by Sarah Elizabeth Allen
The MSU-IIT’s Premier Research Institute of Science and Technology (PRISM) invites the Philippine Institute of Traditional and Alternative Health Care (PITAHC) through its Research and Development Division to present PITAHC’s move for collaborative partnership with IIT.
PITAHC is a branch of the Department of Health which specifically focuses on the promotion of quality, safe, effective/beneficial, accessible and acceptable Philippine traditional and complementary medicine. It highly prioritizes protecting and strengthening the Philippine Tradition Medicine (PTM). (PITAHC Mandate, R.A. 8423)
The keynote speakers for the morning session were Dr. Maria Teresa B. Mendoza who presented the PITAHC R&D Agenda, Dr. Antonio D. Ligasay on Health Research Management, along with Mr. Zephyr Jude G. Regencia the GIA and Line Item Budget.
Dr. Mendoza, a chief science research specialist focused on PITAHC’s call for collaborative proposals with the Institute. She discussed the different research clusters which are covered by the PITAHC. She also presented the qualifications to avail PITAHC’s support.
With Dr. Ligasay, his talk centered on designing impressive and quality research proposals. As part of the panel who evaluates research applicants, he explained the functions of the Technical Review Committee and the basic items they look for when reading research proposals “…do not give us cookbooks!” he says. Dr. Ligasay was direct in emphasizing the need for research writers to have striking titles and content- being critical and concise while yet being clear and complete.
On the other hand, Mr. Regencia of the Research and Development Division of PITAHC discussed the GIA and Line Item Budget involved with PITAHC’s research grantees. He comprehensively discussed the specific funding coverage provided for every aspect of a research project. This includes personal services, training and advertising expenses, utilities, repairs and maintenance, etc. All of these are with the aims to give the prospect research grantees an idea on how to present their line item budget/s in the future.
The forum ended with a short question and answer portion with interested IIT faculty inquiring the speakers about technicalities of making their application research proposals.
Hopefully, with the growing amount of research in PRISM and in the institute, there will be those researchers availing of PITAHC so that there will be more strides in scientifically exploring and enhancing our very own Philippine traditional medicines.
