URC holds inaugural ‘Kaisog’ research congress

Strengthening its commitment to knowledge creation and societal impact, Far Eastern University (FEU) formally launched KAISOG: The FEU Annual Research Congress, a new institutional platform designed to amplify faculty research, foster collaboration, and address pressing national and global challenges. 

As universities play a critical role in shaping evidence-based solutions, KAISOG underscores the importance of building a robust research culture that connects disciplines and translates academic work into real-world impact. The initiative aligns with FEU’s broader thrust to elevate research productivity and relevance across its institutes. 

Held last Feb. 11 at the FEU University Culture Center, the inaugural congress gathered faculty researchers from across disciplines, including public health, political science, communication, natural sciences, and tourism, to present studies under the University Research Center (URC)’s Research Assistance Grant program, alongside selected faculty publications. 

The congress featured plenary sessions from leading experts. Dr. Romulo de Castro, research fellow and lead of the Health Informatics Program of the Institute of Health Sciences and Nursing (IHSN), opened the event with a talk on “Informatics: Opportunities for Researchers and Health/Healthcare Innovators.” In the afternoon, Dr. Maria Ela L. Atienza of the University of the Philippines Diliman, and chair of the Social Science Division of the National Research Council of the Philippines, provided insights on “The Do’s and Don’ts of Academic Publishing,” offering practical guidance for researchers navigating scholarly work. 

KAISOG—derived from a Visayan word meaning courage, grit, and determination—is described by URC as a research brand that “symbolizes the boldness to inquire, the bravery to persist, and the integrity to seek truth despite challenges,” reflecting the university’s vision for purposeful and resilient scholarship. 

Research presentations were organized into morning and afternoon sessions, collectively reflecting the depth and diversity of FEU’s research agenda. 

The morning session opened with the COCOON Global Study, a multinational research project coordinated by the University of Queensland–Mater Research Institute in Brisbane, Australia. It was presented by the director of FEU’s University Research Ethics Office, Joy Filoteo, and researchers from IHSN, and psychology graduate students. The study examines the experiences and psychosocial needs of parents who accessed maternity, neonatal, and bereavement care during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Other morning presentations included “Survey of Invertebrates in Pidlisan Ancestral Domain, Sagada, Mountain Province, Philippines” by Dr. Anthony Ian G. Pag-ong and Dr. Dulce Marie P. Nisperos of the Department of Biological Sciences; “Co-Designed SBCC and Policy Advocacy to Overcome Vaccine Hesitancy in Rural Philippines” by Dr. Ma. Theresa M. Rivera, Ma. Olive Grace Ordona, and Dr. Augustus Ceasar Latosa, with collaborators from Institute of Arts and Sciences (IAS), IHSN, Institute of Education (IE), and FEU-NRMF; “AI Use in the Binondo Chinese New Year Festival: Current and Future Plans” by Dr. Joy Sheelah Baraero-Era and Dr. Marichu C. Liwanag of the Institute of Tourism and Hotel Management; and “Intersectionality and Agency in the Life Experiences of Filipino Women Migrant Workers in Brunei Darussalam” by Dr. Maria Rita R. Cucio and Dean Rachelle Sarmiento. 

The afternoon presentations included “Understanding the Food System of an Urban Jail Community Towards a Sustainable Food Security Plan” by Dr. Harold Bueno, Dr. Luzelle Anne Ormita, and Architect Mark Jospeh Mercado; “Pathogenic Leptospira Identification from Open Ditches Along University Areas of Sampaloc, Manila” by Pamela Rose Bremner and colleagues from IHSN; “Failed Governmentality: Responses of the City of Manila in Addressing the Perceived Problems of Sidewalk Vending” by Dr. Reynold Agnes of the Department of Political Science; “Systematic Review of Critical Thinking Integration in Knowledge-Based Industries” by Dr. Rosarito Suatengco, Dr. Hyunkyung Lee, and Dr. Romualdo Mabuan of IE; “Pakikipagkapwa and Fandom Language: Identity, Affiliation, and Community in A’tin (SB19 Fandom)” by Dr. Roderick Evans Bartolome of IAS-Communication; and a study on the antimicrobial potential of Euphorbia hirta against selected Enterobacteriaceae organisms and Staphylococcus aureus by Francis Lirag, Dr. Kerfelcel Retoriano, and Dr. Luis Dominick Antig of IHSN. 

Further reinforcing the congress’s identity, the KAISOG logo, inspired by the Sarimanok stained-glass artwork of artist Antonio Dumlao, visually represents the university’s institutes through colored segments, symbolizing how individual scholarly contributions converge to generate new knowledge and insight. 

Organized in partnership with Diamed Enterprise and Mespo Builders and Supply, Inc., the congress was held as part of FEU’s 98th Founding Anniversary celebration. 

Through KAISOG, FEU affirms its position as a research-driven institution committed to interdisciplinary collaboration, innovation, and the pursuit of knowledge that contributes meaningfully to national development and global discourse.