PUERTO PRINCESA, PALAWAN- “Ethnic groups worldwide are not exempted from the consequences of the changing environment,” thus emphasized during the session on Indigenous Health System and Environmental Pressures last 10th Philippine National Health Research System (PNHRS) Week celebration on 10 August 2016 at Citystate Asturias Hotel.

According to Dr. Jaime Montoya, PNHRS Lead Coordinator and Philippine Council for Health Research and Development (PCHRD) Executive Director, ethic groups are highly dependent on natural resources for survival. They are also vital in helping to improve the resilience of our ecosystem.

“[However] several environmental pressures such as habitat change, pollution, climate change and over-exploitation of resources greatly affect their way of life, especially their health,” he said.

Speakers of the session include Dr.  Isidro Sia of Philippine Institute of Traditional and Alternative Health Care (PITAHC), Ms. April Grace Ortega-Liao of Palawan State University (PSU), Mr. Juanito Guarde of Department of Education-Naujan South District, and Atty. Erwin Caliba of the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples.

Sia discussed ways on “Building Resilient Indigenous People’s Health and Food Systems Through Agro-ecological Principles and Practices” through his introduction of the rich culture and biodiversity of the country and indigenous knowledge and practices of the IPs towards the environment.

“Ang pangangalaga sa kalikasan ay pangangalaga rin sa tao, sa buhay at sa kalusugan,” he emphasized.

Liao and Guarde shared their experiences on engaging with Tagbanua and Mangyan groups, respectively.

Liao discussed how Tagbanuas survived the changing environment through their health practices such as diday-diday, their habit of taking a break from working to protect their bodies. Likewise, Guarde, a Mangyan himself, stressed that they are happy and healthy people and contented with what they have.   

Caliba talked about the rights of indigenous cultural communities as stated in the 1987 Philippine constitution, citing  that ethic groups have rights to ancestral domains/lands, self-governance and empowerment, social justice, and cultural integrity. Likewise, he explained that all activities or researches to be done at the ancestral domain should have free and prior informed consent (FPIC).

PNHRS is an integrated national framework for health research which aims to promote cooperation and integration of all health research efforts and stakeholders in the country. For more information, visit its website at healthresearch.ph.

Local health researches, both by students and professionals, were recognized in the recently concluded 10th Philippine National Health Research System Week Celebration in Puerto Princesa City, Palawan last August 10-11, 2016.

The study, “Efficacy of the Mosquito Repellent Spray of the Crude Extract from the Leaves of Alpinia elegans (Tagbak) against Aedes aegypti”presented by Giselle Padilla of the Our Lady of Fatima University bagged the 1st place award in the 2016 DOST-PCHRD-Gruppo Medica Award for Outstanding Undergraduate Thesis in Herbal Medicine.

Student-researchers from the Western Visayas State University (WVSU) – College of Medicine earned 1st place during the Student Research Competition for their study on the positive effects of bee venom in reducing colon cancer cells. WVSU – College of Medicine also bagged the 1stprize in the poster category for the study, “In Vitro Evaluation of Anti-Staphylococcal, Anti-Cervical Adenocarcinoma, and Anti-Hepatocellular Carcinoma Activities of Aqueous, Butanol, and Chloroform Fractions of Durian (Durio zibethinus) Ring Methanolic Extracts.” 

The study “Detection and Sequential Enrichment of Glycopeptides and Phosphopeptides as Cancer Biomarkers by Functionalized NH2/ZIC HILIC-type Magnetic Nanoprobes” by Dr. Rey Capangpangan of Caraga State University was declared the 1st prize winner for the Professional Research Competition. Researchers from Saint Mary’s University and University of the Philippines - Manila won 2nd and 3rd prizes, respectively. Angeles University Foundation and Pampanga State Agricultural University bagged the 1st prize in the professional poster category for their study on the anti-hyperglycemic properties of ethyl acetate from “kundol” leaves.

The Western Visayas Health Research and Development Consortium won 1st place in the Best Consortium Poster Competition.

Here is the complete list of winners awarded during the 10th PNHRS Closing Ceremonies last August 11, 2016:

PUERTO PRINCESA, PALAWAN- When asked how Unilab Foundation engages their stakeholders to support their advocacies, Ms. Rhodora Palomar-Fresnedi, Unilab Foundation Executive Director, emphasized the importance of “craft, curate, and communicate” during her presentation for the Health Research Communicators Meeting on 9 August 2016 at Citystate Asturias Hotel.  

According to Fresnedi, knowing what story you want to tell is crucial in engaging stakeholders. In crafting a story, one should consider the possible reasons why people would want to hear a story. Likewise, one should be certain of the change that he/she wants his/her audience to make.

“You can’t build a community if no one can associate with your conflict,” Fresnedi emphasized. To connect with their audience, Fresnedi cited that all programs of Unilab Foundation are research-based. 

To curate a story, Fresnedi advised to create a communication experience that will enable the people to become story tellers of their own.

“Kapag maganda ang istorya, if you build the experience, hindi niyo na kailangang mangimbita [ng mga tao], sila ang pupunta sayo,” she explained. The message becomes positive when people write from the heart, she added.

Another aspect to consider is communicating the message. In every research, the researcher should identify his/her target audience, ways to reach them, and means to measure his/her success on engaging them. The researcher should have robust communication, foundation, and structure, Fresnedi explained.

“Tell a story so compelling, others would want to write about it,” she ended.

The Health Research Communicators meeting is one of the pre-events of the 10th Philippine National Health Research System (PNHRS) week celebration. With the theme “Research and Innovation for Health and the Environment,” the 10th PNHRS Week provided a platform for interaction, learning, and collaboration of different stakeholders in health research and development.