As a partner of the government in securing health and safety, the Eastern Visayas State University (EVSU) underscored the academe’s role in advancing regional health and nutrition during the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Region VIII’s Decentralization Roadshow and REDECON 2026, themed “Sulong Desentralisasyon Tungo sa Epektibong Serbisyong Pangkalusugan” on September 29, 2026 at Hotel Alejandro, Tacloban City.
Representatives were Dr. Loren Bernadette Banario, newly hired University Physician, who presented policy recommendations addressing health and nutrition concerns in Eastern Visayas, highlighting EVSU’s capacity as a multidisciplinary partner in strengthening local health initiatives. Alongside her was Dr. Pearl Aphrodite B. Carnice, Director for External Affairs.
Dr. Banario emphasized that EVSU’s diverse academic programs provide a strong foundation for collaborative health and nutrition initiatives. These include BS in Nutrition and Dietetics, Physical Education, Human Services, and Environmental Sciences at the Main Campus, as well as Agriculture and Fisheries programs at the Burauen and Carigara campuses.
She also noted the University’s health-related research and extension initiatives, including NOURISH and Healthy Kids, Healthy Future, which support community-oriented and multidisciplinary interventions. The Eastern Visayas Food Innovation Center (EVFIC) was likewise presented as a resource for product testing, technical assistance, food safety, and food-product development.
These programs and initiatives create a multidisciplinary academic ecosystem that enables the University to contribute expertise and human resources across nutrition, community well-being, food systems, and environmental sustainability.
Dr. Banario stressed the need to bolster academic-government partnerships for a more coordinated response to regional challenges involving public health, food access, environmental concerns, and local policy implementation.
“EVSU does not come to the table with only recommendations. We come with people, programs, research, technology, and communities ready to work with the government,” Dr. Banario concluded.
Through this participation, EVSU reaffirmed the vital role of higher education institutions in evidence-informed policymaking and translating academic expertise, research, and community engagement into practical support for local government initiatives in Eastern Visayas.
This article aligns with Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 03: Good Health and Well-being, and SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals
