Category: News

Two students from West Visayas State University-Integrated Laboratory School (WVSU-ILS) were among this year’s top honorees in the Boys’ and Girls’ Week 2025 celebration organized by the Rotary Club of Iloilo City, in partnership with the Department of Education, SM City Iloilo, and the City Government of Iloilo.

Helen Natalie Dime Bolivar, a Grade 10-Jupiter student, was declared Mayor, while her classmate Unah Angel Gabrielle Robante was assigned to the Office of the City Legal Officer. Both represented WVSU-ILS with distinction under the mentorship of Sir Angelou Deloguines.

The Boys’ and Girls’ Week, themed “Unite for Good,” aims to cultivate youth leadership, civic engagement, and public service among young Ilonggos. During the weeklong program scheduled from Oct. 20 to 26, the selected student officials will assume their respective duties alongside Iloilo City officials and participate in various civic and leadership activities. The celebration will open with a foot parade from the Iloilo Provincial Capitol, followed by a transition ceremony at the Iloilo City Hall Grounds, and an exhibit and ribbon-cutting at SM City Iloilo.

The awarding ceremony, held today, Oct. 14, 2025, at SM City Iloilo, was one of the highlights of the celebration. The 52 qualified participants officially received their assigned positions as mayor, vice mayor, councilors, and department heads, marking the culmination of a selection process that began in August.

The competition started with a written examination on Aug. 16 at Assumption Iloilo, which drew 122 participating schools. From there, 52 schools advanced to the interview round held on Sept. 13 at Jubilee Hall.

Bolivar also performed during the intermission of the Announcement of Positions program, showcasing the WVSU-ILS students’ active involvement in the event. She is the third WVSU-ILS student to earn the title of “girl mayor” in the city’s Boys’ and Girls’ Week history, following Jennifer Javier in 1990 and Lady Ochel Espinosa in 1999.

The Rotary Club of Iloilo City facilitates the annual Boys’ and Girls’ Week to foster civic consciousness, leadership, and social responsibility among the youth.

The recognition of Bolivar and Robante underscores WVSU-ILS’s strong culture of leadership and excellence, reflecting the university’s mission to nurture future leaders committed to service, creativity, and innovation.

#WVSUTransformingGenerations #WVSUexcels

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West Visayas State University marked World Teachers’ Day 2025 with activities across colleges, highlighting gratitude for educators and staff who shape future generations. At the College of Teacher Education Hall, the Asian Medical Students’ Association–WVSU launched its flagship initiative, AMSA TSEK (Tigil Saglit, E-kay), through a special program titled “Caring for the Hands that Shape Minds – A Tribute to Teachers.” About 100 participants, mostly faculty, benefited from free health consultations, blood pressure and blood sugar monitoring, urinalysis, essential medicines, and lectures on stress management and lifestyle diseases. 


Earlier in the day, the College of Education, through its Education Student Council, distributed gifts and ice cream to teachers starting at 10 a.m. The College of Nursing, meanwhile, is set to hold its own celebration next week. The events underscore WVSU’s collective commitment to honoring teachers and non-teaching staff, recognizing them as vital contributors to education and community service. 

#WVSUTransformingGenerations#WVSUexcels 

By WVSU PAMCO

The West Visayas State University faculty extension delegates garnered multiple awards during the14th Philippine Association of State University and Colleges VI – Extension Managers’ Council (PASUC-EMC) Annual Regional Symposium and General Assembly last September 30 – October 2, 2025 at the University of Antique with the theme, “Extension Beyond Boundaries: Strengthening Impact Through Innovation, Inclusion, and Integration”. 

Among the delegates who presented their paper, Dr. Elias C. Olapane from WVSU Calinog Campus received Best Paper and Best Presenter awards in the Transformative Education, Culture and Social-Behavioral Sciences cluster, with co-project leader Dr. Mary Jean Cataluña in their paper, “UpSKilling DepEd Teachers Research-Led Teaching Through a Capability Training Series”. 

Similarly, Dr. Maria Corazon M. Samorin from the College of Business and Management, secured 2nd place in the Best Extension Paper category for her work titled “Empowering Transport Cooperatives through Innovative Extension: Insights from Project ITTC” under the Environmental Stewardship, Climate Action, and Circular Economy category. Another notable award is from WVSU Pototan Campus, where Dr. Charlie Domido secured 3rd place for Best Extension Paper in the Environmental Stewardship, Climate Action, and Circular Economy category.

Additionally, Dr. Virginia B. Parreñas, also from WVSU Pototan Campus, earned 3rd place in the Community-Based Health, Nutrition, and Wellness category. Meanwhile, the documentary Rays of Hope was awarded Best Video Documentary, with Prof. Sheila P. Beliran from the College of Nursing serving as the Project Leader. 

