The University of Northern Philippines commemorated its 60th founding anniversary through the 2025 Gawad Saliksik Awards on October 15, 2025, at the UNP Gymnasium, celebrating decades of pioneering research and academic innovation under the theme “Honoring Research Excellence and Celebrating Achievements that Inspire.”
In his message, UNP President Dr. Erwin F. Cadorna reflected on the university’s enduring resilience, likening its growth to that of a diamond forged under pressure. “UNP is indeed a diamond in two ways,” he said. “It has endured the pressures of time—pandemic, earthquake, and accreditation challenges—and emerged stronger and brighter.”
Dr. Cadorna also highlighted UNP’s remarkable standing in the World’s Universities with Real Impact (WURI) 2025 rankings, where it placed 1st in Region I, 3rd in the Philippines, and 3rd worldwide for Industrial Application. He underscored that these recognitions affirm UNP’s commitment to research that directly addresses social and national needs. “Our studies are aligned with the country’s development agenda. This is what it means to honor research excellence and relevance,” he added.
Opening the program, Dr. Fatima Rocamora, Vice President for Research and Extension, paid tribute to the university’s vibrant research community. “Today is a celebration not only of individual achievement but of the collective pursuit of knowledge,” she remarked. She called on the academic community to “continue exploring, innovating, and creating solutions that uplift the lives of the people we serve.”
Serving as guest of honor and speaker, Dr. Pio Ferdinand J. Lamarca, former Vice President for Finance and Administration, professor, and a long-time research mentor, delivered an inspiring address that combined wisdom and humor. He reminded the awardees that passion and persistence define true success in research. “This is the dream everyone aspires to—conduct research and publish. Better yet, find someone who shares your passion for research,” he quipped, drawing smiles from the audience.
Dr. Lamarca also emphasized that awards are not the true measure of accomplishment. “It is not the plaques or the prizes that matter,” he said. “It is the recognition that fuels your drive to keep striving.” He praised UNP’s leaders and faculty for sustaining a dynamic research culture, calling them “power couples in research” for balancing administration with active scholarly engagement.
This year’s Gawad Saliksik recognized faculty and student researchers for outstanding publications, utility models, and creative outputs across various disciplines, including science, engineering, education, and social development. The projects honored reflected UNP’s core mission—to turn ideas into innovations that serve communities.
As the university looks toward its next chapter, the event stood as a powerful reminder of UNP’s legacy as a cradle of research and innovation in Northern Luzon. “We are indeed celebrating achievements that inspire,” Dr. Lamarca concluded, echoing the spirit of a university that continues to shine brighter through every challenge and success.
Article by Celeste Bianca Pajaro
