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Rico John Gorieza, a Bachelor of Science in Microbiology graduate from the University of Southern Mindanao (USM), brought pride to Region XII after securing Third Place in the prestigious 2024 Department of Science and Technology – Philippine Council for Health Research and Development (DOST-PCHRD) Undergraduate Thesis Grant in Natural Products Oral Research Presentation Competition held at the Marison Hotel, Legazpi City, Albay on August 14, 2025.
Out of 108 applications from across the country, the top six finalists were selected to present their work before a national panel including Gorieza.
Guided by his advisers, Dr. Ma. Teodora N. Cabasan and Prof. Elma G. Sepelagio, Gorieza’s undergraduate thesis, “Bioprospecting for Natural and Novel Drug: Antimicrobial Property Evaluation of Giant Shipworm (Kuphus Polythalamius) Gill Bacterial Endosymbionts,” presented new records of bacterial species distributed in K.Polythalamius Gill with potential antimicrobial property against Gram positive bacteria and yeast.
The winners of this year’s oral presentation are:
First Place: Nueva Ecija University of Science and Technology (Region III)
Second Place: University of the Philippines-Tacloban (Region VIII)
Third Place: University of Southern Mindanao (Region XII)
Other finalists included:
Southern Luzon State University (Region IV-A)
University of the Philippines-Mindanao (Region XI)
Mindanao State University-General Santos (Region XII)
Organized by (DOST-PCHRD), the event aimed to support and recognize promising undergraduate research in natural products that could lead to future scientific breakthroughs. The competition was one of the major highlights of the 18th Philippine National Health Research System (PNHRS) Week.
