Fostering a culture of research is crucial for enhancing critical thinking, problem-solving skills, and knowledge generation among educators and students. This study evaluates Project SEARCH, a collaborative initiative between Guiguinto Central School (GCS) and La Consolacion University Philippines (LCUP), designed to improve GCS’s research productivity and capacity. Project SEARCH provided GCS teachers with training and mentorship, equipping them to design and implement quality action research, culminating in a research colloquium. The study assessed the program’s impact on research skills, productivity, and capacity. Results showed that Project SEARCH significantly enhanced teachers’ research competence, raising the overall mean score from 2.72 to 3.06. Before Project SEARCH, teachers had a basic understanding of research but struggled with designing effective research instruments and identifying suitable methods. Post-implementation, teachers improved significantly in data collection and applying research methodologies. The program’s success is highlighted by a statistically significant increase with a p-value of 0.01173, indicating that these improvements were not random. However, further development in research literacy, ethical practices, and critical thinking is necessary. Teachers also need more training in producing coherent research reports and applying their findings practically. Continued capacity-building efforts will help sustain and enhance these gains, fostering a robust research culture among teachers and potentially improving educational practices based on research findings.

Keywords: Project SEARCH, La Consolacion University Philippines, Research, Competence, Guiguinto Central School, Capacity-Building.

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