A faculty at the College of Health Sciences (CHS) was recognized as best oral presenter during the International Research Colloquium (IRC) Philippines, held at the Subic Bay Travelers’ Hotel, Subic Bay Freeport Zone in Zambales on May 26-27.

Dr. Elmer A. Santos, Assistant Professor II, was cited because of his paper entitled Millennium Development Goals (MDG)-Oriented Community-based Related Learning Experience (RLE) Sustainability Program for Colleges of Nursing.

The IRC, a two-day activity jointly organized by the Ramon Magsaysay Technological University and the Commission on Higher Education, was a gala of world-class researchers’ significant contributions toward knowledge generation, innovation and development.

The purpose of the activity was to share among the participants the findings in the four clusters of researches – accountancy, business management and entrepreneurship; agriculture, aquatic and biological sciences; computer, engineering and industrial technology; and education, health humanities and other social sciences – through a two-day development program. Students, faculty members and researchers from Asia and other regions were invited to this grand jubilee of research dissemination.

Dr. Santos’ research was developed as a result of the assessment on the status of the CHS’ RLE program of MMSU. It took into consideration how the faculty supervised the RLE, students’ involvement in the program, development of students’ competencies in community organizing, and the extent of students’ participation in the activities integrated in the MDG.

Results showed that the faculty supervising the RLE activities were moderately prepared to perform the task they are asked to do. Students were sometimes involved in various RLE activities, and their participation was only confined to planning.

Although they join in the pre-entry phase, the students were only at a moderate level. On the integration on MDGs on health in the RLE programs, results show that there is moderate involvement of students in the three MDGs on health – reduction of infant mortality, improved maternal health, and prevention of AIDS, malaria and other diseases.

This information has led to the development of a sustainability program which was found to be highly valid based on the results of the content validation made by authorities in the field of nursing education and practice.