A Perspective on Publishing Justice: Navigating Ethics, Bias and Accountability in Philippine Social Science Review

Peer review is the cornerstone of credible scientific publishing and a vital mechanism for ensuring evidence-based public safety policies in the Philippines. However, the current state of the peer review process in the country is undermined by systemic challenges, including resource scarcity, ethical vulnerabilities, entrenched biases, and weak accountability mechanisms. These issues not only diminish the quality and credibility of research but also widen the gap between academic knowledge and its practical application in policy-making. This paper critically examines these challenges through a review of the literature and a contextual analysis of the Philippine academic environment. It proposes actionable strategies to achieve publishing justice, including institutional capacity-building, ethical reform, and responsible integration of emerging technologies such as Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI). A key recommendation is the establishment of a Centralized Board for Justice Research Publishing to enforce standards, promote ethical scholarship, and ensure that social science research remains impact, inclusive, and aligned with national development priorities.