As part of a collaborative program between Saint Mary’s University (SMU) and the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB) Office for Institutional Development in Higher Education (OIDHE), two training workshops, one on Developing Research Proposals for Funding and another on How to Write a Publishable Paper, were conducted on June 16 and 17, 2025, respectively, at Saint Mary’s University. These workshops were attended by lead researchers and primary collaborators of research under Project Wealth v. 2.

The first day was dedicated to “Developing Research Proposals for Funding.” Dr. Ramon Christian P. Eusebio, Associate Professor at the UPLB Department of Chemical Engineering, College of Engineering and Agro-industrial Technology, opened the session with a lecture on “Proposal Writing within the Frame of Project Management.” The presentation was followed by a discussion on “Introduction to Intellectual Property Status and Protection.” The core objectives of this workshop were: to empower participants to develop high-quality research proposals capable of securing funding and to enhance their knowledge of intellectual property. The day concluded with a session of shared experiences, final coaching, and output presentations, facilitated by Dr. Elsa Cajucom, SMU Director for Center and Natural Sciences, and Mr. Jason Arnold L. Maslang, Head of the SMU Research Ethics Office.

Day two focused on “How to Write a Publishable Paper,” aiming to enrich research faculty, advisors, and panel members with skills and knowledge essential for producing high-quality, publishable research papers. Dr. Nephtaly Joel B. Botor, Assistant Professor of the UPLB Department of Human and Family Development Studies, College of Human Ecology, discussed the “Systematic Approach in Choosing an Appropriate Journal for Publication.” This was followed by a discussion on “Navigating the Publication and Peer Review Process” by Assistant Professor Teofilo C. Viray of the UPLB Department of Social Sciences, College of Arts and Sciences. Day two also concluded with valuable coaching on journal selection and dealing with feedback after peer-review, provided by Dr. Elsa L. Cajucom and Dr. Kenneth L. Maslang, Department Head of the SMU Social Sciences and Philosophy Department. Additionally, Dr. Melanie Gurat shared her experiences in publications and offered final coaching.

As a result of this two-day training workshop, participants are expected to produce research proposals aligned with funding agencies’ frameworks and research ethical standards, and to develop research ready for publication.

Written by: Decyrie Viloria