Last February 27 2026, the University of the Philippines Visayas (UPV) hosted the 4th International Conference on ICT Application Research (IAR2026 Winter), organized by UPV’s Division of Physical Sciences and Mathematics (DPSM) in cooperation with the Japan-based International ICT Application Research Society (IIARS) together with the University of the Philippines Diliman (UPD).
Delivered via a combination of virtual presentations by remote attendees and physical presentations at the Little Theater, UP Visayas, Iloilo City, the IAR2026 conference was aimed toward advancing knowledge in applications of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) by facilitating exchange of ideas and collaboration between researchers across numerous fields, including both ICT and various other disciplines involving ICT applications- ranging from science and engineering to the social sciences.
The IAR2026 main program commenced with a welcome message from UPV’s Chancellor Prof. Clement Camposano, followed by introductory remarks by IIARS representative Dr. Taku Jiromaru of Kurume University. The keynote address was delivered by UP Vice President for Research and Innovation Dr. Joel Joseph Marciano, presenting on the current state of development of the Philippines’ space capabilities via the development of small-scale satellites for numerous applications addressing various national concerns.
Following the keynote address, the first session of lectures was dedicated to ICT in relation to social sciences, featuring presentations on AI chatbots in counseling applications, gaze tracking/web access pattern analysis for use in tourism recommendation, and modeling of decision-making patterns in older adults.
The mid-conference luncheon was conducted alongside a poster presentation period, featuring poster entries on wave energy-based electricity generation for small island settings, microprocessor-based microplastics tracking, and network analysis applications in Philippine coastal tourism.
After lunch, IAR2026 resumed with a session focusing on ICT applications in formal science and computer science, including lectures on prompt engineering in generative AI, post-quantum computer cryptography, conversational Japanese simplification, and chatbot development for use in academic course delivery.
The next session was dedicated to ICT in relation to applied science, covering topics involving AI applications in accounting information systems, analysis of student perceptions on computing-related courses, and image processing/evaluation applications in burn area measurement.
The final session focused on ICT applications in relation to hardware and local community, including talks on simulation-based research on radar sensor applications and on optical microresonators, alongside survey results on ICT-related expenditure patterns across Philippine fisher and farmer households. The IAR2026 program was concluded with closing remarks from Dr. Fidel Nemenzo, followed by a dinner banquet for onsite attendees.
Further information on the event is available at IAR2026’s official website at https://iiiar.org/iiars/iar/2026_winter/
Written by: Alfonso Vicente L. Jadie, DPSM
Photos taken by: Eugene Carl N. Famin, DPSM
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