A global roundtable on opportunity, challenge, and collaboration
Filipino nurse scientists recognised among the global top 2% gathered online this week for a high-energy roundtable convened by the Filipino Nursing Diaspora (FiND) Network. Facilitated by Irene Mayo (FiND Director for Engagement), the session drew leaders from the Philippines, Hong Kong, Australia, and the United States to chart next steps for research impact and visibility. “The purposes of our round table,” Irene said, “are opportunities, challenges, and collaborations,” setting a practical tone for the discussion.
A celebration—and a call to action
In opening remarks, FiND Executive Director Dr. Jerome Babate framed the meeting as both milestone and mandate. “This gathering is both a celebration and a call to collective action,” he said, urging participants to harness their recognition for broader change. “The FiND Network envisioned this meeting as more than a congratulatory occasion—it is a platform to connect brilliance with purpose.” He challenged attendees to shape a cross-disciplinary research agenda that “amplifies Filipino voices, informs global nursing discourse, and influences health outcomes worldwide.”
What’s working—and what must change
Across the conversation, participants surfaced a clear duality: Filipino nurse scholars are prolific and global, yet structural barriers blunt their international reach.
From Hong Kong, Associate Professor Jed Montayre highlighted both strength and fragmentation. “We’re very global—everywhere,” he said. “The opportunity is to get these platforms and discussions going. We need to have a database of who’s doing what, and where.” He cited FiND Network’s Davao gathering last June 2025 as proof that mapping talent and outputs is possible—and catalytic.
In the Philippines, the challenge is often procedural and resource-based. Dr. Janet de los Santos described collaboration protocols and funding constraints that slow momentum. “We need a memorandum of agreement for collaborations—something many partners abroad don’t usually practice,” she noted. “Funding is also limited and highly competitive, and timelines can stretch years from approval to implementation.”
Publication emerged as the pivotal bottleneck. Professor Violeta Lopez—who mentors doctoral candidates and serves on research ethics committees—was direct: “Filipino nurses produce a lot of good research, but they seldom publish outside the Philippines. The challenge is helping researchers write papers that are acceptable for international journals.” Several attendees echoed the need for incentives, coaching, and institutional support to move from posters to publications.
Practical pathways: mentorship, pipelines, and timely topics
The group converged on three near-term strategies:
- Mentorship that finishes the last mile. U.S.-based informatics scholar Dr. John Robert Bautista described a pragmatic model: mentor teams to turn completed studies into publishable manuscripts even when full data sharing is impractical. “A buddy system for publication is great—guide them on journal selection, authorship guidelines, and analysis support,” he said, noting his own collaborations with Filipino colleagues across institutions.
- Build a publication pipeline from graduate programs. Dr. Ryan Oducado emphasized reform at the source. “Graduate programs haven’t prepared nurses for publication. With new requirements that students publish before graduation, training faculty to mentor toward refereed journals can cascade impact.” He acknowledged the transition tension, noting that some postgraduate faculty are new to publishing, underscoring the importance of capacity-building.
- Focus on timely, high-impact topics and multidisciplinary work. Citing her experience during COVID-19, Dr. Janet delo Santos said choosing “the right topic at the right time” accelerates citations and visibility. She also urged nurses to step into One Health collaborations—beyond hospital walls—where nursing leadership, public health, and policy converge.
Several speakers stressed that quality and collaboration trump raw output. Prof. Jed Montayre reflected on his trajectory: early career emphasis on volume evolved into a focus on influence and relevance. Meaningful collaboration—with genuine contribution rather than token authorship—helps papers travel further and faster.
Closing on momentum and stewardship
FiND Director for Education and Professional Development, Dr. Dion Candelaria delivered the session’s closing remarks, underscoring service and continuity. “This is just the start of a conversation—and it’s going to be a long one,” he said. “These insights are very important in moving Philippine research forward. I’m all for paying it forward and giving back to the Philippines and to Filipino nurses.”
The group wrapped with a spirited photo session and informal planning for upcoming engagements—proof that the roundtable’s energy was as communal as it was strategic. By translating recognition into mentorship, infrastructure, and shared standards for publication, these top 2% nurse scientists are positioning Filipino nursing scholarship to be not just seen—but cited, shaped with partners, and felt in patient outcomes across borders.
