October 22, 2019 | St. Jude Coop Hotel and Event Center, Lucena City | 08:30 am

[The 2019 Seminar on Scientific Publishing for Sylvatrop Journal was attended by 38 participants from UBRDEC and THWRDEC]

Para kanino nga ba ang research? —a necessary point of reflection for academics, researchers, or anybody who doubts the significant impact of research for the deprived and disadvantaged in society.

            Sylvatrop, DENR’s official technical journal of ecosystems and natural resources, held the 2019 Seminar on Scientific Publishing for the Sylvatrop Journal at the St. Jude Cooperative Hotel and Event Center, Lucena City, Quezon, on October 22 to address these questions, among others.

This event was spearheaded by the Ecosystems Research and Development Bureau (ERDB), and co-organized by the Urban and Biodiversity Research, Development, and Extension Center (UBRDEC). Researchers from UBRDEC and the Toxic and Hazardous Wastes Research, Development and Extension Center (THWRDEC) participated in the said event, where the methods and importance of scientific publishing and proper scientific journal writing for Sylvatrop were discussed.

As the research and development arm of the DENR, it is the ERDB’s task to disseminate research and technologies on the environment and natural resources to its various constituents. With this, it is obligated to continuously train its researchers to properly communicate their findings to nurture not only the scientific field, but Filipino communities as well.

The seminar was opened by UBRDEC Head For. Gregorio Santos, Jr., who emphasized that it is fundamental for researchers to be skilled in scientific writing to serve their clientele. Similarly, ERDB Assistant Director and Sylvatrop Editor-in-Chief Mayumi Quintos-Natividad stated that researchers are meant to publish and share their findings to the public. Moreover, Sylvatrop Editor Liberty E. Asis discussed the 44-year history and goals of Sylvatrop. Afterwards, Adreana Santos-Remo, Sylvatrop Managing Editor, discussed the importance of scientific writing for the Filipino people. She stated that our farmers and fisherfolk are the reasons research should be communicated. Subsequently, Dr. Alan Castillo, Sylvatrop Editorial Board Member, elaborated on the proper writing techniques for the different parts of the scientific journal article. For the closing remarks, ERDB-Technology Transfer Division Chief Juan B. Ebora expressed that it is important for ERDB offices to build motivating mechanisms to further enhance research publications.

Some of the participants shared that the seminar had reignited their sense of purpose as researchers. They were reminded that research was a profession they had willingly chosen to best serve the country.

After all, with each peer-reviewed article, each grueling round of revision, there lies a drive beyond personal gain. With skepticism on the merits of research, it is helpful to be reflective.

To whom do we owe our research? Why do we do this?