Partido State University (ParSU) Quality Management System (QMS) successfully hosted a seminar-workshop on Completed Staff Work (CSW): Delivering Results Effectively on June 13, 2024, Thursday. The event took place at the ParSU Board Room attended by the first batch of administrative staff from various departments, including Top Management, General Administration and Support Services (GASS), Research and Extension Office, Support to Operations (STO), and Colleges and Campuses (Academics).

The primary objective of the seminar-workshop was to equip participants with the essential knowledge, attitude, and skills needed to effectively prepare, develop, coordinate, and communicate completed work. Resource speakers, Ms. Monette A. Espia, Ms. Leih Anne R. Odoño, and Ms. Cherrylyn R. Castro, delivered insightful lectures on the subject matter.

Following the lectures, participants were divided into ten groups for the workshop. Each group focused on different areas such as reports or proposals for approval/confirmation on new academic programs, curriculum revisions, applications for COD/COE, academic partnerships, budget proposals, bidded project awards, research and extension programs, income-generating projects, strategic plan developments, employee appointments, policies and guidelines, performance monitoring, failure mode and effects analysis, quality objectives, strategic/action plans, and work instructions.

The workshop provided a platform for participants to enhance their analytical skills by considering all viable courses of action and presenting solutions in a finished form that could be approved or disapproved by the head/chief of office/unit. Ultimately, this would contribute to improving public service delivery.

ParSU QMS remains committed to supporting the continual improvement of the management system and fostering a culture of quality and excellence in instruction, research, and extension services. Through its programs and activities, ParSU QMS aims to nurture this culture within the public sector.

By empowering professionals with CSW strategies, ParSU QMS endeavors to drive productivity and ensure the highest standards of service delivery.

From May 21-22, 2024, the BS Geology Program of the College of Science at Partido State University collaborated with GEoInnovative Specialist Inc. (GSI) to organize a two-day seminar and practical equipment training in Geotechnical Engineering. The event took place at the RDE Training Hall and PSU Covered Court, catering to students from the BS Geology and BS Civil Engineering programs.

The Geology and Civil Engineering students were engaged in a two-day event that featured cutting-edge lectures on Geotechnical Engineering, emphasizing its importance in shaping the built environment and infrastructure development. The first day consisted of simultaneous lectures and job interviews. Engr. Aldwin F. Montealto delivered a lecture titled "Hidden Ground Beneath Our Feet: A Geotechnical Engineer's Journey," providing insights into the world of geotechnical engineering, including soil mechanics, foundation design, and slope instability, which are crucial for construction projects. He also shared his personal journey as a geotechnical engineer, and students had the opportunity to share their key takeaways from the lecture.

On the second day, Engr. Allen D.G. Dela Cruz introduced GSI and its various laboratories and testing services in his talk. This was followed by another job interview session and hands-on training with the equipment.

GeoInnovative Specialist Inc. (GSI) is a Filipino-owned company built in 2017 from an innovative group of specialists whose expertise is in the field of Geology and Engineering and its practical applications such as Geotechnics, Geophysics, and Design. The team aims to provide sustainable, reliable, and cost-effective solutions to different stages of development for various industries such as construction, hydrology, energy, and more. Initially, the said company served as a general contractor providing Geotechnical Investigation Works involving drilling, in situ testing, materials testing, and consultancy then later, the company diversified as its capabilities grew to cater to additional industrial private and public projects. The company is currently actively engaged in feasibility studies and civil engineering works.

The main highlight of the event was the hands-on equipment demonstration, during which student participants were divided into three groups. These groups rotated through different stations, namely Station 1: Dynamic Cone Penetration Test, Station 2: Ground Penetrating Radar, and Station 3: Rebound Hammer and Pocket Penetrometer. These hands-on demonstrations provided students with valuable opportunities to observe and interact with the actual tools and instruments used in geotechnical engineering. By doing so, they were able to gain a deeper understanding of the equipment's principles, functionality, and limitations. These practical experiences are crucial in preparing students for the challenges they may encounter in their future geotechnical engineering careers.

Comprising the GSI Team were Engr. Allen Dela Cruz-Civil Engineer, Engr. Aldwin Montealto-Civil Engineer; Mr. Martjeremiah Romerde-Geologist; Mr. Christian Delima-HR staff; and Mr. Arnold del Fierro-Staff

Also in attendance at the event included Dr. Michael A. Clores, the Vice President for Academic Affairs; Ms. Leah Erica B. Ignao, the Dean of the College of Science; Engr. Emelina R. Padayao, Dean of the College of Engineering and Computational Science; and Mr. Joemar C. Sedeño, the Department Chair of the BS Geology Program.

