Taking the initial steps in the research collaboration between two institutions, University of Antique (UA) and Sejong University (SJU), South Korea conducted a meeting with participants, disclosure meeting, and focus group discussion for the Research Project: Community-Based Tourism (CBT) Development Potential of Mararison Island in the Philippines: Basis for Program Development or Enhancement, at Culasi Antique, January 11-12.

The research collaboration between the two academes serves as an opportunity to share best practices and culture in the practice of CBT in the country. It will also allow collaborators to pool resources, expertise, and knowledge, resulting in more robust and meaningful research outcomes that will not only help the local community but also the whole country.

The research team, comprised of six members, and led by Ms. Julie Ann Pineda of SJU and Dr. May T. Delgado, VP for REI of UA, also conducted a data gathering through visits and interview with the locals of Mararison Islands and with the tourism frontliners.

Moreover, as part of this research collaboration, UA also signed a tri-party agreement with Sejong University and Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP) during the partnership meeting and Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signing at the UA Tario-Lim Memorial Campus (UA-TLMC) today, January 13.

UA was represented by Dr. Pablo S. Crespo Jr., University President. While SJU was represented by Dr. Seul Ki Lee, Director of Tourism Industry Data Analytics Lab (TIDAL) and PUP by Assoc. Prof. Yolanda T. Montances, Chairperson of the Tourism and Transportation Management Department of PUP.

The collaboration was spearheaded by office of the Vice President for Research, Extension, and Innovation, University Research Unit, and International Affairs Office in collaboration with the College of Business and Accountancy and College of Arts and Sciences of the Main Campus, and College of Teacher Education and College of Business and Management of the TLM Campus./IU