VMCJPI organizes writeshop on crafting publishable commentary papers

The Visayas-Mindanao Consortium for Journal Publication, Inc. (VMCJPI) concluded its two-day writeshop on crafting publishable commentary papers on July 9–10, 2025, at the 2nd Floor, RIES Training Hall, Southern Leyte State University. The activity was organized to enhance the academic capabilities of VMCJPI member institutions in presenting their theoretical perspectives and critical analyses that can contribute to the research discourse.
In her welcome remarks, Dr. Francis Ann R. Sy, Technical Working Group Chair of VMCJPI and Vice President for Research, Innovation, and Extension Services (RIES), emphasized the importance of writing these types of papers for journal publication. She is also hopeful that such a collaboration, in all forms, including talents and resources, will be apparent in their striving toward academic excellence.
Dr. Ludito V. Ramirez, the Head of the Journal Production and Management Office, led the session by introducing the nature of writing commentary papers in the morning. He discussed the structure of the paper and provided insights on writing a unique perspective on different topics. The afternoon session marked the start of the writing activity, followed by a presentation of initial outputs, during which Dr. Ramirez provided his suggestions and feedback.
On the first day, University President Dr. Jude A. Duarte graced the event shortly after the presentation of initial outputs ended. He extended a warm welcome to the participants and expressed his gratitude to the University Presidents of other VMCJPI member institutions for sending their representatives to this writeshop.
On the second day, Dr. Don Eliseo Lucero-Prisno III, the Founder of Global Health Focus (GHF), extended his message of support to the activity via Google Meet. He offered insights into the academic pursuit in this field, including his assistance and expertise to participants who might need his constructive feedback.
The second day continued with the presentation and finalization of outputs before submission to suitable Scopus-indexed journals. Participants were also able to review each other’s work for a collaborative exchange of ideas and co-authorship.
Faculty members from different member institutions and research assistants at RIES attended the writeshop, which was designed to provide insights on crafting relevant and impactful commentary papers aligned with their research interests.
This activity aligns with the organization’s goal to enhance the publication of high-quality academic papers and strengthen collaborations between institutions in advancing academic excellence and contributing to societal development.
As the activity drew to a close, VMCJPI also promoted the upcoming 2025 International Conference on Methodological Advances in Research (ICMAR) to the participants, with the theme, “Innovative Pathways: Advancing SDGs through Transformative Research Methods,” to be hosted by Biliran Province State University on September 16–19, 2025.