January 20, 2026 – The University of Baguio (UB) welcomed representatives from Baguio Central University (BCU) onto campus for a courtesy call, celebrating research excellence through the continued partnership of both institutions.
Research and development serve as a key cornerstone of every academic institution, allowing students, faculty, staff, and management to put knowledge and innovation into practical use to address pressing community needs and issues. It also generates a repository of information that can be accessed by other institutions for career development, technological advancement, and institutional growth.
During this visit, the BCU delegates were received by UB President Dr. Javier Herminio Bautista at his office, where they had a warm discussion about the experiences of both universities leading up to this point.
Representing Baguio Central University during the awarding were Director for Research, Dr. Michael Sebullen (CRS, PhD), Vice President for Academic Affairs, Dr. Elma Donaal (EdD), and the Marketing Officer, Mr. Karl Matthieu Rillera, who was also representing the President as his son. Together, the delegates presented the university with a Plaque of Recognition for serving as one of its consistent research partners.
This conferment is a part of BCU’s initiative to acknowledge the different organizations and institutions that continue to help it pursue collaborative research and development endeavors. It was put forward by BCU President, Dr. Margarita Cecilda Rillera, in celebration of the university’s founding anniversary.
UB received this honor with much appreciation, with Research, Innovation, Extension, and Community Outreach (RIECO) Office Director, Dr. Donnavila Marie Panday, expressing her desire to continue supporting UB and its partnership with BCU in order to build a stronger and tighter-knit academic community not just in the City of Baguio, but within the Cordillera Region as a whole.
Nurturing research excellence for sustainable education
BCU’s recognition highlights UB’s continuous dedication to attaining the Sustainable Development Goals. In particular, it supports the continued pursuit of Goal No. 17: Partnerships for the Goals, as it recognizes the time and effort that the university has poured into building and sustaining meaningful academic collaboration that goes above and beyond institutional boundaries. It affirms UB’s commitment to capacity building and community development.