Partido State University recently held a momentous oath-taking ceremony and issuance of appointment to honor the accomplishments of 56 faculty members who have been reclassified through DBM-CHED JC No. 03, s. 2022 from Instructor II to Associate Professor V. The ceremony took place on May 10, 2024, and was led by Dr. Arnel B. Zarcedo, SUC President III. 

These faculty members have demonstrated exceptional dedication and perseverance in enhancing their qualifications as valuable members of the Partido State University community. Their hard work has been duly recognized and rewarded by the evaluation bodies of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and the Department of Budget and Management (DBM). The Institutional Evaluation Committee, headed by former chairperson Dr. Erlinda M. Basilla, who also served as the former VP for Academic Affairs and current VPAA Dr. Michael A. Clores, initiated the assessments and appraisals in August 2023.

The said ceremony was graced by Prof. Patricia M. Candelaria, the VP for Research, Extension, and Knowledge Management, Prof. Charlie V. Balagtas, the VP for Administration and Finance, Prof. Rico D. Saballegue, the President of the FFAPARSU (Faculty and Employees Association of Partido State University), and Prof. Margarita M. Lanciso, the HRMO (Human Resource Management Officer).

Partido State University takes great pride in the achievements of these 56 reclassed faculty members, whose unwavering commitment and hard work have contributed to the university's academic excellence. By celebrating their accomplishments, the university emphasizes its dedication to fostering a supportive and conducive environment for the continuous growth and development of its faculty members.

To educate and expose the community to the relevant knowledge and skills in ethnobotanical studies, the Partido State University, in collaboration with Sorsogon State University, conducted the Lecture-cum-Workshop on Ethnobotanical Studies: Ties between Humans and Plants as a Step towards Conservation and Restoration Strategies on April 25-27, 2024 at Partido State University College of Sustainable Communities and Ecosystems (Caramoan Campus).

Forty-nine participants, composed of students and teachers from secondary and tertiary educational institutions in the municipality of Caramoan, attended the said event. The three-day lecture-cum-workshop was conducted to provide participants with general and specific knowledge of the concept, principles, history, importance, types, application, research trends, and whatnots of ethnobotanical studies and their roles in conservation strategies.   

Dr. Georgie Hart-Fredeluces (International Visiting Professor from Idaho State University, USA), together with Dr. Richard D. Dumilag (Professor) and Mr. Clister Panganiban and Jomari Dig (University Research Associates) from Sorsogon State University facilitated the event filled with lectures, workshops, and fieldwork.

Dr. Hart-Fredeluces gave a lecture on the promise of ethnobotany: recognition of local knowledge, social justice, and sustainability. She discussed the type of ethnobotanical research, research ethics, ethnotaxa and classification, plant use, and sustainability. She also discussed the basics of ethnobotanical research, where she provided examples, purposes, and theories widely used in these fields of study. 

Dr. Dumilag shared his individualized experiences of becoming a phycologist. He discussed a decade of his life as a seaweed taxonomist and the different institutions he's come from. He emphasized that his being a phycologist turned him into an evolutionist, an ecologist, a conservationist, and an ethnobotanist, and he provided technical advice to policy-makers.

A workshop on applying qualitative and quantitative methods to understand human relationships with plants was also provided by Dr. Hart-Fredeluces. It consisted of lecture interviews, surveys and use-value, class practice, and research team formation and research planning. A live mock interview was conducted showing the participants how to respond to different scenarios that they can encounter during their data-gathering activity.

The two distinguished resource speakers facilitated the fieldwork held on the second day at Sitio Francisco, Barangay Bacgong, Caramoan, Camarines Sur. They conducted a pre-fieldwork lecture, highlighting the needed information to be collected by the students, including their topic of interest, research question, data collection method, data analysis, results, implications, and recommendations. Both of them led the conversation with the locals and facilitated the data gathering of the participants.

Pangantihon and Dig, URAs from SorSU, led the workshop on herbarium preparation on the third day. Participants also presented the results gathered from the fieldwork, where the resource speakers provided constructive questions and comments. Philippine flora cards with dedication were given to all participants as a token and souvenir for the three-day event. 

The lecture-cum-workshop is the first of many research, extension, and collaboration endeavors of ParSU and SorSU, aiming to uplift the economic status and promote sustainable development in the Bicol Region.

The event is in line with the goals of the Futures Thinking Program and Initiatives of the University, which is to "promote sustainable behaviors among people, with these desired behaviors strategically integrated with science, culture, education, technology and the arts through capacity building."