The Mariano Marcos State University (MMSU) successfully wrapped up its 2025 Agency In-House Research Review (AIHRR) from August 4 to 6 at the NBERIC Auditorium, with the top papers in four research clusters recognized during the closing ceremony.
This year’s AIHRR reviewed 89 researches—covering 80 percent of the 111 scheduled presentations—across four research clusters: Cluster 1 - Agriculture, Forestry, and Natural Resources, Environment, and Fisheries (25 papers); Cluster 2 - Engineering and Industry (18); Cluster 3 - Health, Wellness, and Product Development (22); and Cluster 4 - Education, Social Sciences, Humanities, Culture, and Arts (24).
A highlight of the review is the announcement of the best paper in each cluster. The following are the awarded papers presented by the respective principal researchers:
- Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Resources, Environment and Fisheries: Mainstreaming the Sustainable Conservation and Utilization of Iloco Crop Genetic Diversity by Dr. Menisa A. Antonio Mr. Jonathan Ramos, Ms. Ma. Concepcion Birginias, Dr. Dionisio S. Bucao, Ms. Xenia Bucao, Engr. Zaldy Fernandez;
- Health and Wellness and Product Development: Development and Characterization of Kamangeg (Dioscorea luzoniensis) Resistant Starch for Use as Biopolymer in Probiotic Microencapsulation by Prof. Kristian Gay D. Beltran and co-authored by Engr. Nina Angelika C. Collado, Dr. Mae Ann B. Lista, Mr. Christian Angelo R. Rafael, Mr. Juvan P. Ong, Dr. Dionisio S. Bucao, Prof. Rhian Jaymar D. Ramil;
- Engineering and Industry: Climate-Responsive Water Management Strategies in the Philippines: A Case Study of the Abra River Basin by Dr. Nathaniel R. Alibuyog and co-authored by Dr. Rodel T. Utrera; and
- Education, Social Sciences, Humanities, Culture and Arts: Cross-Sectional Study on the Readiness of Community-Based Clinics in City of Batac, Ilocos Norte to Universal Health Care Reforms by Dr. Mayla Veronica C. Madrigal, Dr. Rachelle J. Bocoboc, Dr. Phoebe Nicole Y. Agcaoili.
Meanwhile, of the 89 papers presented,
53 were endorsed for external presentation and dissemination at conferences and other scientific venues, including the ILAARRDEC commodity reviews. These included 18 from cluster 1, 15 from cluster 2, 16 from cluster 3, and 4 from cluster 4. The complete list was announced by the respective chair of each evaluation panel in each cluster during the review’s closing program.
(See the complete list in this link)
Serving as evaluators were Dr. Dionisio S. Bucao, Dr. Menisa A. Antonio, and Ms. Noralyn B. Legaspi for Agriculture, Forestry, and Natural Resources, Environment and Fisheries; Dr. Melvin Bagot, Dr. Jun Jun Pabilin, and Dr. Doreen Domingo for Health and Wellness and Product Development; Dr. Eric Halabaso, Engr. Vladimir Banez, and Dr. Cristina Valentin for Engineering and Industry; and Dr. Christine Joy Lim, Dr. Rosabel Acosta, Ms. Hazel Queen Sambo-Lanuza, and Dr. Sherlyn Nicolas for Education, Social Sciences, Humanities, Culture, and Arts.
The AIHRR, organized annually by the MMSU Research Directorate, serves as a monitoring and evaluation tool for the university’s research projects and as a clearing house for research results prior to wider dissemination.
Dr. Nathaniel R. Alibuyog, VP for Research, Development, and Innovation (VPRID), presented certificates of recognition to the winning researchers, along with certificates of appreciation and tokens for the evaluators. In his closing message, Dr. Alibuyog emphasized the importance of transformative, multi- and interdisciplinary research that directly addresses community needs and supports regional development. He urged researchers to fully commit to their work, appreciate the feedback from evaluators, and aim for excellence in producing outputs—whether in the form of publications, policies, or technologies—that can create a lasting impact.
