NRCP names Best Poster winners at the NRCP Mindanao Membership Confab

Photo From L-R: Dr. Bernardo N. Sepeda, NRCP Executive Director; Dr. Ephrime B. Metillo, NRCP Mindanao Regional Cluster (MRC) Chair; Dr. Ramir Philip Jones V. Sonsona, representing Social Sciences category winner Dr. Renato L. Base; Dr. Joycelyn C. Jumawan and Mr. Leonardo Estano, Natural Sciences category winners; and Dr. Leslie Michelle M. Dalmacio, NRCP Governing Board President.

The National Research Council of the Philippines (NRCP) of the Department of Science and Technology named the Best Poster winners of the Scientific Poster Competition at the 21st Mindanao Regional Cluster (MRC) Convention and Stakeholders’ Engagement, held at the Caraga State University in Butuan City last November 30 to December 1, 2023.

The winning poster from the Social Sciences category titled, “A Study of the COVID-19 Coronavirus Mental Models on Risk: Basis in Developing Risk Communication Strategy for Disaster Risk Reduction and Management” was an entry by Dr. Renato L. Base of the University of Science and Technology of Southern Philippines. It was from a study funded by the DOST through the NRCP Science and Technology Experts Pool (NSTEP) project.

The winner from the Natural Sciences category titled, “First Philippine record of two Fish-borne trematode (FiBT) species from the freshwater snail Physella acuta Draparnaud, 1805 from rice fields adjacent Lake Mainit” was by Dr. Joycelyn C. Jumawan of Caraga State University and Mr. Leonardo Estano of Mindanao State University – Iligan Institute of Technology. This entry was from a study funded in part by the DOST-PCHRD.

This year’s convention theme, “Towards a Positive VUCAD² (visionary, understandable, clear, agile, digital, diverse) Future: Science Technology and Innovation’s Role in the Sustainable Development in the Mindanao Region,” aims to highlight the critical role of science, technology, and innovation (STI) in achieving sustainable development goals, enhancing productivity, and catalyzing a dynamic transformation of the economy.

The Council received a total of forty-two submissions across three disciplines: Social Sciences, Natural Sciences, and Physical Sciences. The NRCP is elated by this overwhelming turnout and is grateful by the support and participation of its members from the Mindanao region. After a rigorous evaluation process by a Board of Evaluators composed of NRCP Expert Members, two entries ultimately bagged the top prize.

These regional conventions, poster exhibits, membership assemblies, and stakeholder engagements provide the venue for scientific discussion and sharing of NRCP updates, research grants, and membership policies. To date, there are almost 800 members listed in the NRCP Mindanao Cluster (Jeremiah Vincent T. Gepaya, NRCP).