SLSU Researchers Shine at iPOVCON2025, Bag Best Paper Award

Southern Leyte State University (SLSU) has once again made its mark in the academic and research community, bagging the Best Paper Award during the 6th International and 9th National Conference on Poverty Alleviation and Sustainable Development (iPOVCON2025), held on October 8–9, 2025, at Biliran Province State University (BiPSU), Naval, Biliran.

The winning research, “From Production to Sustainability: A Bibliometric Assessment of Aquaculture in the Philippines, 2013–2023”, was presented by Mr. Stephen V. Naul, Research Assistant at SLSU Main Campus, together with its lead author Engr. Khorina O. Aguilar and co-authors Jonelle H. Tablada, John Kenneth Amolata, James Vernie Mainit, Lavelle Compendio, John Don Opina, Don Eliseo Lucero-Prisno III, Jerico Bautista Ogaya, Kenneth Karl Briones, and Junjun Galgao Tahil.

The paper highlights how aquaculture research and innovation can drive sustainability, ensuring food security while addressing both local challenges in the Philippines and global calls for responsible fisheries development.

This recognition was awarded under Sub-track 2B: Sustainability, Governance, and Food Security, one of the key segments in the conference tracks. Other segments included Emerging Technologies for Health and Education Equity, Innovations in Agriculture, Fisheries, and Food Security, and Digital Transformation and Community Resilience.

SLSU’s strong delegation also included Efren Balaba and Felanie Docena from Tomas Oppus Campus, further demonstrating the university’s growing commitment to impactful research.

Aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), this achievement contributes directly to: SDG 1: No Poverty; SDG 2: Zero Hunger; SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production; SDG 13: Climate Action; and SDG 14: Life Below Water.

This proud moment for SLSU underscores its mission of producing relevant, transformative, and sustainable research that not only uplifts local communities but also contributes to global solutions for poverty alleviation, food security, and sustainable development.

Congratulations to our brilliant researchers! Your passion and hard work continue to inspire the SLSU community and beyond.