“In today’s complex and fast-moving world, what we need even more than foresight or hindsight is insight.” – Anonymous
Two years ago, Dr. Ryan Michael F. Oducado, was first awarded as the University Outstanding Researcher for his exemplary performance through journal publications, paper presentations, and recognitions from the community of practice. In his continued efforts to produce quality research outputs, Dr. Oducado, for the second time, is this year’s University Outstanding Researcher, which was awarded on February 9, 2022.
Dr. Oducado is Assistant Professor of the College of Nursing. He finished his Ph.D. in Education major in Psychology and Guidance with “High Distinction” at this University. As the recipient of multiple awards in paper presentations from local, national, and international research fora/conferences, he has published various research outputs in peer-reviewed, ISI, and Scopus-indexed journals. To date, he has an H-index of 11 and 486 citations in the Google Scholar, where his research articles are accessible to the public in different online journals. Currently, Dr. Oducado is the newly appointed Editor-in-Chief of the University Research Journal. A midwifery board exam topnotcher, Dr. Oducado is also a regular member of the National Research Council of the Philippines, Philippine Nurse Association, National League of Philippine Government Nurses, and the Sigma Theta Tau International – Phi Gamma Chapter.
With his interminable drive to do research, Dr. Oducado has proven himself not only as a leading researcher, who has produced relevant research outputs, but also as a great scholar, who brings pride and honor to the University.
What inspires you to do research?
My thirst for knowledge to feed my curiosity and my passion to contribute to knowledge development inspire me to do research.
What words of encouragement would you like to offer to the first stage researchers of the university?
To the first stage researchers, success is no accident. Continue to persevere and feed your interest and curiosity. Doing research may not be easy, but I assure you, it is going to be a rewarding and fulfilling experience, most especially when it is done and when you get recognition from your work and for your contribution to science and development.
What are your most significant research accomplishments?
Contributing much to a better understanding of issues pertaining to nursing education, working with different researchers locally and internationally, receiving awards and recognition in research competitions, publishing in top-tier journals, being cited by several scholars around the world, and inspiring others particularly my students to do and love research are, to date, my most significant research accomplishments.
The 2021 West Visayas State University (WVSU) Outstanding Researcher is Dr. MA. GERLIA AUJERO-BLANZA, an Associate Professor III of WVSU – Lambunao Campus. She holds a Doctorate degree in Business Management – Hospitality Management at the Philippine Women’s University. Her work as a researcher has appeared in various publications, including West Visayas State University Research Journal 2019, SciTech Journal – Journal of Tourism and Sports Management, and International Journal of Interdisciplinary Research and Innovation (IJIRI).
Dr. Blanza is the author of Handbook for Academic Researchers: A Modular Approach. She is the utility model process owner based from her study, The Process of Producing Empanada with Darag Native Chicken. The study employs the trial-and-error method to standardize the recipe. After a series of kitchen trials, two standardized recipes (Formulation A and Formulation B) were developed and then subjected to a Hedonic test for acceptability in terms of color, aroma, texture, taste, and general acceptability using the complete randomized block design (CRD). The study had found that Formulation A containing 500 grams of Darag native chicken is the most acceptable product in terms of the identified sensory parameters.
Her completed researches are Organizational Commitment of the Faculty in WVSU-LC: Basis in the formulation of Work-Life Balance Program; Disaster Risk Reduction Management System of the West Visayas State University Lambunao Campus: A Benchmark Study towards the Formulation of Disaster Risk Reduction Management Plan; The Development of High-Value Empanada with Darag Native Chicken Filling, which won third place as best research paper during the 33rd in-house review in October 2018 (with Utility Model Certification, Trademark, Industrial Designs, Published at IJIRI); Benchmark Study of the Safety Practices among WVSU-Campuses: A Facility Management Safety Handbook, and Business Model Canvas and Feasibility Study for Commercialization of La Maria’s Empanada.
She is an inventor and a co-process owner of the different innovations in the system of making pastry and a member of the Regional Quality Assessment Team (Tourism and Hospitality Business Education Programs) in Western Visayas.
𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗶𝗻𝘀𝗽𝗶𝗿𝗲𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘁𝗼 𝗱𝗼 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵?
I am inspired by my surroundings, more specifically with my predecessors who have achieved so much in the field of educational research. I am so amazed at so many interesting things. I believe that my research is inspired by the idea of helping people around me.
𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐨𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐔𝐧𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐲?
I would like to encourage first-stage researchers of the University to keep on trying in conducting research and in doing innovation. Make failures and desperation your inspiration to keep going despite the hardships you may encounter. Most importantly believe in what you can do.
𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐦𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡 𝐚𝐜𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬?
I considered the study, “The Darag Native Chicken Empanada,” as my most significant research accomplishment, which has sent me to many places and has given me so many privileges and opportunities as a beginner in this field.
