On March 13, 2024, I was officially sworn in as an Associate Member of the National Research Council of the Philippines (NRCP) under Division II – Mathematical Sciences, held at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) in Pasay City. I arrived late that morning. The registration and attendance line was long, and I still had to claim my event kit, the ID cord, the brooch pin, and other materials. By the time I was ushered to my table, the program had already started and I missed the opening. But even with that slightly rushed start, the moment I settled in, I felt the weight of where I was and why I came.

Taking the oath as an NRCP Associate Member

Taking my oath as an NRCP Associate Member (Division II – Mathematical Sciences).

Where this started for me

I first learned about the NRCP during my MS days from Dr. Roel F. Ceballos. More than the “information,” what stayed with me was his example. His work ethic, his consistency, and his dedication to research were the sparks that strengthened my love for research and pushed me to take it seriously. I can honestly say that part of my research drive today traces back to seeing how he lived it out.

What NRCP means to me

The NRCP, as an attached agency to the Department of Science and Technology, is an advisory body to the Philippine Government on matters of national interest. Hearing that description sounds formal, but sitting there during the oath, it felt personal. It reminded me that research is not meant to end as a document on a shelf. Research is meant to serve. Publication is not the finish line. It is often only the beginning.

Honor, and a weight I want to carry well

Being part of this community is an honor, but it also feels like a burden in the right sense of the word. It makes me ask myself harder questions: Will my work be useful beyond citations. Will it help schools, communities, or decision-makers, even in small ways. Will it return something good to the people.

I hope I can use this membership to contribute to the betterment of the Philippines through the work I do, whether in mathematics, education, modelling, or public-health analytics. I want to keep doing research that is disciplined, honest, and grounded in real needs.

Taking the oath was not the end. It was a beginning.

Para sa Diyos! Para sa Bayan!