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Members of the Health Research and Development Consortium Region IV-A and contest participants for poster and oral research presentation along with the representatives of the 17 members of the Regional Health Research and Development Consortia (RHRDC) attended and participated in the 8^th Philippine National Health Research System Week celebration last August 12-14, 2014 at the Radisson Blu Hotel, Cebu City. The event was hosted by Central Visayas Consortium for Health Research and Development (CVCHRD).

This year’s celebration of PNHRS week underscored the role of health research in disaster and emergency management. All plenary and parallel sessions revolved around science for disaster preparedness and actions, use of information and communication technology and tools and policies, coordinating mechanisms for service delivery and the role of social media.

Also designed for the week’s celebration was the Inter-regional Oral Paper Presentation and Poster Exhibit Contest of completed research papers (Professional and Student Category) wherein Region IV-A delegates won several awards. Dr. Lotis Ecobin Mopera of the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB) bagged the 2^nd prize in the oral research presentation for her study entitled “Prebiotic Potential of Ubi Flour (Dioscorea Alata L.)”.  The results of her study indicated the potential of some of our indigenous root crops to be utilized as prebiotics which if proven to enhance the growth of certain probiotics, can be used as supplement for infant formula, yogurts and other food vehicles requiring the use of prebiotics. On the other hand, Engr. Eduardo B. Tibayan of De La Salle Health Sciences Institute’s study entitled “Antimicrobial and UV-blocking Property of Ag and SnO_2­ Nanomaterials” won 3^rd prize in the professional poster exhibit contest. The antimicrobial test done in this study showed that reducing the size of material to nanometer can increase their toxicity to E. coli bacteria. It also showed that Silver exhibits greater antimicrobial activity than tin oxide. On the other hand, tin oxide nanomaterial showed better UV blocking property over silver nanomaterials. Thus, this study can be used to improve the antimicrobial and UV blocking characteristics of glass materials. For the student poster category, a research from the University of Perpetual Help- Dr. Jose G. Tamayo Medical University entitled “An In Vivo Study of the Potential Hemocyte Effect of the Crudde Extract from the Leaves of Lagerstroemia Speciosa L., Family Lythraceae (Banaba)” byJesanie D. Marfil et.al. also won 3^rd prize. In this study, the crude extract produced an increasing effect on WBC and platelet count but its effect on RBC count had an unclearly defined pattern with a shift of effect from an increase to a decrease at different time intervals.

 The event also highlighted the Consortia Exhibit that featured the RHRDC’s activities and the fellowship night which showcased the country’s rich cultural diversity depicted through song and dance numbers made by the registered participants.