Breaking silos, fostering a thriving research culture: DOST RDLead FIRE retools and networks researchers, institutions
Researchers across the country continue to generate knowledge within their respective disciplines, yet many still encounter persistent barriers that limit the broader impact of their work. These barriers include difficulty translating research outputs into solutions that respond to community needs, limited access to interdisciplinary expertise, and insufficient opportunities for sustained mentoring and skills development. Addressing these gaps remains essential to building a research ecosystem that responds to both regional realities and national development priorities.
To confront these challenges, the Department of Science and Technology–National Research Council of the Philippines (DOST-NRCP) continues to retool research leaders and connect institutions, state universities and colleges (SUCs), and partner research organizations across regions through its Enhanced Research and Development Leadership to Foster an Inclusive Research Ecosystem (RDLead FIRE) Program.
As reported by NRCP President Dr. Ma. Louise Antonette N. De Las Peñas, the RDLead FIRE Program has reached 61 provinces as of 2025. It has engaged a total of 113 RD Leaders and supported 109 institutions nationwide. The pool of community mentors and mentees who guide researchers and faculty members, particularly at the regional level, continues to increase.
On December 17, 2025, the Council recognized its RD Leaders, host institutions, and partner organizations for their contributions to strengthening the research ecosystem during the RDLead Conference and Year-end Assembly. The event was held at the Grand Westside Hotel Manila Bay in Parañaque.
The conference also featured concrete outcomes of the RDLead FIRE Program through institutional success stories. Six SUCs, two each from Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao, presented how sustained mentoring by RD Leaders strengthened their research performance. These interventions contributed to enhanced faculty competencies and increased research publications.
In recognition of these achievements, awards were conferred on outstanding RD Leaders, host institutions, and partner organizations. The awards highlighted leadership that advanced research capacity, nurtured emerging researchers, and strengthened regional research ecosystems.
DOST Undersecretaries Dr. Leah J. Buendia, Ms. Maridon O. Sahagun, and Engr. Sancho A. Mabborang, lauded the RD Leaders for mentoring researchers and strengthening research capacities of NRCP’s partner institutions. Similarly, they also recognized the crucial support of host institutions in providing enabling environments where knowledge exchange, mentoring relationships, and innovation flourish.
Five RD Leaders involved in the program also shared insights on mentoring faculty members, partner institutions and organizations in generating impactful studies and publishing in indexed journals. They emphasized that building researchers’ technical capability is essential to ensuring that research findings inform policy, industry practice, and community development.
An open forum allowed RD Leaders to share practical strategies and lessons learned in pursuing research with impact. The discussion highlighted approaches to sustaining research culture across regions, particularly in institutions with emerging research capacity.
In support of the program, DOST Secretary Renato U. Solidum Jr. reiterated the role of RD Leaders in sustaining research excellence through collaboration and in contributing to the broader vision of the Department.
“We at the DOST cannot do it (research that is responsive to the needs of communities) on our own. We need your expertise, knowledge, dedication, and burning passion to keep pursuing research and innovation for our country despite the odds,” he acknowledged.
In his keynote address, Hon. Jude Acidre urged stakeholders to scale up RDLead initiatives by strengthening evidence-based policymaking, fostering collaborations, cultivating leadership, and ensuring that research remains closely connected to the needs of communities.
He also emphasized the importance of conducting relevant research, “Not research for prestige, but research for policy. Not research for publication alone, but research for the people,” he added. Through the RDLead FIRE Program, DOST-NRCP continues to build a stronger and more inclusive research ecosystem. The program strengthens research leadership as a crucial asset in advancing basic research that supports evidence-based policymaking and holistic development. (Rose Dagupen//S&T Media Services)
