State Universities and Colleges (SUCs) in Palawan dominated MHRDC 2^nd Annual Health Research Forum Best Paper and Poster Presentation held last December 12-13, 2013 at the Fersal Hotel, P. Tuazon Blvd., Quezon City.

Mildred Palon of Holy Trinity University won the 1^st Prize, Best Paper Presentation (Professional level), for her study entitled “The Ethnobotanical Plants of the Tagbanua Tribe in Puerto Princesa Underground River”. A duo from Palawan State University, Tameera Angelette McQueen and Vincent Mea Cabanillas, also bagged the 1^st Prize, Best Paper Presentation (Student Category) for their paper entitled “ Maternal, Neonatal and Child Health and Nutrition Strategy Program Implementation of  Rural Health Unit of Balabac to Molbog Indigenes of Barangay Catagupan, Balabac, Palawan”. April Grace Liao, also from PSU, also won 1^st prize, Best Poster Presentation (Professional Category) for the study entitled “ The Newborn Care Practice in Government Rurban Birthing Homes”. They received a cash prize worth PHP 12,000.00, PHP 10,000.00, and PHP 10,000 respectively together with a plaque of recognition

With the theme ‘’Enriching Lives in the Islands through Health Research” the two-day forum was a showcase of health and health related studies that pose considerable impact to the MIMAROPA community. Researches varied from assessment of maternal and newborn care to effectiveness of traditional medicines endemic to the province. The forum also featured talks on the different health research and development innovations today, particularly the Ovicidal Larvicidal Trap, also known as known as, O/L Trap, and the RxBox2 Technology.

Mitigating dengue

Dr. Blesshe Querijero, Former Assistant Regional Director for Field Operations of Department of Science and Technology-MIMAROPA (DOST-MIMAROPA), gave a brief introduction of the O/L Trap, in which she mentioned as a technology consisted of a tumbler, special formula pellets, and lawanit particular on terminating the eggs and larvae of the Aedes egypti, the dengue-carrying mosquito. As of date, O/L Trap Project, spearheaded by the Department of Science and Technology, together with the Department of Health and Department of Education, is doing roll-out across the country to monitor the efficacy of the technology. John Basil Rabaja, Project Staff of the O/L Trap Project, reported on the current phase of the project particular in the MIMAROPA region. He mentioned that This February 2014, the O/L trap team of MIMAROPA is set to do monitoring and evaluation all over the region.

Health for everyone

Another innovation introduced during the forum was a lecture via teleconferencing.  Dr. Portia Grace Marcelo, Director, UP-NTHC, gave a brief talk on the the Efficacy of the RxBox2 technology developed by the University of the Philippines Manila – National Telehealth Center (UP NTHC) whose main goal is to provide all Filipinos access to basic health care services, especially households in Geographically Isolated and Disadvantaged Areas (GIDAs). The RxBox2 units have been deployed to Municipal Health Office that are willing to adopt the technology. Upon flawlessness of the technology, the UP-NTHC is looking forward to offer the units commercially to willing partners.

The complete sets of forum winners are as follows:

The MHRDC 2^nd Health Research Forum is brought to you by MIMAROPA Health Research and Development Consortium in cooperation with the Center for Health Development MIMAROPA Region.