CATBALOGAN CITY — Samar State University, through the Institutional Human Research Ethics Committee (SSU-IHREC), conducted the Basic Research Ethics Training (BRET) on July 6–7, 2026, in partnership with the Philippine Health Research Ethics Board – Committee on Information Dissemination, Training, and Advocacy (PHREB-CIDTA), to prepare the University for a rising volume of research protocol submissions.
The primary objective of the training was to enable SSU-IHREC to expand its roster of qualified ethics reviewers, a mandatory step recognized by PHREB for the accreditation and continuous development of research ethics committees. Additionally, the program aimed to equip university researchers with the skills to apply ethics principles and guidelines to the development, conduct, and evaluation of scientifically sound research protocols.
During the preliminaries, Dr. Rheajane A. Rosales, Director of the SSU-IHREC, delivered a message on behalf of University President Dr. Redentor S. Palencia. In his address, Dr. Palencia welcomed the participants and emphasized that research is a profound responsibility that must be conducted with integrity, respect, and strict adherence to ethical standards. He highlighted SSU’s unwavering commitment to ensuring that the principles of respect, beneficence, and justice are deeply embedded in all research studies, and protecting the rights and interests of individuals, communities, and research participants.
The two-day program featured PHREB resource speakers Dr. Ricardo M. Manalastas, Jr. and Dr. Edna A. Mendez, who led a series of lectures, plenary sessions, buzz groups, workshops, and open discussions.
The first day of training focused on “Research Ethics: The Need, The Language, and The Principles.” Topics covered research abuses and the evolution of human participant protection, terms and basic elements of research ethics, beneficence and non-maleficence, informed consent, justice, and the preparation of an ethical research protocol. Participants then engaged in small group activities to practice applying these research ethics principles, measuring benefits and risks, evaluating informed consent forms, applying justice to submitted protocols or vignettes, and reviewing assigned protocols. These activities provided practical opportunities for participants to apply ethical principles to real and simulated research situations.
On the second day, the sessions centered on “Implementing Research Ethics: Governance, Regulations, Responsibilities, Processes, and Problems.” Discussions covered governance in research ethics, institutional committee membership, research ethics review types, and procedural workflows. Remarkably, the speakers also tackled researcher responsibilities, standard operating procedures, and contemporary issues in research, including the ethical implications of artificial intelligence (AI).
The activity concluded with a message from Dr. Felisa E. Gomba, Vice President for Research, Extension, and Innovation for Development. Dr. Gomba emphasized the importance of sustaining these ethical research practices as a core pillar of the University’s broader research, extension, innovation, and development agenda.
Through this strategic initiative, SSU-IHREC continues to advance Samar State University’s commitment to research integrity, responsible academic conduct, and participant protection. The successful completion of the Basic Research Ethics Training is expected to bolster the continuing accreditation and development of SSU-IHREC by strengthening its human resource capacity and future-proofing its review operations.
With this strengthened institutional capacity, SSU reaffirms its dedication to fostering a robust culture of ethical, responsive, and socially responsible research in service of both the University and the wider community.