On the morning of December 9, 2025, the school administrators from Franciscan College of the Immaculate Conception (FCIC) gathered virtually for a pivotal Zoom Conference on Journal Publication Development. The event was hosted by Sister Maria Isabel Arnaiz, OSF, and featured keynote guidance from Dr. Genaro V. Japos, a nationally recognized figure in multidisciplinary research and journal indexing.
The session opened with a solemn invocation led by Sister M. Lorence Momo, OSF, followed by an inspiring welcome message from Dr. Ernesto Alolor, Director of Research at FCIC. Dr. Genaro Japos was introduced to setting the tone for a transformative discussion. Dr. Japos delivered a comprehensive roadmap for establishing a credible, indexed scientific journal. He presented several ways on how to come up with a journal publication.
According to Dr. Japos, the journal should begin by establishing a strong vision and identity, defining its purpose, target contributors, and thematic scope, and selecting a title that reflects the institution’s character and regional relevance. A solid editorial infrastructure must follow, with a well-structured editorial board, clear roles, and robust peer-review protocols.
To ensure quality, the journal must adopt ethical and technical standards, including COPE-aligned policies, plagiarism checks, author guidelines, ISSN registration, DOIs, and digital archiving. Contributor engagement is strengthened through student-focused initiatives such as integrating journal writing into the curriculum, offering writing clinics and mentoring, and using AI tools to support formatting and review processes.
Finally, the journal should work toward indexing and visibility by starting with local indexing platforms and progressing to DOAJ and international databases, maintaining consistent publication schedules, adopting open-access policies, and promoting the journal through academic networks and institutional branding.
Throughout the session, Dr. Japos emphasized the role of AI-powered tools in journal development specifically in drafting editorial policies, peer-review forms, and contributor templates, assisting in manuscript formatting, citation management, and plagiarism detection, and supporting visual branding, layout design, and metadata generation for indexing. He encouraged institutions to leverage AI not as a replacement for academic rigor, but as a catalyst for operational excellence and inclusivity. The conference concluded with a heartfelt message from Sister Mary Michael Bactong, OSF, School President, affirming FCIC’s commitment to scholarly excellence and regional leadership. Sister M. Annette Escasinas, OSF, Vice-President for Academic Affairs, led the closing prayer, invoking wisdom and unity for the journey ahead. This Zoom conference marked a turning point for FCIC’s academic culture, laying the foundation for a journal that is not only institutionally grounded but also globally aspirational.
