MIRC 2026 honors top research presenters, poster winners

Researchers and students from local and international institutions were recognized for their outstanding presentations as the Manila International Research Conference (MIRC) 2026 concluded with its awarding ceremony at the Justo Alberto Auditorium (JAA), Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila (PLM), Sept. 30.

The conference featured presentations under four clusters: Science, Technology, Engineering and Architecture (STEA); Business, Government and Law (BGL); Education, Arts, Social Science and Social Work (EASS); and Health Science.

PLM’s Ronel Godwin Barbosa emerged as the Best Oral Presenter for the Science, Technology, Engineering and Architecture Cluster for his study, “Triboelectric Rain Energy Harvesting System for Emergency Tent Lighting During Typhoon Evacuations.”

Kyle Aaron Gonzales of the Polytechnic University of the Philippines–San Pedro Campus was named Best Oral Presenter for the Business, Government and Law Cluster for his study, “Click, Conform, Commit: Generational Cohorts, Cultural and Organizational Barriers in BPO Digital HR Adoption in the Philippines.”

For the Education, Arts, Social Science and Social Work Cluster, Anshu Chandra of Nagaland University, Kohima Campus, India, received the Best Oral Presenter award for “Typologies of Sustainable AI Integration: Profiling Continuous Professional Adoption and Socio-Cultural Adaptability among Prospective Teachers Through the Lens of Industry 4.0.”

Meanwhile, Riah Louise Macalalad of the University of Santo Tomas secured the Best Oral Presenter award for the Health Science Cluster for her study on the “AST/ALT Ratio as a Diagnostic Biomarker for Hepatocellular Carcinoma in a Filipino Population and the Potential of AI Integration for early diagnosis.”

In the Best Poster category, Gem Jewel Patrice Cabato of City College of Tagaytay and her research team placed first, followed by PLM’s Eugene Andes and his research team in second, and  Alyza Faye Drio of City of Malabon University and her research team in third.

In his message, MIRC 2026 Chair and Vice President for Research, Academic, and Extension Services (VPRAES) Dr. Dan Michael A. Cortez thanked participants for their support and cooperation, noting that the conference was a vision that began in 2023.

“This conference is very special for me because this dream did not start today,” Cortez said, recalling the development of the conference and efforts to strengthen the research culture at PLM.

He also emphasized the role of research in addressing real-world concerns, saying, “Sa simpleng salita, research is about asking questions and trying to find better answers.”

MIRC 2026 recorded 239 registered participants, including 103 oral presenters and 84 poster presenters from 11 countries—the Philippines, France, Australia, the United States, Portugal, Singapore, India, the United Kingdom, Bulgaria, New Zealand, and Taiwan.

Held from Sept. 29 to 30, the awarding ceremony capped the two-day conference, which carried the theme “Shaping Resilient Futures: AI, Sustainability, and Inclusive Innovation.”