𝘿𝙧. 𝙍𝙚𝙮𝙢𝙪𝙣𝙙 𝘽. 𝙁𝙡𝙤𝙧𝙚𝙨 is an Assistant Professor of Politics and Public Administration. He holds a Doctorate degree in Public Administration from the National College of Public Administration and Governance at the University of the Philippines – Diliman in 2019. He has published articles in international and peer-reviewed journals in the following areas: international and strategic relations, politics and governance, and risk/crisis communication. He is the 2019 University of the Philippines International Publication Awardee for the article he co-authored, “Chinese-Taiwanese-Southeast Asian Triangular Relations: On Building and Rebuilding Political and Economic Assertiveness in the South China Sea.” In 2021, he is recognized as one of the Outstanding Researchers of the West Visayas State University.
Dr. Flores is a regular member of the Philippine Political Science Association and Philippine Public Policy Network and an associate member of the Governmental, Educational, and International Policies Division of the National Research Council of the Philippines, Department of Science and Technology. He has also served as Visayas Area expert on the Study in the Actual Housing Situation in the Philippines, a nationwide research project funded by PAGIBIG HDMF and implemented by the United Nations Institute for Training and Research – CIFAL Philippines, hosted by the University of the Philippines.
He is the local partner of Sustainable Human Development Program of the Development Academy of the Philippines on the following government and internationally-funded projects: Stakeholders Mapping for Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program and National Documentation on Forecast-Based Financing: Early Action and Early Funding Mechanisms.
𝙒𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙞𝙣𝙨𝙥𝙞𝙧𝙚𝙨 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙩𝙤 𝙙𝙤 𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙘𝙝?
The citizens and the government in general, other than the academia, are our main clients. As an academic, it is my primary role to participate in discussion spaces and contribute new ideas in response to the demands of the continuously expanding environment of public administration and governance. As Lingkod Bayan, I have the public to serve – by ensuring that the people are benefiting from the ends and means of governmental activities. These are my inspirations in engaging myself in scholarly and technical works.
𝙒𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙙𝙨 𝙤𝙛 𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙤𝙪𝙧𝙖𝙜𝙚𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙬𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙤𝙛𝙛𝙚𝙧 𝙩𝙤 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙛𝙞𝙧𝙨𝙩 𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙜𝙚 𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙘𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙨 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙪𝙣𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙞𝙩𝙮?
First stage researchers, meaning junior researchers? I still am one of them. For junior researchers of the university, like me, look for areas that gain your interest. Be with individuals where you can drink more coffee, freely share your thoughts and interests, or exchange bright ideas. Do not engage in research work because you have to do research work. You are researching because you want to use your mental faculties to help our society become better than what it is now – and because you have minds to feed.
𝙒𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙢𝙤𝙨𝙩 𝙨𝙞𝙜𝙣𝙞𝙛𝙞𝙘𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙘𝙝 𝙖𝙘𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙥𝙡𝙞𝙨𝙝𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙨?
For me it’s not the honors and awards that you received, out of your research works, that would seriously matter the most. Completing one research journey is already a milestone in the life of an academic. Thus, I consider those completed journeys my significant accomplishments.
Available Online Academic Profile:
https://tinyurl.com/GoogleScholarRBFlores
Dr. Raymund B. Moreno of the WVSU-Calinog Campus is the 2020 WVSU Outstanding Researcher. A graduate of Doctor of Business Management, he specializes in Hospitality Management and has taught basic and advanced culinary arts, business, and management subjects in undergraduate programs and has handled research, economics, and non-formal education subjects in graduate programs. Identified as an established researcher of the University, his research papers have been published in various reputable journals, recognized nationally and/or internationally.
He has also acquired rights to numerous utility models in food product development, registered at the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHIL). He has been a participant and/or presenter in different fora, conferences, and conventions in the country and abroad. As Director of the International Cross-Cultural Exchange and Professional Development – Thailand (ICCEPD) and President of the Professional Organization of Researchers and Educators of the Philippines (POREP), he has persistently maintained and strengthened research linkages with national and international agencies and organizations.
What inspires you to do research?
What inspires me to do research is to discover answers to questions of my intuitive mind. Another reason is to fulfill my task as an educator by becoming the best that I can be. Lastly, I want to pursue my professional growth while I help the community as the ultimate beneficiary of my research.
What words of encouragement would you like to offer to the first stage researchers of the university?
The words of encouragement I would like to offer to the first stage researchers is to be patient. Research, it seems, is a very difficult task to start; but if you have the dedication to face each challenge, the feeling of fulfillment is worth the rewards. Don’t give up; rest if you must, but always set your mind to the goal. Progress is progress, no matter how slow it is.
What are your most significant research accomplishments?
• Produced utility models (UM), trademarks, and copyrights registered at the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines
• Published researches in refereed, peer-reviewed journals • Granted international research travel grant for research presentations