The four core agencies of the Philippine National Health Research System, namely the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), Department of Health (DOH), Department of Science and Technology (DOST), and University of the Philippines Manila, through Joint Memorandum 2012-001, require that all health researches involving human subjects undergo ethical review and clearance by a Research Ethics Committee (REC) before implementation to ensure the safety, dignity, and well-being of research participants.
The Philippine Health Research Ethics Board (PHREB), the duly created board that oversees the establishment and management of RECs, has stipulated in its policies that all RECs shall undergo an accreditation process to standardize research ethics reviews in the country. Through the Department of Science and Technology Special Order No. 248 s.2017, Regional Ethics Monitoring Boards (REMB) were created to support the tasks of PHREB. Region XI was one of the three pilot regions in the country to organize REMB.
REMB XI is composed of duly appointed representatives from the CHED, DOH, DOST, and several other government and private institutions. The following are the members of REMB in Davao Region with their respective affiliations: Alvin S. Concha, M.D., Chairperson, REMB XI (Affiliation/Current position: Southern Philippines Medical Center/Chief of SPMC Journal); Lucila T. Lupo, D.M., Vice Chairperson, REMB XI (Affiliation/Current position: Davao Doctors College/Dean, College of Allied Health Sciences); Anthony C. Sales, Ph.D., CESO III, Board Secretary, REMB XI (Affiliation/Current position: DOST XI/Regional Director); Gilbert B. Arendain, M.D., Board Member, REMB XI (Affiliation/Current position: Davao Medical School Foundation/Chair, Physiology Department); Vergel Jay T. Bautista, M.D., Board Member, REMB XI (Affiliation/Current position: DOH XI/Chair, Research & Development); Liza C. Suan, Ph.D., Board Member, REMB XI (Affiliation/Current position: CHED XI/Education Supervisor); and Fr. Manuel B. Perez, S.J., M.D., Board Member, REMB XI (Affiliation/Current position: Ateneo de Davao University/ Chair, University Clinics; Member, Bioethics).
