January 20, 2026 – The Luzon run of the 2026 CEAP Research Committee Capacity Building through Institutional Partnerships and Joint Research Presentation and Publication brought together more than 60 faculty members and educators of the Catholic Educational Association of the Philippines member-schools from January 20-22, 2026. Anchored on the goal of strengthening institutional research culture, the program emphasized collaboration, mentorship, and shared responsibility in advancing knowledge within Catholic education. With five mentor schools in Luzon, namely; Saint Louis College of San Fernando, La Union, Holy Angel University, Saint Louis University, St. Mary’s University of Bayombong, and Colegio San Agustin – Biñan. Each mentor school actively guides the mentees on their research initiatives and collaborates with them for the next nine months of the journey. This is a long-term commitment of CEAP in building sustainable research communities that go beyond individual projects and move toward joint presentations, publications, and long-term institutional partnerships.
The three-day program was hosted by the Saint Louis College of San Fernando, La Union, with the guidance of its President, Fr. Roderick G. Villamar, CICM. With the structured support of the CEAP through its President, Fr. Karel S. San Juan, SJ, and the Executive Director, Mr. Narcy F. Ador Dionisio, this mentoring and capacity-building initiative will pave the way for the completion of research outputs that address the needs of a particular institution or community.
The participants have undergone a balance of plenary inputs and hands-on mentoring engagements by engaging with the topics: introduction to research, problem conceptualization, review of related literature, conceptual frameworks, research design, and analysis, which provided a common grounding for participants with varied levels of experience. These were complemented by mentor–mentee workshops and breakout sessions where participants refined research ideas, developed proposals, and received focused guidance from experienced researchers. The program underscored the importance of accompaniment and shared learning, reflecting the CEAP Research Committee’s vision of research as a communal and mission-driven endeavor within Catholic institutions.
In his opening homily, the Mass Presider Fr. Jean Bosco Makolo, CICM reminded participants to be as generous with praise as they are with criticism, to intentionally see what is good in others, and to seek God’s grace in opening their eyes to these truths. These reflections resonated deeply with the roles of administrators and teachers alike—calling leaders to appreciate one another’s efforts and educators to affirm the goodness and potential of their students. As the workshop concluded, CEAP expressed its hope that participants would carry forward not only strengthened research skills but also renewed commitment to their shared mission, fostering a research culture rooted in faith, appreciation, collaboration, and service to Catholic education and the wider community.