Reaffirming its strong commitment to advancing the country’s salt industry through science, innovation, and multisectoral collaboration, the Mariano Marcos State University’s (MMSU) studies on salt earned several major distinctions at the 𝟯𝟳𝘁𝗵 𝗥𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗦𝘆𝗺𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗶𝘂𝗺 𝗼𝗻 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗗𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗛𝗶𝗴𝗵𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗜𝗹𝗼𝗰𝗼𝘀 𝗔𝗴𝗿𝗶𝗰𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲, 𝗔𝗾𝘂𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗰, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗡𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗗𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗶𝘂𝗺 (𝗜𝗟𝗔𝗔𝗥𝗥𝗗𝗘𝗖) coinciding the 3rd Joint Regional Research, Development and Innovation Symposium. The event was held on November 26–28, 2025, at MMSU Center of Flexible Learning in the City of Batac, Ilocos Norte.
The MMSU salt research team garnered three major awards across the research and development categories:
🔷 𝘽𝙚𝙨𝙩 𝘿𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙡𝙤𝙥𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙋𝙤𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙧 (𝙊𝙧𝙖𝙡 𝘼𝙘𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙥𝙖𝙣𝙮𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙋𝙤𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝘾𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙜𝙤𝙧𝙮): Salt Production Practices in the Philippines: Opportunities, Insights, and Innovations
🔷 𝙎𝙚𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙙 𝙋𝙡𝙖𝙘𝙚 (𝙊𝙧𝙖𝙡 𝘿𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙡𝙤𝙥𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝘾𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙜𝙤𝙧𝙮): Documentation of Salt Production Practices in the Philippines: Basis for a Revitalized Industry – Presented by Mr. Lord Ian R. Galano
🔷 𝙎𝙚𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙙 𝙋𝙡𝙖𝙘𝙚 (𝙊𝙧𝙖𝙡 𝙍𝙚𝙨𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙘𝙝 𝘼𝙘𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙥𝙖𝙣𝙮𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙋𝙤𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝘾𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙜𝙤𝙧𝙮): Potential Saltern Sites in the Philippines
These award-winning studies offer a comprehensive representation of the Philippine salt production landscape, documenting existing practices, identifying persistent challenges, mapping potential saltern development sites, and outlining pathways for a more competitive and resilient industry. It is part of MMSU’s ongoing 𝗔𝗰𝗰𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗦𝗮𝗹𝘁 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗜𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 (𝗔𝗦𝗜𝗡) 𝗖𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁 1, titled “𝘿𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙡𝙤𝙥𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙤𝙛 𝙎𝙪𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙞𝙣𝙖𝙗𝙡𝙚 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝘾𝙡𝙞𝙢𝙖𝙩𝙚-𝙍𝙚𝙨𝙞𝙡𝙞𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙎𝙖𝙡𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙣𝙨: 𝘽𝙚𝙨𝙩 𝙋𝙧𝙖𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙘𝙚𝙨, 𝙎𝙩𝙖𝙣𝙙𝙖𝙧𝙙𝙞𝙯𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣, 𝙎𝙞𝙩𝙚 𝙈𝙖𝙥𝙥𝙞𝙣𝙜, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙋𝙞𝙡𝙤𝙩 𝙀𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙗𝙡𝙞𝙨𝙝𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙤𝙛 𝙎𝙖𝙡𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙣 𝙏𝙚𝙘𝙝𝙣𝙤𝙡𝙤𝙜𝙮.”
Other MMSU-ASIN led research were also presented during the symposium. Poster pitching include 𝙁𝙡𝙤𝙤𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙏𝙮𝙥𝙚𝙨 𝙐𝙨𝙚𝙙 𝙗𝙮 𝙎𝙖𝙡𝙩 𝙁𝙖𝙧𝙢𝙚𝙧𝙨 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙋𝙝𝙞𝙡𝙞𝙥𝙥𝙞𝙣𝙚𝙨” by Ms. Marinique A. Guerrero, and “𝙎𝙢𝙖𝙡𝙡-𝙨𝙘𝙖𝙡𝙚 𝙎𝙖𝙡𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙣 𝙋𝙧𝙤𝙩𝙤𝙩𝙮𝙥𝙚 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙎𝙪𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙞𝙣𝙖𝙗𝙡𝙚, 𝘾𝙡𝙞𝙢𝙖𝙩𝙚-𝙎𝙢𝙖𝙧𝙩 𝙎𝙖𝙡𝙩 𝙋𝙧𝙤𝙙𝙪𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙋𝙝𝙞𝙡𝙞𝙥𝙥𝙞𝙣𝙚𝙨” by Mr. Selwyn Christian E. Ponce. Meanwhile, the study “𝙈𝙖𝙥𝙥𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙋𝙤𝙩𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙞𝙖𝙡 𝙎𝙖𝙡𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙣 𝘼𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙨 𝙐𝙨𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙂𝙚𝙤𝙨𝙥𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙖𝙡 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝘾𝙡𝙞𝙢𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙘 𝙋𝙖𝙧𝙖𝙢𝙚𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙨 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙄𝙣𝙣𝙤𝙫𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙫𝙚 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙎𝙪𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙞𝙣𝙖𝙗𝙡𝙚 𝙎𝙖𝙡𝙩 𝙋𝙧𝙤𝙙𝙪𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣” was presented orally under the research category by Engr. Nadine Sharinette R. Bravo.
These works are the output of a dynamic, multidisciplinary MMSU research team composed of Dr. Nathaniel Alibuyog, Dr. Rodel Utrera, Dr. Sherlyn Nicolas, Dr. Cristina Valentin, Dr. Floramante Pastor, Mr. Joemel Agreda, Engr. Julius Jonar Butay, Ms. Lea Agbigay, Mr. Constante Julian, Ms. Josefa Pugat, Ms. Ma. Concepcion Birginias, Ms. Roxanne Joy O. Antonio, Ms. Shaira Camille S. Buensuceso, Mr. Lord Ian R. Galano, Ms. Marinique Guerrero, Engr. Nadine Sharinette Bravo, Mr. Augustin Quidilla, Ms. Maricone Cabansag, Mr. Selwyne Christian Ponce, and Mr. Ian Paul Villanueva.
This year’s symposium convened four major research consortia: ILAARRDEC; Region 1 Health Research and Development Consortium (R1HRDC) – host consortium; Ilocos Consortium for Industry, Energy and Emerging Technology Research and Development (ICIEERD); and Sustainability, Innovation, Leadership, Linkages, Access, and Growth (SILLAG) – the newest consortium in the region.
Guided by the theme “Pioneering Smart, Sustainable, and Inclusive Next Generation Technologies for Health, Industry, Agriculture, Aquatic, and Natural Resources,” the event brought together higher education institutions, government agencies, and research organizations to showcase innovations and strengthen collaboration toward addressing regional challenges and promoting sustainable growth.
