BukSU, PIDS partner to expand access to socioeconomic research

A new agreement between Bukidnon State University (BukSU) and the Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) is expected to broaden access to socioeconomic research resources through the country’s first electronic policy research repository.

The partnership was formalized through a Memorandum of Understanding signed during the 11th Mindanao Policy Research Forum held at BukSU’s main campus in Malaybalay City on Oct. 21, 2025.

The agreement makes BukSU a partner institution of the Socioeconomic Research Portal for the Philippines (SERP-P), an online knowledge-sharing platform managed by PIDS.

SERP-P serves as an online repository of studies and materials developed by PIDS and its partner institutions. It provides access to socioeconomic information in various formats, including journal articles, books, working papers, policy notes, research papers, and newsletters.

PIDS President Dr. Philip Arnold L. Tuaño said the collaboration demonstrates a shared effort to promote knowledge generation, open access to research, and evidence-based policymaking.

“The progress in governance and technology must rest on collaboration, learning, and trust among institutions,” Tuaño added. “It emphasizes the very essence of this forum, that progress in governance and technology must be anchored in solid research, collaboration, and shared learning.”

Established under the mandate of PIDS, SERP-P links government agencies and research institutions while maintaining a centralized database of socioeconomic research and policy information.

BukSU President Dr. Joy M. Mirasol said the agreement enables the university to share its research outputs and contribute to the nation’s knowledge ecosystem.

“Through this partnership, BukSU will share in research and innovate insights with the nation’s knowledge ecosystem, a commitment to knowledge sharing, open data, and collaborative research values, which are essential to fostering responsive and transparent governance in the age of Artificial Intelligence,” said Mirasol.

Through SERP-P, researchers, educators, policymakers, and the public can access a wide range of socioeconomic materials from multiple organizations. Partner institutions contribute their publications to the portal as part of the SERP-P Network, helping make research outputs more accessible to decision-makers and knowledge users nationwide.

As convenor, PIDS works with academic, research, and government organizations to maintain and expand the portal’s collection of studies that support research-based policymaking in the Philippines. (BukSU-Information Unit)