By Michael Visaya

The Mariano Marcos State University (MMSU), through its Office for Research Ethics, in collaboration with the Philippine Health Research Ethics Board (PHREB), conducted a two-day Good Research Practice Training on September 2–3, at the Center for Flexible Learning (CFL).

Attended by members of the University Research Ethics Review Board (URERB), the training aimed to further strengthen their competencies in reviewing research proposals responsibly, ethically, and in compliance with existing standards.

Organizers emphasized that the training served as a capacity-building initiative and a vital requirement for PHREB accreditation. Such accreditation ensures MMSU’s adherence to both national and international standards of ethical research, safeguarding the rights, safety, and well-being of participants.

The training included lectures and discussions led by two distinguished speakers: Prof. Ariel Bacani, Chairperson of the Regional Ethics Monitoring Board–Committee on Standards and Accreditation, and Dr. Jhoan Galano, Medical Specialist and Vice Chair of the Mariano Marcos Memorial Hospital and Medical Center (MMMH&MC) Research Ethics Review Committee. Both speakers shared their expertise on ethical principles, standards, and best practices in proposal review.

Through this initiative, MMSU reaffirms its strong commitment to ethical research and to the continuous professional development of its ethics committee members. The university likewise underscores that maintaining high ethical standards in research is essential in producing credible, responsible, and socially relevant studies.