๐๐ซ. ๐๐ข๐๐ ๐จ ๐ข๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฎ๐ฆ๐ข๐ง๐๐ญ๐๐ฌ ๐๐๐-๐๐ซ๐ข๐ฏ๐๐ง ๐๐๐ฌ๐๐๐ซ๐๐ก ๐๐ฑ๐๐๐ฅ๐ฅ๐๐ง๐๐ ๐๐ญ ๐๐๐’๐ฌ ๐๐ญ๐ก ๐๐๐ ’๐ฅ ๐๐๐ฌ๐๐๐ซ๐๐ก ๐๐จ๐ง๐ ๐ซ๐๐ฌ๐ฌ
Dr. Cherrie Melanie Ancheta-Diego, CESO III, Director IV of CHED Regional Office I (CHED ROI), served as the keynote speaker at the 9th Regional Research Congress hosted by the University of Northern Philippines (UNP) on May 4, 2026.
The two-day event, held at UNP’s Tadena Hall in partnership with CHED ROI and Don Mariano Marcos Memorial State University (DMMMSU), featured 193 research papers across six tracks and drew over 240 presenters from higher education institutions, government agencies, and local government units. Under the theme โBridging Disciplines, Building Futures: Innovative and Inclusive Research for a Progressive and SDG-Driven Nation,โ the congress emphasized interdisciplinary solutions for national progress.
In her inspiring address, Dr. Ancheta-Diego reframed the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as tangible imperatives rather than distant ideals.
She urged the participants to prioritize research that delivers real-world transformation, declaring that the ultimate measure of research excellence is its impact.
Beyond publications and citations, transformative impact is seen in policies changed, practices improved, ecosystems protected, and lives uplifted.
She emphasized that true excellence thrives on inclusivityโvaluing diverse expertise, fostering borderless participation, and relying on effective communication to sustain progress.
Innovation, she clarified, demands purpose over mere novelty: โResearch must be designed with the future in mind, ensuring that discoveries and innovations contribute to long-term resilience.โ
She also shared the LIGHT Framework as a guide for UNPโs research excellence, comprising five pivotal elements: L – Lifelong Sustainability, I – Innovation with Purpose, G – Global Interdisciplinary Collaboration, H – Holistic Inclusivity, and T – Transformative Impact. Using a light bulb metaphor, she illustrated how these elements power sustained outcomes like responsive policies and community engagement.
Research excellence, she reiterated, โis not a destinationโit is a culture, a system, and a vision.โ Inclusivity strengthens it through diverse expertise, borderless participation, and effective communication, while innovation must be purposeful and future-oriented for long-term resilience.
Dr. Diego was joined by Engr. Leonora Quarte, Education Supervisor II, focal for research, who also served as one of the panel evaluators for the best research across the various tracks.
The Commission expressed deep appreciation for UNP’s unwavering commitment to research excellence, as it aligns seamlessly with the H pillar of the ACHIEVE AgendaโHarmonized SDG-Based Research, development and Innovation.
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