It has been a long dream turned into reality for the Schools Division of Paraǹaque City to hold the Division Research Congress on March 8, 2023, at the PNHS Main-AVR.

The resolve of Schools Division Superintendent Evangeline P. Ladines to materialize the said significant event capped as the first of the entire history of DepEd Paranaque.

Research experts, and panelists, namely: Miss Ma. Jacqueline D. Bernardino, Senior Education Program Specialist of the Schools Division of Pasay City; Dr. Warren Abuel Ramos, Chief of the Planning, Policy, Research, and Development Division of the DepEd-National Capital Region (NCR); and Dr. MARGARITO B. MATERUM, Schools Division Superintendent, designated as the Officer-in-Charge of NEAP-NCR adjudged 13 best action and basic research out of 60 research outputs presented.

Deciding the top 13 was difficult for the panelists who commended the creative juices of the teacher-researchers in addressing the emergent needs, problems, and challenges in their respective schools through their action research which they invested much effort in writing, implementing, and enhancing despite time constraints and regular teaching duties.

In general, the panelists pinned some of the teachers’ research that needed improvement, distinguishing the simplicity of action research from the research format in the Graduate School.

To recall, the Research journey of the Division was not as easy as one could ever imagine. First, the SDO conceptualized the Division Research Innovation Committee (DRIDC) on Teaching and Learning (for CID), Human Resources Management (HRM), and Governance (SGOD). The committee members first received technical assistance and then led the conduct of a sample action research or basic research. Superintendent Ladines, overall chair, wanted the concerned committees to effectively render technical assistance to the schools after they experienced the same process.

Next was a series of the research training provided to the teachers and SDO personnel in response to their clamor to refresh them, particularly on Statistics. Then, the Division organized Research Clinics where teachers by districts presented their research proposals and completion and received individualized guidance and technical assistance from the school-level research committee.

From more than a hundred research proposals, 60 survived after in-depth technical assistance extended by the collaborative effort of the SGOD and CID supervisors, specialists, and project development officers, up to the fashioned Research Congress, which Dr. Ladines envisioned as the Division’s jumpstart of Culture of Research.

Senior Education Program Specialist for Research Evangeline C. Dabuit facilitated the Division research undertakings.

(by Reena G. Orquina)