Iloilo State University of Fisheries Science and Technology (ISUFST) Extension Director Joana Paula B. Biñas has been elected as the new chairperson of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Region VI’s Regional Independent Monitoring Committee (RIMC) during its 2nd Quarter Meeting held this week.
Biñas, who now represents the academe and State Universities and Colleges (SUCs), succeeds Norma Chan-Pongan of CORE Philippines Inc. in the role. With members from NGOs and the academe, the RIMC provides independent monitoring of programs such as the 4Ps to improve delivery of services across Western Visayas.
Biñas stressed the importance of SUCs in this effort. “I am honored to be elected chairperson. SUCs have the duty to share research, expertise, and engagement to help programs like the 4Ps,” she said.
She noted that collaboration within the group will ensure the program adapts to family needs and lasts for the long term. “By combining the strengths of government agencies, SUCs, and communities, the 4Ps can further contribute to improving education, health, and livelihood, fostering a stronger and more inclusive nation,” Biñas emphasized.
Alongside Biñas, Joy De Pallo of Goducate–APIIS was elected as vice chairperson, while Daisy B. Ibieza of Guimaras State University will serve as secretary.
The committee also discussed the Regional Convergence Plan, updates on projects of Camp Goducate–Asia Pacific Institute of International Studies (APIIS), and preparations for the Regional Convergence Committee and RIMC Field Visit scheduled for October 2025.
ISUFST views Biñas’s election as RIMC chair as an extension of its commitment to community service, social responsibility, and inclusive nation-building. The role echoes the university’s VGMO and its alignment with SDG goals in education, health, and poverty reduction.
Over the next three years, she will lead efforts to make social welfare programs more transparent and effective for families. This recognition underscores ISUFST’s growing impact in both fisheries science and community empowerment. (Photos from DSWD VI/Text by Herman Lagon/PAMMCO)
