MSU-GenSan GPE students win Best Paper Award at TRUE ICon 2026

Three groups of Graduate Program in Education (GPE) students from Mindanao State University–General Santos emerged victorious at the recently concluded international conference, TRUE ICon, held at the University of the East, Caloocan City on February 12, 2026.
Competing against more than 100 research entries from various institutions, the MSU–GenSan delegates secured three Best Paper Awards, placing the University alongside Ateneo de Naga and the University of the East as this year’s top awardees.
The first winning paper, “Envisioning the Futures of Graduate Program in Education in Southern Philippines by 2025,”was authored by Cherilyn B. Bansalao, Claire Love P. Benitez, Ronimer P. Cercado, Jassielle P. Cordua, Kristel Mae Patol, Fredelyn Quinatac-an, Ysan Quinactac-an, and May Sindol, and was presented by Cherilyn B. Bansalao and Ronimer P. Cercado.
The second Best Paper, “Digital Discourses of Corruption: A Critical Discourse and Institutional Analysis of Agency Narratives and Protest Frames in the Philippine Online Public Sphere,” was authored and presented by Wilfredo M. Sionosa Jr. and Edma V. Rabe.
Meanwhile, the third award-winning study, “Institutional Culture and Acceptance of Gender Expression,” was authored and presented by April Masa Gafa and Reynald Lasib.
The recognition underscores MSU–GenSan’s growing presence in international research platforms and reflects the scholarly rigor and critical engagement of its graduate students in addressing pressing educational and societal issues.