Central Mindanao University Academic Paradise of the South
Researchers and students from Central Mindanao University (CMU) once again demonstrated excellence in health research after clinching multiple top awards during the 8th Northern Mindanao Consortium for Health Research and Development (NorMinCoHRD) Regional Health Research Conference, held from October 7–9, 2025, at Misamis University, Ozamiz City, Misamis Occidental.
With this year’s theme focusing on advancing collaborative and evidence-based research for better public health outcomes, CMU delegates proudly represented the institution across various categories, earning recognition for their impactful studies and innovations.
Dr. Kassey Alsylle T. Dargantes of the College of Veterinary Medicine (CVM) won first place in the Oral Paper Presentation (Professional Category) with her presentation of her study “Advancing Food Safety in Mindanao: Uncovering Salmonella Risks, Antimicrobial Resistance, and Stakeholder Perceptions in Market-Sold Eggs and Spent Hens.” Moreover, Dr. Mark Lloyd G. Dapar from the College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) bagged the Best Paper Award (Professional Category) with his research “Cytotoxicity of Gloydius brevicaudus (Stejneger, 1907) venom on HeLa and HepG2 Cells.”
Furthermore, Dr. Philip John S. Sajol secured first place in the 3-Minute Pitch to Policymakers Competition for his presentation “From Abattoir to Table: Policy Action on Bovine Tuberculosis.” Also, Dr. Karla Cristine C. Doysabas won second place in the Visual Abstract Contest (Professional Category) with her “Zoonotic and Non-Zoonotic Parasites in Selected Food Fishes in Bukidnon.” Both Dr. Sajol and Dr. Doysabas are faculty members from CVM.
For the student category, two students from CMU won first place in different competitions. Cris D. Palaca from CAS ranked first in the Oral Paper Presentation (Student Category) with his study “Ethnopharmacological Survey, In Vivo Analgesic Assay, Molecular Confirmation, and Metabolomics of Selected Pandanaceae Species.” Meanwhile, Jay Rafael A. Alabata from the College of Human Ecology (CHE) won first in the Visual Abstract Contest (Student Category) for his work “Development and Nutritional Evaluation of Saba Banana Pseudostem (Musa Acuminata X Musa Balbisiana) Flour-Based Biscuits for Adults.”
Aside from the winners, CMU also had several distinguished finalists who proudly represented the university: Mekyla Shane B. Garcia (CHE) for the Visual Abstract Contest (Student Category); Vincent William A. Lagura (CHE) for the Oral Research Paper Presentation Competition; Susan Beth D. Norh, RN of College of Nursing (CON) for the 3-Minute Pitch to Policymakers Competition; Fave Danielle V. Postrano, RN, Chrizel Jane P. Galleto, RN, and Hanna Angelie M. Rey, RN (CON) for the Visual Abstract Contest (Professional Category); and Xyrich Esperil, Paul Benedict Tino, and Elena Balsomo (CVM) for the Infomercial Contest. [Johnica Chantal Montero and Dr. Philip John S. Sajol]
