support and funding to help bring their work to publication.
Certificates of appreciation were also awarded to participants and mentors for their contributions, with a special recognition from the University of San Agustin-Iloilo to Mr. Norman Laurista for his valuable involvement in the workshop.
Source: The Eagle Publication
