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The Department of Science and Technology-Philippine Council for Health Research and Development (DOST-PCHRD) is pleased to announce that the Call for Nominations for the 2024 Alberto G. Romualdez, Jr. Outstanding Health Research Award (AROHRA) is now open.

The Alberto G. Romualdez Jr. Outstanding Health Research Award (AROHRA) is given every three (3) years to encourage researchers to utilize their research findings in addressing the scientific and technological needs of the health delivery system and reward those whose research has contributed significantly to addressing prevalent health issues.

The Award seeks to commend research programs or projects that have demonstrated strong link between research and practice through the utilization of research findings in the health delivery system. Given by the DOST-PCHRD in collaboration with other implementing agencies of the Philippine National Health Research System (PNHRS). the Award has two (2) categories, namely: Biomedical Research and Health Services Research.

The Region 1 Health Research and Development Consortium (R1HRDC) joined the 2023 Regional Science and Technology Week (RSTW) in Region 1, with the theme "Agham at Teknolihiya; Kabalikat sa Maunlad at Matatag na Kinabukasan" held on October 16-18, 2023 at the Ilocos Norte Centennial Arena, Laoag City, Ilocos Norte. 

One of the activities conducted during the event was the technology exhibit. A successful three-day event featured scientific and technological breakthroughs ready for transfer and commercialization in response to the creation and wealth protection of the present administration. The activity also aims to respond to the economic development requirements of Region 1 through STI.

Exhibitors during the event were from different agencies/institutions supported by the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), more than 8,000 participants composed of students and professionals attended the exhibits.

A customary activity/program of the Department of Science and Technology-Philippine Council for Health Research and Development (DOST-PCHRD) is to fund an Undergraduate Thesis in Natural Products.

The said program aims to sustain a research culture in natural products to increase the number of research and later on build a pool of researchers/experts specializing in the field. It also supports the Tuklas Lunas program (Drug Discovery and Development Program) of the DOST-PCHRD which aims to develop safe, effective, and affordable alternative drugs from the country's natural resources.

In lieu with their mandate, a call for thesis submission was conducted last March 2023. The activity was open to all undergraduate students of Colleges of Pharmacy, Chemistry, Nursing, and Health and Allied Sciences who have thesis proposals on natural products, specifically utilizing indigenous plants in the region. A thesis grant amounting to fifty thousand pesos (50,000.00) was offered to qualified thesis proposals in the region.

This year, two (2) of the submitted proposals in Region 1 were qualified for funding as follows:

Upon completion, of the thesis project and submission of the required deliverables, the completed research papers have the chance to present/compete during the 17th Philippine National Health Research System (PNHRS) Week celebration in August 2024, wherein the top three (3) winners will be selected. Cash prizes include Php 30,000.00 for the first prize winner, Php 20,000.00 for the second prize winner, and Php 15,000.00 for the third prize winner.

The Philippine Health Research Ethics Board through its Committee on Standards and Accreditation, has granted a Level 2 Full Accreditation to Region 1 Health Research and Development Consortium (R1HRDC) – Ethics Review Committee (ERC) effective July 01, 2023 until June 30, 2025. As per 2022 National Ethical Guidelines for Research Involving Human Participants, Level 2 accredited REC reviews all types of research except clinical trials required for FDA registration of new drugs before its implementation.

The Region 1 Health Research and Development Consortium (R1HRDC) – Capacity Building Committee (CBC) have successfully conducted another two-day in person Training on Data Management on July 20-21, 2023 at El Cielito Hotel, Baguio City. The purpose of the training is to capacitate research committee members and researchers on the different methodologies in collecting, processing, and storing of research data. Thirty-three (33) researchers and technical review board members from the different member institutions participated the said training.