HSc group’s research on Schistosomiasis receives 2025 ASCEND Excellence Award

This year’s ASCEND Excellence Award for College Thesis Group Research was awarded to fourth-year BS Health Sciences students composed of Ericka Patrice B Abaño, Jana Therize G Barrientos, Justin Antonio Lagman, Trisha Gabriele B Lemoncito, Caitin Beatriz D Tan, Chiara Marie Fe M Tolentino, and Ysabela Marie C Ulanday, for their research entitled, “Factors Influencing Participation in the Schistosomiasis Mass Drug Administration:  A Case-Control Study in Barangay Laguna, Naujan, Oriental Mindoro”.

Their faculty adviser is Dr John Q Wong, and their partner community is Barangay Laguna, Naujan, Oriental Mindoro.

Their group was recognized for their inspiring commitment to community-engaged research. The award was presented during the Ateneo Service Learning Conference (ASLC) and Ateneo Socio-Civic Engagement For National Development (ASCEND) “Beyond the Common Good, Strive for the Common Good” held on 13 June 2025 at Escaler Hall.

Their group was recognized for their inspiring commitment to community-engaged research. The award was presented during the Ateneo Service Learning Conference (ASLC) and Ateneo Socio-Civic Engagement For National Development (ASCEND) “Beyond the Common Good, Strive for the Common Good” held on 13 June 2025 at Escaler Hall.

The case-control study investigated the determinants of community participation in the mass drug administration for schistosomiasis in Barangay Laguna, Naujan, Oriental Mindoro. Over five days, student researchers interviewed 239 residents to uncover predisposing, enabling, and need-based influences. The analyses highlighted encouraging drivers such as male gender, accurate awareness of bloody stool symptoms, correct understanding of program frequency, schedule alignment, and perceived susceptibility, alongside the deterrents including knowledge of freshwater snail vectors and elevated risk perceptions. The findings will guide targeted scheduling, risk communication, and partnerships with the Provincial Health Office, the Municipal Health Office, and the Barangay Laguna Health Center to strengthen uptake and advance disease control.

Congratulations to the Awardees!

Watch a short video about their research: 

The University recognizes students whose work makes a significant impact through the Ateneo Socio-Civic Engagement for National Development (ASCEND). This year, ASCEND honored senior high school, undergraduate, and graduate students based at the Loyola campus and the Ateneo School of Medicine and Public Health whose projects and research outputs demonstrated subject mastery and the capacity for synthetic thinking while meaningfully engaging communities beyond Ateneo in contributing to national Development.

The ASCEND Excellence Award is given to outstanding individuals and groups of students whose project or research work demonstrates, in an extraordinary manner, all three of the following:

1. Extraordinary mastery of subject matter and application of synthetic thinking.
2. Deep and extensive engagement with partner communities and/or institutions.
3. Addresses a national development concern in a strongly strategic and/or creative manner with very significant short-term impact on target beneficiaries and/or the potential for significant longer-term impact in promoting the well-being of the greatest number.

You may access the Book of Abstracts here: https://go.ateneo.edu/2025ASLCASCENDBookofAbstracts

Photo courtesy of the 2025 ASCEND Official Photos and Factors Influencing Schistosomiasis MDA Participation Group