TACLOBAN CITY, Philippines – Samar State University (SSU) achieved notable success at the 2025 Regional Health Research Symposium (RHRS) held on December 2, 2025 at Summit Hotel, Tacloban City, showcasing award-winning research contributions from both faculty and students.
Anchored on the theme “One Health for All: Igniting Transdisciplinary Solutions for a Healthier Eastern Visayas,” the symposium highlighted innovative and collaborative approaches to addressing the region’s most pressing health challenges.
SSU researchers stood out in the professional categories, earning the top awards of the symposium. In the Oral Research Paper Presentation (Professional Category), Dr. Sherrie Ann C. Labid won 1st Place for her study titled, “From Data to Delivery: Predictors of Adverse Birth Outcomes in Samar.”
In the Research Poster Exhibit Contest (Professional Category), Dr. Rheajane Rosales was awarded the 3rd Best Poster for her study, “Reimagining Resilience: The Moral, Emotional, and Professional Horizons of Filipino Nurses in Eastern Visayas.” Her work shed light on the lived experiences and evolving resilience of frontline healthcare workers in the region.
SSU students from the College of Nursing and Health Sciences (CONHS) presented their study under the Oral Research Paper Presentation (Student Category) titled, “Screen Time and Cognitive Developmental Scores Among Toddlers.” The presenters included Louiela Jian Abarracoso, Irvin George Abriana, Aldriene Faith Carcellar, Nicole Dainne G. Dillague, Ma. Louselle Bernadette Ocenar, and Baby Pearl B. Rueda.
Representing the Samar Island Institute of Medicine (SIIM), students presented their study under the Research Poster Contest category titled, “Multistage Intervention for PhilHealth Enrollment and Identifying Barriers in Barangay Bunu-anan, Catbalogan City, Samar.” The research team included Jimjim Dela Cruz, Jacklene Maye Domingo, Harold Keith Gabon, Regino Paul Lacaba, and Walter Lapinid.
Their study offered community-based insights on health insurance enrollment and access, aligning with national efforts to strengthen universal healthcare coverage.
The annual event, spearheaded by the Eastern Visayas Health Research and Development Consortium (EVHRDC), gathered an extensive network of stakeholders, including representatives from national government agencies, medical institutions, and academic partners from across Eastern Visayas. SSU’s recognitions and active participation at RHRS 2025 demonstrate the university’s enduring commitment to producing high-impact research that supports public health, community development, and evidence-based policymaking in Eastern Visayas.