In addition, research presenters—Dr. Jovie L. Caballero from Calinog Campus, and Dr. Pauline M. Torion along with Prof. Joenarex N. Bautista from Janiuay Campus—presented their respective extension papers. Panel evaluators from the university consists of Prof. Sheila P. Beliran, Dr. Julie Gay B. Quidato, Dr. Alma Jean A. Subong, and Dr. Raymund B. Moreno.

Also present during the symposium and awarding ceremony was Dr. Ricky P. Becodo, the Director of the University Development Center and Chairman of PASUC VI EMC, Inc., demonstrating strong institutional support.

This symposium exemplifies the university’s ongoing dedication to fostering innovative projects that benefit and uplift the community. 

#WVSUTransformingGenerations #WVSUexcels 

Photo Courtesy: Cristy Pagente 

By WVSU PAMCO

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Team Dungánan of the West Visayas State University College of Business and Management (WVSU-CBM) once again proved its edge on the national stage, clinching the Service Category championship at the 19th Business Idea and Development Award (BIDA) 2025. 

The team, which represented CBM with a business paper on preserving heirloom dishes, successfully defended its 2024 title against contenders from Capiz State University and Our Lady of Fatima University.

The back-to-back win underscores CBM’s commitment to both innovation and cultural preservation. This year’s BIDA drew more than 70 entries nationwide. From the pool, 32 teams advanced to the second level of screening, where participants submitted full business plans and video presentations. Only 15 were chosen as finalists to present on-site in Taguig City, competing in Service, Technology, Food, Non-Food, and Agriculture categories. 

The Business Idea and Development Award, or BIDA, is an annual competition organized by the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry to recognize innovative and sustainable business ideas, products, technologies, and services, primarily from students.

The program seeks to foster an entrepreneurial culture, support sustainable economic growth in the Philippines, and encourage youth to develop creative solutions for national development. Team Dungánan was composed of Kisha Antoniette Hojilla (BSBA FM), Thomas Edward Segundera (BSHM), Kyle Cabaobao (BSBA FM), Joriel Agustina Marie Alvarez (BSTM), and John Richard Inorino (BSCM).

Guiding them throughout the competition were coaches Nichol John J. Raymundo and Maria Corazon M. Samorin. The win solidifies CBM’s standing in national competitions, highlighting the college’s drive to develop future leaders who can create socially relevant and sustainable business ideas.

#WVSUTransformingGenerations #WVSUexcels 

By WVSU PAMCO

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Faculty members and students from West Visayas State University (WVSU) participated in the 7th International Conference on Automation, Mechatronics and Robotics, held from Sept. 24–26, 2025 under the theme “Innovating for a Sustainable Future: The Role of Artificial Intelligence in Automation, Robotics, and Mechatronics.” The conference was organized by the Mechatronics and Robotics Society of the Philippines (MRSP) in collaboration with the MRSP Western Visayas Chapter and Advance Central College.

The MRSP Western Visayas Chapter counts three WVSU faculty members among its officers: Dr. Lea Gabawa of the Main Campus as president, Dr. Rosie Jane P. Siosan of the Pototan Campus as secretary, and Dr. Rose May Cora Lagon of the Calinog Campus as auditor. 

Her research team — composed of Dr. Josephine R. Lavilla, Dr. Rita L. Jaudian, Dr. Ma. Asuncion Christine V. Dequilla, and Dr. Joel T. De Castro — also secured third place for Best Research Paper, reinforcing their collaboration and contribution to the fields of automation, mechatronics, and robotics. 

Another highlight was the team project “Guardian Link: Location Tracking and Emergency Support for Persons with Dementia,” which earned both the Best Research Paper Award and Best Presenter honors in the Robotics Engineering and Technology track. The team included students from the College of Information and Communications Technology, namely John Kyle Abad, John Marty Arendian, Jero Diacuna, Simon Troy Eligido, Carl James Tito, with Dr. Gabawa serving as adviser. 

Further adding to the milestones, Dr. Gabawa was formally recognized by MRSP’s Board of Mechatronics and Automation Engineering as a Certified Mechatronics and Automation Engineer. 

As WVSU builds upon these achievements, it reaffirms its commitment to fostering interdisciplinary research, nurturing academic excellence, and translating innovation into real-world impact.

#WVSUTransformingGenerations #WVSUexcels

Photos Courtesy of: Dr. Lea Gabawa, WVSU Pototan Campus/Facebook By WVSU PAMCO

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West Visayas State University (WVSU), through its Gender and Development (GAD) Office, received five awards during the Recognition Ceremony for the 2024 Top GAD Budget Agencies held Sept. 25, 2025, at the Crowne Plaza Manila Galleria. The event was organized by the Philippine Commission on Women (PCW). 

Representing WVSU were Dr. Jeanette Simpas, former university GAD director, and Dr. Rosalea Cornelia Araneta-de Leon, current GAD director. 

