Dr. Rodel Lasco, Executive Director of the Oscar M. Lopez Center, delivers his keynote address on Resilience Under Climate Change during the 9th National PHE Conference in October 2023, Iloilo City.

1. When can I submit an abstract for the 10th PHE Conference?

Abstracts may be submitted via the online form (https://bit.ly/PHEAbstracts) until May 9, 2025 (5:00 p.m., Manila time). Abstracts sent by email will not be considered. 

2. What is the required structure for an abstract?

The abstract must include:

• Title
• Author list (Include full names, institutional affiliations and email addresses. Also, indicate who the lead author is, to whom notification of the status of the abstract submission will be sent.)
• Theme/Topic Area (Refer to the corresponding themes listed in the call for abstracts and select the most appropriate so that the conference organizers can place your abstract in the appropriate session.)
• Background information (Why is your work important? Does it fill any gaps in knowledge or research? What is the context?)
• Design/Methods (Describe how the study, program, or initiative was conducted or implemented.)
• Results/Outcomes (What did you find, discover or achieve? Your findings should be presented not only in subjective terms but also in the form of data. How significant were your findings?)
• Conclusion (What were your overall findings? What do they mean? How could the methods be improved? Is this work part of a bigger piece of research or strategy? What are the suggestions for future work?)

3. What is the maximum number of words my abstract can contain?

The abstract text is limited to 300 words. The title, author list, theme/topic area are not included in the word limit.

4. Can I include a table, graph or image in my abstract?

Images, tables, graphs and citations are not accepted in the abstract. Abstracts submitted should be in TEXT format only.

5.  What are my options with regard to presentation preference?

Your options are as follows:

• Oral presentation: At the parallel session, each presenter will be given ten (10) minutes to present their work one-by-one in a series of presentations. Each parallel session features a series of presentations followed by Q&A. These presentations are in a lecture-style format.
• Poster presentation: Poster presentations offer authors a chance to present their work in a visual format (poster) and offer more opportunities for interaction and discussion. Participants are the ones responsible for creating the poster. 

6. My study/program/initiative is still ongoing and there are no results yet; should I still submit an abstract? 

Abstracts are intended to present existing initiatives highlighting both the methods or description and results or recommendations. Abstracts that describe initiatives that are still in the planning phase are not suitable for submission. However, abstracts that contain initial but relevant or significant data from ongoing studies, programs or initiatives are welcome. 

7. Can I submit an abstract that has already been published?

Abstracts submitted should NOT be published elsewhere, and they should contain unpublished results. Authors are not permitted to submit an abstract on previously published work unless the abstract represents further progression of the published research.

8.  Can we use ChatGPT or AI tools for editing and writing an abstract? 

We highly value original, unique, and high-quality submissions. While AI tools can enhance the writing process by improving readability and language (e.g., translation), authors are responsible for ensuring the accuracy and completeness of their abstracts and must carefully review and edit any AI-generated content to avoid bias and errors. When submitting, authors must disclose the use of AI and AI-assisted technologies (e.g. for editing), which will be noted in the published abstract.

9.  Who reviews and selects the abstracts? 

Only abstracts that follow the submission guidelines (e.g., prescribed format) will be endorsed for review by the Scientific Committee, which is responsible for conducting a blind peer review of all submitted abstracts and making the final selection for inclusion in the program. Abstracts can be selected for oral presentation at the parallel sessions or to be presented as a poster presentation. 

10.  How many authors can I include in the author’s list? 

The number of co-authors per abstract is unlimited. A person can be listed as a co-author if he/she has made a substantive intellectual contribution to the submission.

11. I have submitted my abstract, but now I realize that it contained a mistake, and I need to revise it. Should I submit the abstract again online?

You can make changes to your abstract prior to the submission deadline by either editing your previous response or submitting a new response.

12. May I submit more than one abstract?

Yes, you may. Participants may be first author or co-author of multiple abstracts, provided that each submission represents distinct research. An author can only present once.  

13. How do I know if my abstract was properly submitted?

You will receive an automatic reply from the Google form that your submission has been received. 

14. Will I be able to submit my abstract in a language other than English?

 No, we will only accept abstracts written in English for review.

15. I am unable to attend the conference. Can I still submit an abstract?

If you know for certain that it will be impossible for your material to be presented at the conference either in person or virtually by yourself or a co-author/colleague, please do not make a submission. We give priority to authors who can commit to attending.

16. When will I know if my abstract has been accepted?

The lead author will receive an email notification by June 2025 regarding the outcome of the review process. In some cases, submissions may be tagged as “waitlisted.” If an accepted author does not confirm by June, the waitlisted submission may take their place, and the authors will be notified. If your submission is accepted, you will receive an email with the details of your assigned session and instructions for submitting your presentation materials.

17. If my abstract gets accepted, will I be required to submit a full paper before the conference?  

If your abstract is accepted, you will be asked to submit a PowerPoint presentation, not a full paper, before the end of August to the conference secretariat. The PHE Network will hold the copyright to the accepted abstracts.

18. If my abstract gets accepted, will the organizers shoulder my expenses for participating in the conference?  

No. The participants are primarily responsible for their own expenses, including their travel, accommodations, visa applications (if applicable) and the registration fee for the conference. International participants are also primarily responsible for their visa applications and are advised to review visa guidelines in the Philippines.

19. Do I receive feedback about my submission even if it is not accepted?

In case of non-acceptance, a notification will be sent by email to the lead author.

20. When will I know the day and time of my presentation?

In June 2025, you will receive an email with further details about the conference, including the payment options for the registration fee, presentation guidelines/format and schedule of your presentation. Should a presenter withdraw from the conference, the registration fee will not be refunded.

If you have any questions or need anything clarified about the abstract submission, please send an email to pheinq@gmail.com. For more general inquiries about the conference, please contact Dr. Joan Castro at jcastro@pfpi.org, cc phesecretariat@gmail.com. 

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