The UP Diliman College of Mass Communication (CMC) Department of Communication Research (DCRes) successfully hosted the 8th National Communication Research Conference (NCRC) with the theme Blueprints and Imprints: The UN Sustainable Development Goals in Communication and Media Research at the De La Salle University (DLSU) Manila from Nov. 22 to 23.
This year’s NCRC was the first time it was held onsite again since the pandemic. Over 600 participants from more than 70 institutions across the country attended the event, aligning with the conference’s mission of providing an avenue for Filipino scholars of various levels to present their work and introduce them to the culture of research, dissemination, and networking.
Following a competitive review process of over 200 research abstracts, around 60 presentation papers were presented during the two-day conference. These papers, authored by undergraduate students, graduate students, faculty members, and professional researchers across the Philippines, covered diverse topics including communication research on empowering communities, governance, technology, health, and environmental issues.
For this conference, DCRes partnered with DLSU Manila College of Liberal Arts (CLA) Department of Communication and the Philippine Association for Communication and Media Research, Inc. as part of its extension initiatives aimed at developing linkages with various sectors for communication research and literacy.
UPD Chancellor Edgardo Carlo L. Vistan II opened the conference, followed by remarks from DLSU Vice President for Research and Innovation Raymond Girard R. Tan, CMC Dean Fernando dlC. Paragas, CLA Dean Ador R. Torneo, and conference convenor and DCRes Chair Randy Jay C. Solis.
Solis stated, “Next year, 2025, we will be celebrating our department’s 50th anniversary, and as we look back, NCRC has always been in the milestones list of CommRes along with our other conference, the Communication Research International Conference.”
The opening program also featured a keynote presentation on sustainable development goals (SDGs) by former national statistician Lisa Grace S. Bersales, who authored several publications on SDG measurement and monitoring.
In addition to the paper presentations, roundtable discussions on SDGs involving representatives from the government, academe, and non-government organizations were also conducted on Nov. 23.
The program concluded with a message from National Goodwill Ambassador of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees Atom Araullo, followed by an intermission number by the La Sallian Youth Orchestra, and the announcement of the best paper presentations.—With a report from DCRes