Out of some 350 government agencies and government-owned or controlled corporations, WVSU was honored in the State Universities and Colleges (SUC) category with the following distinctions: 

● Rank 3: SUC with highest organization-focused GAD budget expenditure
● Rank 4: SUC with highest attributed GAD expenditure
● Rank 7: SUC with highest total GAD budget expenditure
● Rank 9: SUC with highest attributed GAD allocation
● Rank 10: SUC with highest total GAD budget allocation.

This milestone marks the first time WVSU has been recognized in the PCW’s Top GAD Budget Awards, signaling a significant step forward in the university’s commitment to gender and development. 

The ceremony also featured presentations of interventions and best practices from the top three performing government agencies: the Department of Social Welfare and Development, the Department of Health, and the Department of Foreign Affairs. 

As WVSU celebrates these recognitions, the university reaffirms that these honors are not merely accolades but a renewed call to strengthen gender mainstreaming, ensure accountability in resource use, and translate budget commitments into meaningful outcomes for all members of its academic community.

#WVSUTransformingGenerations
#WVSUexcels
#GenderAndDevelopment #GADBudget 

Photos Courtesy of: Dr. Jeanette Simpas/Facebook

By WVSU PAMCO

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West Visayas State University’s institutional repository, WIRED++, is fast becoming a vital platform for preserving and promoting research. With more than 7,000 visits since its launch, statistics show that the repository is not only operational but actively utilized by researchers, students, and global audiences.

The numbers reveal a clear trend: WVSU’s works are reaching thousands. The most-viewed study, “The Philippine party-list system and representation of marginalized populations,” has been accessed 27,838 times all time and leads again in 2025 with 20,042 views. The study explores the effectiveness of the party-list system in giving voice to marginalized sectors, a topic that resonates both locally and nationally.

Other works topping the charts highlight the diversity of WVSU’s scholarship:
* “Lived experiences of non-education graduate teachers in teaching Mathematics during the pandemic” (19,453 views) captures the struggles and adaptability of teachers who entered classrooms without formal education training.
* “Music: Effects on students’ achievement, habits of mind, and disposition as bases for the development of music-enhanced mathematics program” (14,832 views) explores how music can enhance learning in math — a novel intersection of arts and sciences.
* “Floristic composition, diversity of public green spaces in major urban cities in Western Visayas, Philippines” (13,678 views) offers a timely look at biodiversity and urban planning in the region.
* “Bullying experiences, coping mechanisms, lessons learned and aspirations of high school working students” (13,521 views) sheds light on student resilience amid adversity.

Downloads, too, show active engagement. Leading all time is “Perceived quality on junior high school sex education and its sexual knowledge and attitudes among senior high school students in a selected private university in the National Capital Region” with 12,729 downloads, and still ahead in 2025 with 3,780 downloads. Its focus on sex education quality has struck a chord with educators and policy advocates.

Other popular downloads include:
* “Workload, well-being, coping strategies, and Mathematics performance of Senior High School STEM learners” (1,930 all-time downloads; 1,793 in 2025)
* “The Philippine party-list system and representation of marginalized populations” (1,955 downloads)
* “Influence of fermented organic concoction as nutrient supplements in the performance of brooding native chicken” (1,842 downloads)

Beyond national reach, WIRED++ is gaining an international audience. The Philippines accounts for the majority of visits and downloads, but significant traffic also comes from the United States, China, Singapore, and Poland. Cebu City leads all cities with 550 page views and 290 downloads, while Makati City, Davao, and international hubs such as Fu’an in China and Atlanta in the United States are also frequent sources of activity.

The repository’s effectiveness is evident: faculty and student works are not only preserved but actively read, cited, and shared. By tracking views, downloads, and shares, alternative metrics that supplement traditional citations, WIRED++ demonstrates its growing impact.

The platform, formally the WVSU Institutional Repository and Electronic Dissertation and Theses PLUS, houses publications, journals, theses, dissertations, patents, and creative works, with plans to expand into multimedia, performances, lesson plans, software, and raw data. Its development is a collaborative effort of the University Library and Resource Center, the College of Information and Communications Technology, the Bachelor of Library and Information Science program, and the Management Information Systems Office, with support from the Office of the President, Vice President for Academic Affairs, Vice President for Research, Innovation, and Extension, and Vice President for Administration and Finance.

WIRED++ also provides faculty with broader visibility. Deposited works appear in Google Scholar profiles, ensuring that WVSU’s contributions are discoverable worldwide. With thousands of views and downloads already recorded, the repository is proving to be more than an archive; it is a dynamic and effective showcase of WVSU’s excellence, creativity, and innovation.

Visit and explore WIRED++ here:  https://repository.wvsu.edu.ph/

#WVSUTransformingGenerations
#WVSUexcels

By WVSU PAMCO

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