The National Research Council of the Philippines (NRCP) has awarded Dr. Harvy Joy Liwanag, senior research fellow of the Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, with the Gabay Award for 2025. The Gabay Award is a national award presented by NRCP annually to researchers whose work has been translated into policy or practice, emphasizing that research should not only advance knowledge but also contribute to societal impact. “Gabay” is the Filipino word for “guide” which comes from the idea that research should provide guidance and direction.
Dr. Liwanag was recognized for his longstanding collaboration with the Department (Ministry) of Health of the Philippines, which has focused on a range of policy-directed research, including research that recently informed the establishment of the Philippine Network for Health Policy and Systems Research through an administrative order signed by the Secretary of Health of the Philippines.
The awarding ceremonies were held during the 92nd founding anniversary celebration of NRCP in Manila last December 10. Founded in 1933, NRCP is a national government agency under the Philippine Department of Science and Technology whose mission is to advance research to support government policymaking and national development. It has about 4,900 members organized across 13 scientific divisions, including in Medical Sciences, Engineering and Industrial Research, Mathematical Sciences, Social Sciences, Humanities, and Earth and Space Sciences, among others.
Dr. Liwanag is a health systems researcher whose work focuses on evidence-informed decision-making in the areas of governance and decentralization, health workforce planning, institutional capacity building, and primary health care. We congratulate Dr. Liwanag on this outstanding achievement!