CHANGE may happen everywhere even at home, workplace, and most especially in private and government sectors, hence, possible intervention program should be developed to address such change.
For this reason, the Professional Schools of the University of Mindanao encouraged their students to conduct a study on a specific problem in their chosen fields to come up with a solution that could be beneficial not only to their organization but also to their clients - the public.
One of the requirements in their thesis and dissertation writing after the title and outline defense is to conduct a public research forum to inform the masses about their studies.
The logical basis of public research forum is based on the fact that research writing and presentation are two professional skills that a researcher must imbibe.
On August 12, students of Doctor in Public Administration (DPA), Doctor in Business Administration (DBA), and Master in Public Administration (MPA) worked hand in hand in the realization of the forum entitled “The Materiality of Academic Research: A Public Research Forum and Community Extension Project” with a theme: "Addressing Change through Research."
The objectives of the forum are to discover latest research innovations for the advancement of public administration, including program planning and evaluation of various organizations and to keep abreast of the new trends in research.
During the preparation stage, Dr. Eugenio Guhao, Jr., dean of Professional Schools, instructed the students to invite panel of reactors and participants from government and private sectors to ensure that our study will be disseminated to the target beneficiaries.
To abide with the instruction of our beloved and most brilliant dean, we invited Dr. Marylou Sarazate of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Davao Region, Dr. Anastacia Notarte, Provincial Agriculturist of Davao del Norte, and Mr. Anatalio Suter, program director of Manila Broadcasting Company's AksyonRadyo Davao.
We also invited participants from the above mentioned agencies, from academe, members of Davao City Police Office, and representatives of several private institutions in the city.
Our first speaker was Miss Lihb Anthony Limama of the Office of Panabo City Mayor James Gamao. Her thesis is entitled "Service Quality of Pag-ibig Fund Office Employees: Basis for Quality Feedback."
Limama, who used to be an employee of Pag-ibig Fund, is interested in helping the said office in improving their frontline services to increase customer's satisfaction.
Samuel Anay, head of Livestock Division of Panabo Agriculturist Office, enthusiastically presented his dissertation entitled "Implementation of Livestock Dispersal Program and Satisfaction of Beneficiaries: Basis for Intervention."
Anay, who is also a professor of the Professional Schools of the University of Mindanao, is interested in designing an intervention program to address some problems in dispersing projects of local government units in Davao Region.
Professor Glenne Lagura, of Davao del Norte State College and University of Southeastern Philippines, presented also the result of his dissertation entitled "What is Life for Street Sweepers in the Cities of Davao Region? A Phenomenological Study."
Lagura, an international public research forum speaker in South Korea, painstakingly works on the challenges being faced by street sweepers in major cities in the region. These challenges need to be addressed by the government using his research.
He was followed by Police Supt. Francis Donald Brillante, deputy director for administration of Davao City Police Office, who presented also the result of his thesis entitled "Work Values and Organizational Commitment of PNP Personnel in Davao City."
The objective of his study is to check the work values and organizational commitment among police personnel in twelve police stations in the city.
Next to him was Forester Alberto Bandiola who gave us the result of his study for doctoral degree entitled "Implementation of EO 23 and Public Image of DENR Enforcers: Basis for Intervention."
Bandiola is now a Community Environment and Natural Resources Officer (Cenro) assigned in Monkayo, Compostela Valley Province. He is also a professor of UM Professional Schools.
Bandiola's presentation was followed by Prof. Lywylyn Mendoza's who studied the Quality of Work Life of Food Chain Employees in Davao Region: A Causal Model.
Mendoza is a full-time professor of the College of Business Administration of Holy Cross College of Davao and part-time professor of Ateneo de Davao University.
She loves to work in giving solution to the challenges encountered by the employees in all food chains in Davao Region.
Lastly, this writer, of SuperBalita Davao and professor of UM Professional Schools, presented also the result of his dissertation entitled "A Structural Equation Model on Public Image of Broadcasters in Region XI (Davao Region), Philippines."
The study measured the level of public image of broadcasters using the cultural intelligence, journalistic function, and ethical principles as independent variables.
The copy of his research will be shared to the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas (KBP), radio stations, and other agencies.
All researches presented in the forum were enthusiastically adapted by the panel of reactors and participants.
Dr. Zarasate and Dr. Notarte threw their high regards to the researchers and faculty members of the Professional Schools who organized the said forum.
Richard Algabre, of Davao City Council and college professor of the University of Mindanao, who was among the participants who gave his impression about the forum, hoped that the results of the studies will be used in addressing change in government and private sectors.
Our program coordinator, Dr. Victoria Ligan, assured that the public will benefit from our studies as part of program educational objectives and student learning outcomes.
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We attribute the success of the said forum to the support and help of Dean Eugenio Guhao, Jr., D.M.; MPA/DPA Program Coordinator Dr. Victoria Ligan, Community Extension Project Coordinator Dr. Gerlieta Ruiz, Research Coordinator Dr. Ana Raissa Trinidad, Miss Lovely Aizyl Diwata, Miss Anabelle Gubat, and all employees of the Professional Schools.