Northern Bukidnon State College Enhances Research Ethics Through Benchmarking with Davao del Norte State College
Northern Bukidnon State College (NBSC) spearheaded by the Research Ethics Office (REO) Head, Dr. Anna Marie D. Genita took a significant step toward strengthening its research ethics processes by conducting a benchmarking activity with Davao del Norte State College (DNSC) on March 17-18, 2025, at DNSC’s GAD Conference Hall. The activity aimed to gather insights from DNSC’s successful journey in securing Level 1 accreditation from the Philippine Health Research Ethics Board (PHREB) and to adopt best practices that can guide NBSC’s accreditation efforts. The event was graced by Dr. Joy M. Sorrosa, President of DNSC, who warmly welcomed the NBSC delegation and expressed her support for fostering collaboration to strengthen research ethics among higher education institutions. Additionally, Dr. Sadie D. Law-ay, Chairperson of the DNSC Research Ethics Committee (REC), played a key role by facilitating the presentation of DNSC’s ethical review processes, providing valuable insights into their journey toward PHREB accreditation. The visit was designed to support NBSC’s Research Ethics Committee (REC) in refining its review processes by learning from DNSC’s practical strategies for managing ethical review protocols efficiently, strengthening institutional research capacity, ensuring compliance with national and PHREB standards, and establishing strong institutional support for ethical research practices. Through in-depth discussions and collaborative sessions, NBSC gained practical knowledge on how DNSC successfully met PHREB requirements and sustained ethical research culture. These lessons will help NBSC develop a more robust research ethics framework as it works toward its own Level 1 accreditation. This benchmarking initiative highlights NBSC’s dedication to fostering ethical research and upholding the highest standards of research integrity. The knowledge gained from this activity will serve as a cornerstone in NBSC’s ongoing efforts to align its practices with national accreditation requirements and promote a culture of ethical research across the institution.
